Design: Sparkman
& Stephens, 1938
Over 15000 built
More than 500 fleets worldwide
Length: 19'0" (5.8m)
Beam: 6'6" (2m)
Displacement: 700 lb (318 kg)
Draft (board down): 4'11" (151.3cm)
(board up): 5" (12.8cm)
Mast height: 26'2" (7.9m)
Sail area (main & jib): 177 sq.ft.
(spinnaker): 300 sq.ft.
Crew (racing): 3The
International Lightning
Get The Best Of
Both Worlds
Without Compromising Either One
The Lightning, a 19 foot
trailerable centerboard sloop, was originally
designed by Sparkman & Stephens as an affordable
family day-sailor and racing boat. She has evolved
into one of the most popular and competitive
one-design racing classes in the world. Awarded ISAF
International Class status, the Lightning is sailed
in more than 13 countries and in the Pan American
Games, and the class provides a
professionally-managed association that is among the
largest in all of one-design sailing. The Lightning's
rig is simple, but offers sophisticated sail shape
controls. The hull features a unique hard chine
design that combines the stability that provides
sail-carrying power, with flat bottom sections that
promote planing. The International Lightning Class
Association protects the boat's design and licenses
custom and private builders to build boats under its
administration. A list of Lightning builders is
available from the ILCA upon request.
Dinghy
Responsiveness,
Sportboat Performance
The Best Of Both Worlds
Whether racing or daysailing, the
Lightning offers a combination of performance and
stability that eludes most one-designs. The
Lightning's hard chine and 130 lb centerboard give
her the stability and power of a small keel boat
going to weather in strong winds and allow her to
carry a very large spinnaker for breathtaking offwind
rides.
There's room in the cockpit for two
couples or a family to daysail, but the Lightning is
easy to ramp launch and light enough to trailer with
ease. In the event of a capsize, she can be righted
and sailed dry by her crew.
Refined Design,
Today's Technology
The Best Of Both Worlds
Whether you're more interested in
how a boat looks or how it behaves, it's hard to beat
the Lightning. The Class maintains an attitude that
promotes conservative innovation, making the boat
faster, safer and more maintenance free, while
keeping prices affordable. Most Lightnings built in
the last 25 years can be made competitive and it's
not uncommon to see them winning races right along
with new ones. In fact the 1995 World Champion sailed
a boat built in 1969!
Modern Lightnings are built in
foam-cored fiberglass with stainless steel
centerboards and black anodized aluminum spars. The
world's top sailmakers give the class their best
efforts. In short, there are enough controls to keep
the most technically inclined happy, but it's good
tactics, boat-handling and hiking that win races.
The Best
Competition In The World Or
A Way To Get Away From It
The Best Of Both Worlds
Ted Turner, Dennis Conner, Ken
Read, Dave Dellenbaugh, Dave Curtis, Bruce Goldsmith,
Tom Allen, Neal Fowler, Steve Benjamin, Ched Proctor,
Bill Shore, Greg Fisher, Andy Horton are just a few of the rock
stars who have competed in the Lightning. After more
than 60 years and more than 15,000 boats it's easy to
find a regatta when you want to. But whether you're
interested in serious racing or you just want to go
for a joyride with the family, you'll find what
you're looking for in the Lightning.
Club Racer Or
International Icon
The Best Of Both Worlds
The Lightning truly excels as a
racing boat. It requires a wide range of different
skills, both tactical and technical. At 700 pounds
all up, the boat is tough enough to avoid frequent
breakdowns, but light enough to plane wildly on the
reaches.
A World Championship is held every
two years. North American, South American and
European Championships are held each year as are
innumerable regional and District championships.
Major regattas attract some of the finest sailors in
the world, but you find class members friendly and
the sailmakers' complete tuning guides helpful at
getting you up to speed in a hurry.
The
International Lightning Class Association
Welcome To Our World
The ILCA is one of the oldest and
best organized class associations in sailboat racing.
Its primary purpose is to serve its membership,
preserve the integrity of the Lightning and provide
high-quality competitive events. In addition, the
ILCA publishes a monthly newsletter Lightning Flashes
with up-to-date regatta news, boat brokerage and
ideas on how to get the most out of your Lightning.
An annual Yearbook, containing many illustrated
articles, reports on major championships, fleet
reports and a complete association mailing list, is
also published. The professional ILCA staff is always
on hand to assist both current and potential members.
If you're looking for a boat you
can be proud to sail, one that offers dinghy handling
with the performance of a sportboat, a refined design
that's free of fads, complete with the technology of
today for both racing and daysailing - Get The Best
Of Both Worlds. Get into a Lightning. See you on the
water.
David Dellenbaugh, former
Lightning World Champion and starting helmsman for
1992 America's Cup defender America3:
The Top 10 Things I Like About The Lightning:
1. There's Lightning racing almost everywhere.
2. Some of the best sailors in the world sail the
Lightning.
3. Lightnings are available from more than one
high-quality builder.
4. Lightnings even 20 years old are still
competitive.
5. The boat is one of the best crew trainers on the
water today.
6. The class is not so strict as to discourage
experimentation which makes the boat faster and
easier to sail.
7. The Lightning has interested the finest sailmakers
in the world so the sails and the tuning guides look
great and are easy to use.
8. The Lightning is a very roomy boat for daysailing.
9. Lightning sailors sail hard, but they're not too
cutthroat - someone's always ready to answer
questions.
10. The class management is as good as you'll find in
one-design sailing.
For more information about the
International Lightning or to arrange a test sail in
your area, call or write to the address listed below.
