American16
Description
The American 16 (often referred to as the American 16.5 in some listings due to its LOA including overhangs) is a compact fiberglass day-sailor produced by the American Fiberglass Corporation (a division of General Recreation Corporation) in the 1970s. Designed for recreational sailing, it’s ideal for beginners, families, or solo sailors on lakes, rivers, or calm bays. This lightweight, trailerable monohull features a fractional sloop rig and a retractable centerboard, offering shallow-water access and easy launching. Its stable, forgiving design makes it perfect for learning or casual day sails, with a roomy cockpit for 2–4 people. The American 16 is closely related to the American 12 Kingfisher but larger, with more capacity and slightly better performance. It’s distinct from the later American 14.6 by American Sail Inc., which has a modernized design, and unrelated to other "American" models like the American 21 (AMI).
Construction Details
| Designer | American Mariner Industries |
|---|---|
| Length | 16.000 ft |
| LOA | 14.500 ft |
| LWL | 13.000 ft |
| Beam | 6.170 ft |
| Displacement | 340 lb |
| Max Draft | 3.500 ft |
| Min Draft | 0.330 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 15.25 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 4.75 ft |
| p | 19.30 ft |
| e | 9.25 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.25 ft | 4.75 ft | 19.30 ft | 9.25 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 19.3 ft - (5883 mm) |
| Foot | * 9.25 ft - (2819 mm) |
| Leech | * 21.01 ft - (6404 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.01 ° |
| Diagonal | * 21.11 ft - (6434 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4 in - (102 mm) |
| Area | * 92.56 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 12.25 ft - (3734 mm) |
| Foot | 5.25 ft - (1600 mm) |
| Leech | 11.083 ft - (3378 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 100 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 4.75 ft - (1448 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 7.91 ° |
| Area | * 29.09 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 13.25 ft - (4039 mm) |
| Foot | 9.25 ft - (2819 mm) |
| Leech | 13 ft - (3962 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 180.42 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 8.57 ft - (2612 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.78 ° |
| Area | * 56.79 ft² |
| Sail Type | DRIFTER |
|---|---|
| Luff | 13.25 ft - (4039 mm) |
| Foot | 9.25 ft - (2819 mm) |
| Leech | 13 ft - (3962 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180.42 % |
| Length Perp | * 8.57 ft - (2612 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.78 ° |
| Area | * 56.79 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 16 ft - (4877 mm) |
| Foot | 10 ft - (3048 mm) |
| Leech | 14 ft - (4267 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 120 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite.