American 18
Description
The American 18 is a modern fiberglass day-sailor produced by American Sail Inc., designed for recreational sailing, family outings, or training on lakes, rivers, or protected coastal waters. Introduced in 1996, it's a trailerable monohull emphasizing simplicity, stability, and ease of use for beginners or solo sailors, with a spacious cockpit accommodating 4–6 adults comfortably. The boat features a fractional sloop rig, retractable centerboard for shallow draft, and extensive foam flotation for unsinkability. At under 600 lbs. hull weight, it's lightweight and responsive, capable of planning in moderate winds, but it's not a high-performance racer—prioritizing fun and safety over speed. Owners often highlight its quick rigging (under 20 minutes by one person) and solid construction, making it ideal for club sailing or learn-to-sail programs like those at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. It's distinct from older "American" models like the American 16 or 21 (AMI), as this is from a contemporary builder focused on affordable, no-frills day sailors.
Construction Details
| Designer | American Mariner Industries |
|---|---|
| Length | 18.000 ft |
| LOA | 17.750 ft |
| LWL | 16.500 ft |
| Beam | 7.000 ft |
| Displacement | 570 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.160 ft |
| Min Draft | 0.750 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 16.50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 5.75 ft |
| p | 20 ft |
| e | 9.75 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16.50 ft | 5.75 ft | 20 ft | 9.75 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
| Foot | * 9.75 ft - (2972 mm) |
| Leech | * 21.85 ft - (6660 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 87.99 ° |
| Diagonal | * 21.94 ft - (6687 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area | * 101.43 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 13 ft - (3962 mm) |
| Foot | 5.25 ft - (1600 mm) |
| Leech | 11 ft - (3353 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 76 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 4.37 ft - (1332 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 14.4 ° |
| Area | * 28.42 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 13.98 ft - (4261 mm) |
| Foot | * 7.73 ft - (2356 mm) |
| Leech | * 11.96 ft - (3645 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.96 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 6.61 ft - (2015 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.05 ° |
| Area | * 46.19 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 16.6 ft - (5060 mm) |
| Foot | * 9.38 ft - (2859 mm) |
| Leech | * 15.52 ft - (4730 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 149.91 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 8.62 ft - (2627 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.99 ° |
| Area | * 71.56 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
| Foot | 10.5 ft - (3200 mm) |
| Leech | 16 ft - (4877 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 134 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.