Description
The Aqua Cat 14 is a lightweight fiberglass catamaran sailing dinghy designed for recreational day sailing, one-design racing, and beginner training. Produced by American Sail Inc. (Hanover, PA), it evolved from the earlier Aqua Cat 12, with production starting in the 1970s and continuing as of 2025.
The Aqua Cat 14, which was developed in-house by American Sail Inc. after acquiring assets in 1976 but retained the core concepts from Javes' work. The series became one of the most popular one-design catamaran classes in the 1960s–1970s, emphasizing simplicity, safety, and accessibility for recreational sailing. This 14-foot catamaran is trailerable, beach-launchable, and ideal for solo sailors, families, or sailing schools on lakes, bays, or calm coastal waters (up to 1 ft chop). It features a boomless single-sail rig on a tubular "A-frame" aluminum mast, eliminating standing rigging for simplicity and safety, and uses fixed skegs (replacing daggerboards) for easy beaching through surf. With a capacity of 3–4 adults (up to 1,000 lbs.), it offers greater stability and payload than the Aqua Cat 12, making it versatile for family outings or light racing. Owners praise its quick setup (10–15 minutes solo), portability (cartoppable or trailered under 400 lbs.), and unsinkable design due to foam flotation. While not as fast as competitors like the Hobie 16, its forgiving handling and high capacity make it a favorite for resorts and learn-to-sail programs.
