Buzzards Bay 12 1/2 (Herreshoff 12-1/2 also Doughdish)
Description
The Buzzards Bay 12½ (more commonly known as the Herreshoff 12½ or H-12½) is one of the most iconic and enduring small sailboat designs ever created. Designed by Nathanael G. Herreshoff ("Captain Nat") in 1914, it was originally commissioned as the "Buzzards Bay Boys' Boat" for teaching young sailors the fundamentals of sailing in the challenging, windy, and choppy conditions of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. It's often hailed as "the best small sailboat of its size ever designed" for its perfect proportions, stability, seaworthiness, and ease of handling—capable of being sailed by kids yet enjoyable for adults. This timeless one-design keelboat has remained popular for over a century, with active fleets, a dedicated H Class Association, and ongoing production in both wood and fiberglass (the latter trademarked as the "Doughdish" by builders like Cape Cod Shipbuilding).
Construction Details
| Designer | Nathanael G. Herreshoff |
|---|---|
| Length | 15.750 ft |
| LOA | 15.750 ft |
| LWL | 12.500 ft |
| Beam | 5.833 ft |
| Displacement | 1500 lb |
| Ballast | 735 lb |
| Max Draft | 2.750 ft |
| Year Built | 1914 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | - |
|---|---|
| j | - |
| p | - |
| e | - |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Buzzards Bay 12 1/2 (Herreshoff 12-1/2 also Doughdish) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 12 ft - (3658 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 4.25 ft - (1295 mm) |
| Leech | 10.42 ft - (3176 mm) |
| Area | * 21.71 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Buzzards Bay 12 1/2 (Herreshoff 12-1/2 also Doughdish) - GAFF MAIN
| Luff | 8.67 ft - (2643 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 11.5 ft - (3505 mm) |
| Leech | 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 80.81 ° |
| Diag (clew/throat) | 13.25 ft - (4039 mm) |
| Head | 8.42 ft - (2566 mm) |
| Area | * 103.97 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
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. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.