Defender 12
Description
The Defender 12 is a compact, high-performance one-design sailboat classified as a "mini 12" class, similar in concept to the 2.4mR, Illusion 12, and Millimeter. It's designed for single-handed racing in light to moderate winds, emphasizing agility and responsiveness. Built primarily in the 1980s, it's known for its wet, exciting ride and foot-operated rudder, making it a favorite among enthusiasts for club racing and casual sailing. Some units were originally constructed in Germany for an America's Cup training program, but most production models came from L&L Yachts in California.
Construction Details
| Designer | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Builder | L&L Yachts |
| Length | 12.000 ft |
| LOA | 12.330 ft |
| LWL | 9.750 ft |
| Beam | 3.080 ft |
| Displacement | 700 lb |
| Max Draft | 2.500 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 11.52 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 4.30 ft |
| p | 14.37 ft |
| e | 5.44 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.52 ft | 4.30 ft | 14.37 ft | 5.44 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 14.37 ft - (4380 mm) |
| Foot | 5.45 ft - (1661 mm) |
| Leech | * 15.03 ft - (4581 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 15.19 ft - (4630 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area | * 40.97 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 11.48 ft - (3499 mm) |
| Foot | 3.75 ft - (1143 mm) |
| Leech | 10.83 ft - (3301 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 82.33 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 3.54 ft - (1079 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * -1.09 ° |
| Area | * 20.31 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 11.48 ft - (3499 mm) |
| Foot | 7.2 ft - (2195 mm) |
| Leech | 10.83 ft - (3301 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 153.26 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 6.59 ft - (2009 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.19 ° |
| Area | * 37.85 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 11.68 ft - (3560 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 7.74 ft - (2359 mm) |
| Foot | * 7.74 ft - (2359 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 77 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. 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.