Didi Class 950

Description

The Didi 950 (also known as Didi Class 950) is a high-performance, radius chine plywood sailboat designed by renowned naval architect Dudley Dix as part of his Didi series. Introduced in the early 2010s, it was specifically engineered to comply with the Class 950 box rule—a development-class regulation for shorthanded offshore racing that emphasizes innovation within limits on length (max 9.5 m LOA), beam (max 3.5 m), sail area (max 60 m²), and draft (max 2.5 m). This results in a fast, agile 31-foot racer-cruiser suitable for solo or doublehanded crews, blending competitive speed with basic cruising amenities. Built primarily by amateurs using affordable plywood kits or plans, it features a modern hull with a topside chine for enhanced reaching power, twin rudders for control, and options for fixed or lifting keels. The class aimed to bridge the gap between smaller Open 650s and larger Class 40s but gained limited traction, with only a handful of boats built worldwide (e.g., in Australia, USA, and New Zealand). It's praised for its "gritty offshore" capabilities and DIY appeal, though the Class 950 itself fizzled by the mid-2010s due to competition from established classes like Figaro or Class 40.