Description
The M-16 Class Scow (also known as the M Scow or simply M-16) is a classic American/Canadian one-design racing dinghy that's been a staple of inland lake sailing since 1950. It's a high-performance, planing scow with a distinctive flat, wide hull for speed on protected waters, dual retractable bilgeboards (leeboards), and originally twin rudders. Popular in the Midwest (especially around the Great Lakes and Minnesota/Wisconsin areas), it's designed for two-person crews and emphasizes lively, responsive handling — great for club racing but demanding in breezes due to its power and tendency to plane aggressively.
The class originated as a collaboration between Johnson Boat Works and Melges Boat Works (the latter founded by legendary sailor Buddy Melges). It was built over the decades by Johnson, Tanzer Industries (Canada), Windward Boatworks, and Melges Performance Sailboats. Production has ended, but many fiberglass hulls from the 1950s–1990s are still racing competitively.
Key change in 1999: The class was modernized using the MC Scow hull and deck molds, switching to a single rudder, fixed (non-rotating) mast, and removing the mainsheet traveler for simpler rigging while keeping the sloop setup.
