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The ''Sailfish'' sailboat is a small, hollow body, board-boat style sailing dinghy. The design is a shallow draft, sit-upon hull carrying a lateen sail mounted to an un-stayed mast. This style sailboat is sometimes referred to as a "wet boat" because, with its minimal freeboard, the sailor often gets splashed by spray as the boat moves across the water. This flat top was known in some coves as the "ironing board of the ocean." The distinctive low-aspect ratio lateen sail gives the ''Sailfish'' a unique squat appearance compared with today's more familiar high-aspect ratio Bermuda rig sailboats. First impression of this low profile rig might be that it sails awkwardly, however, the lateen sail plan shifts the advantage toward better performance in light air and also contributes to it having good down-wind characteristics. The lateen sail along with its simple two line rigging made the Sailfish one of the easiest boats ever to learn fundamentals of sailing on. ''Sailfish'' as the trade name for a board-boat first appeared in 1945. It was designed and built by Waterbury, Connecticut company Alcort, Inc., which took its name from founders Alex Bryan and Cortlandt Heyniger. They started out constructing iceboats and branched into small sailboats after being presented with a request to quote on a paddle board for the Red Cross. The project didn't pan out with the Red Cross, but Alex and Cortlandt felt an improved version might make a viable personal sailboat.〔''The Sunfish Bible'' by Will White, Omega3 Press, Sarasota, FL - "''Background on the Boat''", an interview with Alex and Cortlandt〕 In 1949 ''LIFE'' Magazine published an article showcasing the ''Sailfish'', calling it "the sportiest little sailing craft afloat".〔''LIFE Magazine'' - Volume 27, Number 7, August 15, 1949 - "''World's Wettest, Sportiest Boat''"〕 The write-up praised Alcort, Inc. and its ''Sailfish'' sailboat for adding a new and economical dimension to waterfront recreation. As a result of the national notoriety, ''Sailfish'', and Alcort's later design, the ''Sunfish'', became so well known their brand names became synonymous for nearly any board-style boat sporting the characteristic lateen sail. ==Evolution== Early ''Sailfish'' were offered in the form of boat plans for the backyard boat builder along with an option to purchase the boat from the Alcort shop, fully assembled and ready to sail. In the beginning, do-it-yourself boat builders crafted every piece, formed and assembled all the hardware from raw metal stock, and even sewed their own sail. Boats built in the Alcort shop received a sail obtained through Old Town Canoe Co., made by sailmaker Ratsey & Lapthorn. Eventually, Alcort had Ratsey-Lapthorn make a sail specifically for the ''Sailfish'', eliminating the middleman and establishing Ratsey-Lapthorn as Alcort's regular sail provider, a status they retained until 1979.〔''The Sunfish Bible'' by Will White, Omega3 Press, Sarasota, FL - "''Background on the Boat''"〕 Not long after introducing the ''Sailfish'', Alcort decided to reach a broader market by supplying the boat in kit form. The kit contained a complete, ready-to-assemble boat in pre-cut pieces with the sail and all necessary hardware included. This provided a way for those who lacked the specialty tools and specialized skills of a boat-builder to construct their own ''Sailfish''. From that point forward, the ''Sailfish'' could be purchased as a do it yourself kit, or fully assembled by Alcort. ''Sailfish'' were available in two models, the 11' 7½" Standard ''Sailfish'' and the 13' 7" Super ''Sailfish''. Alcort took the hollow body board-boat concept to the next level in 1959 when it introduced the Super ''Sailfish'' with a fiberglass hull. They named this model the Super ''Sailfish'' MK-II. This was the most popular model, and the one a majority of sailors remember as simply the "''Sailfish''". 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sailfish (sailboat)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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