Why Is The Spitfire Class A Gateway To High-Performance Sailing?

Whether you are a sailor yourself or you have a child or teenager who is heavily into the sport, you will likely have encountered the spitfire class of catamarans. These boats are very popular among those who are exploring faster-paced races on the ocean. 

In fact, the British Spitfire Class Association (BSCA) notes that this model of catamaran has been the most popular youth mulit-hull vessel for over a decade in the UK. This is because it offers the speed and agility to give you a taste of high-performance racing.

What defines a spitfire catamaran?  

A spitfire vessel is 16ft long. It’s a double-handed catamaran that has a large asymmetric Gennaker sail as well as a twin trapeze. This allows both members of the crew to hang out over the water and keep the boat balanced when travelling at speed. 

Meanwhile, its large spinnaker gives it the power required to sail downwind both low and fast. 

Why is a spitfire the gateway to high-performance sailing?

Learning to handle a spitfire catamaran is an excellent way to develop the skills you’ll need to step into the world of high-performance sailing on vessels like an F18. 

The spitfire will give you valuable experience of sailing on a twin trapeze vessel and it will allow you to reach speeds close to those you can experience on an F18, giving you a valuable insight into how these boats sail and race. 

The spitfire is also part of the Youth Olympic Pathway, which has recently been updated by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) to make sailing more accessible and to help more young people in the UK to access the sport. 

One of the RYA’s aims is to get more local sailing clubs to become pathway clubs or hubs to help introduce new sailors to the sport. This could mean more people are looking for a boat builder to help them find their ideal craft for getting out on the water in 2026.