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The DART 18 celebrates its 50th anniversary

What is its STORY?

In 1968, Kim Stephens founded the Panther Craft shipyard. He was joined by Ian Fraser and naval architect Rodney March. They produced the Tornado.
In 1973, the IYRU¹ decided to grant the Tornado Olympic status.
The Panther Craft team feared that the Tornado's Olympic status would hinder its popularization and decided to design and produce a simpler catamaran intended for widespread use. Kim Stephens and Ian Fraser once again called upon Rodney March, assisted by Terry Pearce, to design a catamaran suitable for a double-handed, mixed-gender, and relatively inexperienced crew. Furthermore, its performance had to be similar whether sailed double-handed or single-handed. The catamaran would be named DART 18.
It took two years for the prototype, bearing the designation "nu: 1²", to be launched for trials in July 1975.
In January 1976, at the Paris Boat Show, the DART 18 "number: 2³" was presented as a world premiere on the France Catamaran stand⁴.

At the same time, the IYRU (International Yachting Union) launched a competition to define a new international class of double-crewed catamaran.
The competition took place in March 1976 in California.
The competitors were the Mystère, the Hydra, the Nacra 5.2, Cobra, Katka, and Sea Spray.

They all had hull lengths between 4.95 and 5.48 meters and sail areas of 15.6 to 20 square meters.

The IYRU incorporated performance criteria into its selection process, including safety features such as easy righting, the lack of a centerboard and boom, and quick and easy assembly.
The Dart 18 emerged victorious from this competition and became an international class.

Its success was rapid, and distribution in Europe was ensured by a network of national agents who were already distributing the Tornado from the Panther Craft shipyard. France Catamaran was the exclusive agent for France and Belgium. National Dart 18 owner associations (Afidart for France) were established and later joined forces to found the IDA (International Dart Association). The IYRU confirmed the Dart 18 class's international status and it was represented by the IDA.
To this day, 50 years later and with over 8,000 boats built, the one-design Dart 18 remains a popular choice. Several new features⁵, offering improved user comfort and ease of maintenance, have led to positive developments while also allowing older boats to be equipped with them.

The Dart 18's sporting record speaks for itself.

The first European Championship was held in Carnac in 1978. It brought together 70 boats.
In 2026, the 25th Dart World Championship will take place in Carnac.

We are preparing for and awaiting the arrival of more than 100 crews representing some fifteen countries⁶.

A fantastic event not to be missed.
Come and join us for a week of sport where camaraderie is the watchword.

The AFIDART Board

Thanks to Thierry Wibaux for his careful proofreading.

Bibliographical source: René Lucas, who initiated the famous AFIDART training courses at the CVB⁷ in the 1980s.

The organization was later taken over and run for many years by Pierre and Yolande Morisset.

1 IYRU: International Yacht Racing Union, which became ISAF: International Sailing Federation in 1996 and then World Sailing in 2015.
2 No. 1: has been on display at the Maritime Museum in Falmouth for about fifteen years.
3 Dart 18 No. 2: still sailing, after having belonged for many years to Lucien Gourmez, it is the pride of a seasoned Dutch Dart sailor.

4 France Catamaran: is the exclusive distributor of the Dart 18 for France and Belgium.

The company was founded by Lucien Gourmez. In 1996, Thierry Wibaux took over. He still heads the company located at 41, rue Bécheline, 16000 Angoulême, France.

5 New features: rudder, trampoline track, aft beam locking spring, mainsail tackle, jib blocks, trampoline, Cunningham.

6 Countries: France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Portugal, South Africa, Canada, Luxembourg, Thailand, Aruba.

7 CVB: Bordeaux Sailing Club, now CVBCM for Bordeaux-Carcans-Maubuisson Sailing Club.