Precision 16

The Precision 16 is an American sailing dinghy that was designed by Stephen Seaton and first built in 1982.^[1][2][3]

Precision 16

Development
Designer	Stephen Seaton
Location	United States
Year	1982
No. built	64 (1994)
Builder(s)	Precision Boat Works
Name	Precision 16
Boat
Displacement	390 lb (177 kg)
Draft	3.67 ft (1.12 m) with centerboard down
Hull
Type	Monohull
Construction	Fiberglass
LOA	16.25 ft (4.95 m)
LWL	14.00 ft (4.27 m)
Beam	6.67 ft (2.03 m)
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	centerboard
Rudder(s)	transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig type	Bermuda rig
Sails
Sailplan	Fractional rigged sloop
Mainsail area	97 sq ft (9.0 m2)
Jib/genoa area	58 sq ft (5.4 m2)
Spinnaker area	162 sq ft (15.1 m2)
Total sail area	155 sq ft (14.4 m2)
Racing
D-PN	100.1

Production

The design was built by Precision Boat Works in Palmetto, Florida, United States, starting in 1982, but it is now out of production. A total of 64 examples of the type were reported as having been completed by 1994.^[1][3][4]

Design

The Precision 16 is a recreational sailboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with teak wood trim. It has a fractional sloop rig with aluminum spars. The double hull has a raked stem, a plumb transom and a retractable centerboard. The a transom-hung, kick-up rudder has an aluminum head that is controlled by a tiller. Both the rudder and centerboard are made from foam-cored fiberglass. The boat is open and has no foredeck, although it has two stowage compartments. It displaces 390 lb (177 kg) and is equipped with 10 cu ft (0.28 m³) of foam for flotation.^[1][3]

The boat has a draft of 3.67 ft (1.12 m) with the centerboard extended and 8 in (20 cm) with it retracted, allowing beaching or ground transportation on a trailer.^[1]

For sailing the design is equipped with a self-bailing cockpit. The mainsail boom has the mainsheet rigged for mid-boom sheeting.^[3]

The design has a Portsmouth Yardstick racing average handicap of 100.1 and is normally raced with a crew of two sailors.^[3]

Operational history

In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood noted that the boat was only sold in Florida. He also remarked on its planing capabilities.^[3]

See also

• List of sailing boat types