The Shark belongs in the Canadian Sailboat Hall of Fame if only
because it was the very first production fiberglass keelboat
built in the country. But the Sharks' claim to fame goes far
beyond this. Its speed and performance caused a minor sensation
on race courses when the boat first made its appearance on Lake
Ontario in the early 1960s. As its popularity grew, it went
on to become one of the largest and most active sailboat classes
in Canada. Today, there are well over two thousand Sharks sailing
on the waters of North America and Europe.
The Shark is a 24 foot (7.34m) sailboat which carries 190 square
feet (17.72 m²) of sail. It has a beam of 6' 10" (2.0 8
m) and it displaces 2100 lbs. (953 kg.). Despite its racing
pedigree, its cabin has enough room to accommodate three to
four people on overnight cruising trips. Indeed, a good number
of Shark owners use their boats primarily for cruising and recreational
sailing.
As noted, the Shark's popularity extends well beyond Canada's
borders. There are Shark fleets in the United States and in
several European countries, including Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, Sweden and Finland.
The Shark is among a privileged number of keelboats officially
recognized as an international class by the International Sailing
Federation, and one of only three recognized as a "Classic"
class. At one time, the Shark was even considered as a potential
Olympic boat.
The Shark has now been around for over 40 years, but it still
generates a lot of excitement on the race course because it's
a fun and responsive boat to sail. Moreover, it is supported
by strong Canadian and International class associations which
have established rules and practices to ensure that the Shark
continues to be an affordable and accessible means for people
who want to take up the challenge of keelboat racing. Although
the Shark attracts many newcomers to the sport, competition
in championship races remains a serious affair. For example,
in order to participate in a Shark World Cup regatta, boats
have to be weighted and sails measured to ensure they conform
to class rules.
The Shark Worlds alternate between North America and Europe.
In recent years the event has taken place in Toronto, Canada,
Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, Neusiedlersee, Austria, and Buffalo,
U.S.A. In 2003, the 38th Shark World Cup took place on the Ottawa
River in the National Capital Region.
