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Howmar 12
Designer: S&S  ·  Builder: Howmar Boats Inc. (Usa)  ·  First built: 1983
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About the Howmar 12

Designed by the prestigious Sparkman & Stephens naval architecture firm, this compact dinghy represents quality engineering in a small package. Built by Howmar Boats Inc. beginning in 1983, the Howmar 12 features fiberglass construction and a fractional sloop rig configuration that makes it both durable and manageable for sailors of varying experience levels. At just over 12 feet in length with a centerboard design, this boat excels as a day sailor and training platform. The moderate beam of 5 feet provides decent stability while maintaining easy trailering capabilities. With 90 square feet of sail area and a displacement of 175 pounds, the boat offers spirited performance in light to moderate conditions, making it ideal for protected waters, small lakes, and coastal sailing in favorable weather. The S&S pedigree brings thoughtful design elements typically found in larger yachts, scaled appropriately for this size vessel. The centerboard configuration allows for shallow water exploration and easy launching from beaches or ramps. Its lightweight construction and manageable size make it an excellent choice for sailing instruction, weekend recreation, or as a tender for larger vessels. The Howmar 12 suits sailors seeking a quality small boat with classic design lineage.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 12.17 ft / 3.71 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 10.42 ft / 3.18 m
Beam 5.00 ft / 1.52 m
Max Draft 2.50 ft / 0.76 m
Min Draft 0.33 ft / 0.10 m
Displacement 175.00 lb / 79 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 90.00 ft² / 8.36 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Centerboard Dinghy
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer S&S
Builder Howmar Boats Inc. (USA)
First Built 1983
Related Sailboats ["Oday 12" · "Butterfly" · "Phoenix 12" · "Hobie Bravo" · "Byte"]
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
46.06
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
69.05
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
2.89
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
3.58
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 4.33 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 186.16 pounds/inch
How It Compares

vs. Butterfly, Hobie Bravo, Phoenix 12

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Howmar 12 ★
12.2 ft
Butterfly
12.0 ft
Hobie Bravo
12.0 ft
Phoenix 12
12.0 ft
LWL
Howmar 12 ★
10.4 ft
Butterfly
Hobie Bravo
Phoenix 12
11.7 ft
Beam
Howmar 12 ★
5.0 ft
Butterfly
4.5 ft
Hobie Bravo
4.4 ft
Phoenix 12
4.8 ft
Displacement
Howmar 12 ★
175 lbs
Butterfly
137 lbs
Hobie Bravo
195 lbs
Phoenix 12
185 lbs
Sail Area
Howmar 12 ★
90 sq ft
Butterfly
75 sq ft
Hobie Bravo
86 sq ft
Phoenix 12
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Howmar 12 ★
46.1
Butterfly
Hobie Bravo
41.0
Phoenix 12
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Howmar 12 ★
2.9
Butterfly
2.6
Hobie Bravo
3.9
Phoenix 12
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Howmar 12 ★
3.58
Butterfly
Hobie Bravo
3.05
Phoenix 12
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Howmar 12 ★
69
Butterfly
57
Hobie Bravo
82
Phoenix 12
51
Hull Speed
Howmar 12 ★
4.3 kts
Butterfly
4.3 kts
Hobie Bravo
4.3 kts
Phoenix 12
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