El Toro (dinghy)
Class symbol
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| Boat | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
| Hull | |
| Hull weight | 36.28 kg (80.0 lb) |
| LOA | 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in) (Originally 7 ft 11 in) |
| Beam | 1.19 m (3 ft 11 in) (Originally 3 ft 10 in) |
| Sails | |
| Mainsail area | 4.55 m2 (49.0 sq ft) |
The El Toro is a one-design class of sailing dinghy. The El Toro is quite small—approximately 8 feet (2.44 ) long—and very simple to sail.
The El Toro was designed to serve as both a racing dinghy and a tender for ferrying people and material to and from a larger yacht. The hull measures only 8 feet (2.4 m) long and 3 feet 11 inches (1.19 m) at its widest point. The design features a thwart, or bench, provided for use when rowing.
The available space for the sailor is smaller still, as the sailor usually sits on the deck in the area behind the thwart.
With a characteristic snub-nosed bow and high sides, the El Toro design is a sharp contrast to the low-profile, more sleek design of the Laser or many other newer boats. However, the stability of the El Toro makes it ideal for teaching sailing.
Many junior sailing programs use the El Toro to introduce new sailors to racing, as the boat is easier for the young or inexperienced to control. Lasers, and other similar boats, generally require a larger person and quick reactions to keep the boat under control in brisk winds.
While the boat is often used by children and junior sailors, and many adults complain of the small space available for sitting in, the boat should not be considered a "youth only" boat. As the annual regatta season makes clear, there does exist a community of adults who continue to sail El Toros long past their early junior sailor days.
Although it is possible to sail an El Toro in the Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay, the boats are most often used on more protected waters of the lakes and estuaries in the Northern California region.
The El Toro design is traced back to the Richmond Yacht Club in San Francisco Bay Area around 1940. This is one of many boats derived from the MacGregor Sabot design, which was published in Rudder magazine in 1939.
The El Toro features a decked-over bow, which distinguishes it from the Naples Sabot, which is the predominant Sabot-style dinghy in Southern California. With the decked over bow, the El Toro is able to handle the rougher waters of the San Francisco Bay.
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Wikipedia