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The 12 Metre Fleets
One of the most famous classes of yachts, the 12 Metre Class is comprised of active, sailing boats worldwide.
The 12 Metre Class has an unusual distinction of being divided into four geographic areas.
These areas known as “Fleets,” with each having their own Vice President handling their affairs and regattas. The four Fleets include: the Americas Fleet, Northern Europe Fleet, Oceania Fleet and the Southern Europe Fleet.
Within each Fleet there are several categories depicting the sailing status of the 12s, they include: competing, sailing while not competing, in the water but not sailing and known to exist but “on the hard” (not in the water).
With the exception of the Oceania Fleet, the other three Fleets have extensive regatta schedules planned for the sailing seasons.
Each Fleet competes in unique regatta forms. The Med Fleet, commonly referring to those Southern Europe Fleet members that compete in venues along the Italian and French seacoasts, compete as a class within existing larger regattas.
The Baltic Fleet, commonly referring to those Northern Europe Fleet members that compete in venues along the Baltic coast of Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden, and Americas Fleet typically compete in regattas dedicated to 12 Metre yachts.
The Oceania Fleet, while numbering ten yachts, has only two certified 12 Metre Yachts with no formal regattas planned.
The remaining yachts are either in charter or privately owned. This Fleet boasts as having the most recent additions. Recently, the whereabouts of Australia III and Australia IV were determined, they were found in a boatyard in Miri, Borneo.
(To read more about other recently located 12s, see 12s Lost & Found, page 20.)
In the Med Fleet there are 20 yachts known to exist. Of those, 13 yachts compete in a series of five regattas annually.
They start as early as mid-May in Porquerolles, France. Then they take July And August off and end the season at the Voiles de St. Tropez in early October.
The Baltic Fleet has seen the most activity recently. 22 yachts are known to exist, four are under restoration and up to 15 yachts (11 with certificates) competing in some eight regattas held in four countries beginning in June with the “Kieler Woche” in Germany and ending the season in late September in Marstrand, Sweden. The Baltic Fleet boasts having as one of its members Heti (built in 1912), the earliest built yacht with a racing certificate.
The Americas Fleet claims both the highest number of yachts currently sailing (22), as well as the highest number of boats in all
(32) . Of the 19 currently sailing yachts that call Newport home, 18 have certificates.
Four non-Newport based 12s plan to compete in the Golden Year of Racing. Besides numbers, the Americas Fleet also boasts the widest age range, from Onawa, built in 1928, to Kate built in 2006. Each year the American based 12s are invited to compete in a dozen regattas, of which four are dedicated 12 Metre regattas. Twenty of the 12s competed in some form in ten America's Cup Races, compiling an impressive record of eight America’s Cup wins.
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