In 1963 Cornelius Shields, one of the foremost proponents of one-design sailing in the U.S. conceived of a modern follow up to the International One Design (IOD). The new boat would have the balance and beauty of the IOD while incorporating modern trends such as fiberglass construction. Shields commissioned Olin Stephens for the design. Over 250 have been built and many are actively raced in fleets around the U.S. The boats have been built by two builders: Cape Cod Shipbuilding (still producing boats to this design) and Chris Craft. We don’t know the exact number boats built to this design but we think it numbers around 280. There are numerous extremely active fleets around America. Shields are sloop-rigged and usually sailed by a crew of three to five. No hiking straps are allowed, keeping athletic demands on the crew to a minimum.
Principal Dimensions
LOA 30′-3″
LWL 20′-0″
Beam 6′-5″
Draft 4′-9″
Displacement 4,600 lbs
Design: 1720