Class History

The 18-foot Mercury is a full-keel sloop found on the West Coast of the United States. Introduced at the 1939 World's Fair in San Francisco, this Ernest Nunes design was built of a new breakthrough material—waterproof plywood! Fiberglass hulls were introduced in 1962 and aluminum spars in 1970. Competition in this family-oriented class is top notch with Nationals often won by male/female or parent/child crews. Active Mercury fleets can be found all along the west coast as well as the inland lakes and rivers, with most fleets hosting "test drive regattas" for interested parties.

Boat Specifications

Length: 18 ft (5.4 m)
LWL: 13 feet (3.9 m)
Beam: 5 ft 4 in (1.6 m)
Weight less spars: 1100 lb (499 kg)
Lead Keel: 635 lb (288 kg)
Spars: 24 ft 6 in (7.5 m)
Boom: 9 ft 5 in max (2.9 m)
Sail Area: 200 sq ft (18.5 sq m)