Howmar 12

The Howmar 12, sometimes written Howmar Twelve, is an American sailing dinghy that was designed by Craig V. Walters of Sparkman & Stephens as a one-design racer, trainer and day sailer and first built in 1983.

Production
The design was Sparkman & Stephens' design #2405. It was built by Howmar Boats Inc. and its successor company, The New Howmar Boats Corp, in the United States, starting in 1983. A total of 200 boats were completed, but it is now out of production.

Design
The Howmar 12 is a recreational sailboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim and foam flotation. It has a fractional sloop with anodized aluminum spars and a loose-footed mainsail, with an adjustable outhaul. The hull features a nearly plumb stem, a vertical transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a retractable centerboard. Both the centerboard and rudder are made from polyurethane. The boat displaces 175 lb and is self-bailing.

The boat has a draft of 2.50 ft with the centerboard extended and 0.33 ft with it retracted, allowing beaching or ground transportation on a trailer or car roof rack.

The design's sharp prow is intended to cut though waves and the design is capable of planing. It incorporates dry storage in a bow compartment.

Factory options included a boom vang, a hinged mast step, hiking straps and a mount for an outboard motor.

Operational history
In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, "roomy for its size, the Howmar Twelve is a racer, trainer, and day sailer. The hull’s light weight makes for easy cartopping."