C-Lark: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Sailboat class}}

The C-Lark 14 is a small and fast [[sailing dinghy]] of the 1970's. They were manufactured by the Clark Boat Company of Seattle (the same company that produced the popular San Juan sailboats) and were meant to be Bob Clark's version of the [[international 14]]. C-Larks look like a [[Thistle]] sailboat, only they are three feet smaller and have a closed instead of an open bow. They are sloop rigged with a [[jib]] and a [[mainsail]] and can fly a [[spinnaker]]. They are very versatile boats and can be sailed by one person, or can fit up to four people in the large open cockpit. The pivoting aluminum [[centerboard]] draws about four and a half feet of water when locked in the down position, with a kick up rudder C-Larks are very easy boats to sail on and off of a beach. Aside from making excellent training boats C-Larks can perform and keep up with many modern race dinghies. The C-Lark and [[Laser Radial]] share a nearly identical rating according to their [[Portsmouth handicap]]. A C-Lark carries more sail area (about 130 square feet) than other boats of similar size like a [[Snipe]] or an [[Flying Junior]]. In 15 knots of air they will begin to plane quite easily (if sailed properly)reaching speeds of 10+ knots, and in light wind the plumb bow and sleek lines help the boat glide effortlessly across the water. C-Larks are very sea worthy little boats and can sail with little discomfort in 25 knots of breeze by two people of average size hiked out under the boat's hiking straps. In a stiff breeze these are very fast and exciting little boats. In their heyday there weren't many small boats that were faster than a C-Lark. One weakness is that they do have a tendency to turtle rather quickly once capsized, yet the 300 pound boat can be popped back up relatively easily by an average size skipper, just be prepared for a lot of bailing since the open cockpit design holds a lot of water. C-Larks were once a very competitive one-design class raced across the country, but now many of the boats have fallen into disrepair, with most of the surviving ones concentrated in the Pacific Northwest. Despite their age these boats are still a lot of fun and can usually be found for under $1500. Their dimensions and weight make them easy to trailer, even behind a small car, and easy to enjoy in a variety of ways.

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}

{{Use American English|date=September 2018}}

{{Infobox sailboat specifications

|name = C-Lark

|class_image = File:C-Lark logo.svg

|line drawing =

|line size =

|line alt =

|line caption =

|image boat = File:C-Lark in Gig Harbor.jpg

|image size =

|image alt =

|image caption =

|designer = [[Don Clark (naval architect)|Don Clark]]

|___location = [[United States]]

|year = 1964

|no built = 1400

|design =

|class =

|brand =

|builder = [[Clark Boat Company]]<br>[[Douglass & McLeod]]

|role =

|boats =

|crew =

|trapeze =

|draft = {{convert|3.50|ft|m|abbr=on}} with centerboard down

|air draft =

|displacement = {{convert|295|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

|hulls =

|hull type = [[Monohull]]

|construction = [[Fiberglass]]

|loa = {{convert|14.00|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|loh =

|lwl = {{convert|14.00|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|beam = {{convert|5.70|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|hull draft =

|hull weight =

|engine =

|appendages =

|keel type = [[centerboard]]

|ballast = none

|rudder type = transom-mounted [[rudder]]

|rigs =

|rig type = [[Bermuda rig]]

|I = <!-- {{convert||ft|m|abbr=on}} -->

|J = <!-- {{convert||ft|m|abbr=on}} -->

|P = <!-- {{convert||ft|m|abbr=on}} -->

|E = <!-- {{convert||ft|m|abbr=on}} -->

|mast length =

|rig other =

|sails =

|sailplan = [[Fractional rig]]ged [[sloop]]

|sailarea main = <!-- {{convert||sqft|m2|abbr=on}} -->

|sailarea headsail = <!-- {{convert||sqft|m2|abbr=on}} -->

|lp =

|sailarea spin =

|sailarea gen =

|sails other =

|sailarea upwind =

|sailarea downwind =

|sailarea total = {{convert|133|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

|rating =

|d-pn =

|rya-pn =

|phrf =

|status =

|previous =

|successor =

}}

The '''C-Lark''' is an American [[sailboat]], that was designed by Don Clark and first built in 1964.<ref name="Data">{{cite web |last=Browning |first=Randy |year=2018 |title=C-Lark sailboat specifications and details |url=http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=7682 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929194637/http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=7682 |archive-date=29 September 2018 |access-date=29 September 2018 |work=sailboatdata.com}}</ref><ref name="Guide">{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/c-lark|title= C-Lark|access-date= 2 April 2022|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2022|archive-url= https://archive.today/20220402151803/https://sailboat.guide/c-lark|archive-date= 2 April 2022|url-status= live}}</ref>

==Production==

The design was built by the [[Clark Boat Company]] in [[Kent, Washington]], [[United States]] starting in 1964 and also by [[Douglass & McLeod]]. Production ended in 1979. During its 15-year production run 1400 examples of the design were completed.<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref>{{cite web|url = http://sailboatdata.com/view_builder.asp?builder_id=34|title = Clark Boat Company 1960-1984|access-date = 29 September 2018|last = Browning|first = Randy|work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180929041355/http://sailboatdata.com/view_builder.asp?builder_id=34|archive-date = 29 September 2018|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://sailboatdata.com/view_builder.asp?builder_id=157|title = Douglass & McLeod 1951-1971|access-date = 29 September 2018|last = Browning|first = Randy|work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180929194735/http://sailboatdata.com/view_builder.asp?builder_id=157|archive-date = 29 September 2018|url-status = live}}</ref>

==Design==

The C-Lark is a recreational [[dinghy]], built predominantly of [[fiberglass]]. It has a [[Fractional rig|fractional]] [[sloop]] rig, a [[plumb stem]], a vertical [[Transom (nautical)|transom]], a transom-hung [[rudder]] controlled by a [[tiller]] and a retractable [[centerboard]] [[keel]]. It displaces {{convert|295|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/>

The boat has a draft of {{convert|3.50|ft|m|abbr=on}} with the centreboard extended and {{convert|0.75|ft|m|abbr=on}} with it retracted, allowing [[Beaching (nautical)|beaching]] or ground transportation on a [[Trailer (vehicle)|trailer]].<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/>

The design has a [[hull speed]] of {{convert|5.02|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Guide"/>

<!-- ==Operational history== -->

<gallery>

Image:C-Lark racing in Gig Harbor.jpg|C-Lark sailing upwind with the skipper hiking out

Image:C-lark 4.JPG|The cockpit of the C-Lark

Image:C-Lark (underside).JPG|The underside of a C-Lark

</gallery>

==See also==

*[[List of sailing boat types]]

'''Similar sailboats'''

*[[Albacore (dinghy)|Albacore]]

*[[Flying Junior]]

*[[Laser 2]]

*[[Snipe (dinghy)|Snipe]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

<!-- ==External links== -->

{{Douglass & McLeod}}

{{Clark Boat Company}}

{{Sailing Dinghies and Skiffs}}

[[Category:Dinghies]]

[[Category:1960s sailboat type designs]]

[[Category:Sailboat type designs by Don Clark]]

[[Category:Sailboat types built by Clark Boat Company]]

[[Category:Sailboat types built by Douglass & McLeod]]