Highlander History

72 Years of Highlander History

Shortly after World War II, Gordon K, “Sandy” Douglass was designing one design, planing sailboats suitable for family day sailing and racing in the lower Great Lakes area. After his successful Thistle Class sailboat, he felt a need to design a larger boat that was more stable when sailing open water as well as being fast and comfortable.

In June, 1950, the plans for the Highlander were published in Yachting Magazine and in the Fall of 1951, Highlander #1 was launched. The boat was everything that Douglass had hoped for; a fast, stable boat that was easy to sail with room for an entire family. By the end of that year, 12 Highlanders had been sold

Rapid Success

The Highlander was exhibited at the New York Boat Show in 1952 and the response was overwhelming. More boats were sold and an International Class Association was established with a board of directors elected by Highlander owners.

Fleets were chartered in New England and all along the east coast, throughout the south and Texas, and in the Great Lakes region and Canada. Highlanders were represented in nearly every one design regatta in these regions. The first National Championship Regatta was held in 1953 at Mentor Harbor Yachting Club on Lake Erie.

Production of the Highlander remained steady until 1959 when a devastating fire at Douglass and McLeod, the Highlander’s only builder at the time, destroyed the molds for the molded mahogany plywood boats. The first fiberglass boats began production in 1960, though new molds were built so that production of the wood hulls could resume.

Proven Over Time

Throughout the years, Highlander sailors have been among the best one design sailors in the country competing successfully in events such as US Sailing’s Championship of Champions and the earlier One-Of-A-Kind Regattas. US Sailing has chosen the Highlander for events like the C of C’s and Malory Cup Finals.

As with many long established one design classes, the Highlander has undergone many refinements. Wood hulls and decks are now constructed of Fiberglass. Aluminum masts and booms have replaced wood. Nylon, dacron and other synthetic woven fabrics have replaced cotton for sails.

But the Highlander Class’ commitment to a quality one design boat with emphasis on long lasting boats built for racing and day sailing has remained strong. And the Highlander Class has maintained a strong commitment to its one design values.

Features & Specifications
Pipers and Pluckers

HCIA National Champions

YearChampionBoatHome ClubRacing Venue
1953Stanley Gridley33Mentor Harbor Yachting ClubMentor Harbor Yachting Club, Mentor, OH
1954Ray H. McLeod58Mentor Harbor Yachting ClubMentor Harbor Yachting Club, Mentor, OH
1955Benjamin Sawyer49Cowan Lake S. A.Northport Yacht Club, Long Island, NY
1956Ray H. McLeod58Mentor Harbor Yachting ClubDuxbury Yacht Club, Duxbury, MA
1957O. C. Bailey120Corpus Christi Yacht ClubCorpus Christi Yacht Club, Corpus Christi, TX
1958O. C. Bailey120Corpus Christi Yacht ClubCorpus Christi Yacht Club, Corpus Christi, TX
1959Mark Bratton136Corpus Christi Yacht ClubMentor Harbor Yachting Club, Mentor, OH
1960Richard Farkas267Raritan Yacht ClubPut in Bay Yacht Club, Put in Bay, OH
1961Allen Bower290Mentor Harbor Yachting ClubDuxbury Yacht Club, Duxbury, MA
1962Eugene Wood200Edgewater Yacht ClubMentor Harbor Yachting Club, Mentor, OH
1963Chris Magnusson292Mentor Harbor Yachting ClubCorpus Christi Yacht Club, Corpus Christi, TX
1964Chris Magnusson292Mentor Harbor Yachting ClubEdgewater Yacht Club, Cleveland, OH
1965Eugene Wood200Edgewater Yacht ClubPort Washington Yacht Club, Port Washington, NY
1966William Allen144Corpus Christi Yacht ClubLake Geneva Yacht Club, Lake Geneva, WI
1967Romeyn Everdell346Duxbury Yacht ClubMentor Harbor Yachting Club, Mentor, OH
1968John Clark92Duxbury Yacht ClubDuxbury Yacht Club, Duxbury, MA
1969Thomas Smith420Hoover Yacht ClubBuffalo Yacht Club, Pt. Abino, ON
1970Thomas Smith420Hoover Yacht ClubLake Norman Yacht Club, Charlotte, NC
1971Donald Southam233Edgewater Yacht ClubEdgewater Yacht Club, Cleveland, OH
1972Robert Busbey500Edgewater Yacht ClubNyack Boat Club, Nyack, NY
1973Robert Busbey500Edgewater Yacht ClubBuffalo Yacht Club, Pt. Abino, ON
1974Robert Busbey500Edgewater Yacht ClubMentor Harbor Yachting Club, Mentor, OH
1975Robert Busbey500Edgewater Yacht ClubLake Geneva Yacht Club, Lake Geneva, WI
1976Larry Klein237Mt Clemens, MILake Norman Yacht Club, Charlotte, NC
1977Robert Busbey500Edgewater Yacht ClubBuffalo Yacht Club, Pt. Abino, ON
1978Larry Klein855Mt. Clemens, MIWaloon Lake Yacht Club, Waloon, MI
1979Larry Klein855Mt Clemens, MIMentor Harbor Yachting Club, Mentor, OH
1980Larry Klein855Mt Clemens, MINyack Boat Club, Nyack, NY
1981Larry Klein855Mt Clemens, MIPrivateer Yacht Club, Chatanooga, TN
1982Greg Fisher881Hoover Yacht ClubIndian Lake Yacht Club, Russells Point, OH
1983Greg Fisher881Hoover Yacht ClubLakeside Sailing Association, Vermillion, OH
1984Greg Fisher881Hoover Yacht ClubLake Geneva Yacht Club, Lake Geneva, WI
1985Greg Fisher881Hoover Yacht ClubOtsego Yacht Club, Cooperstown, NY
1986Steve Carter950Hoover Yacht ClubSt. Mary's College, Lexington Park, MD
1987Steve Carter950Hoover Yacht ClubEdgewater Yacht Club, Cleveland, OH
1988Steve Carter950Hoover Yacht ClubJoe Wheeler Reservoir, AL
1989Robert Spring969Canton, OHBay Point Yacht Club, Sandusky, OH
1990Whit Whitacre902Atwood Yacht ClubLake Norman Yacht Club, Charlotte, NC
1991Steve Carter950Hoover Yacht ClubIndianapolis Sailing Club, Indianapolis, IN
1992Whit Whitacre902Atwood Yacht ClubErie Yacht Club, Erie, PA
1993Steve Carter950Hoover Yacht ClubGrand Lake St. Mary, St Mary's, OH
1994Steve Carter1002Hoover Yacht ClubLake Norman Yacht Club, Charlotte, NC
1995Steve Carter1002Hoover Yacht ClubIndian Lake Yacht Club, Russells Point, OH
1996Mike Perakis906Hoover Yacht ClubErie Yacht Club, Erie, PA
1997Robert Spring949Canton, OHSandusky Sailing Club, Sandusky, OH
1998Robert Spring999Canton, OHLake Norman Yacht Club, Charlotte, NC
1999Jack Bauer999Cleveland Yachting ClubIndian Lake Yacht Club, Russells Point, OH
2000Andy McDonald952Indianapolis Sailing ClubBerlin Yacht Club, North Benton, OH
2001Debbie Probst999Fort Wayne, INSsandusky Sailing Club, Sandusky OH
2002Debbie Probst999Fort Wayne, INEdenton, NC
2003Larry McDonald949Buffalo Canoe ClubBuffalo Canoe Club, Crystal Beach, ON
2004Ed Spengeman1006Louisville Sailing ClubPrivateer Yacht Club, Chatanooga, TN
2005Barrett Rhoads952Indianapolis Sailing ClubRock Hall Yacht Club, Rock Hall, MD
2006Ed Spengeman1002Louisville Sailing ClubEdgewater/Whiskey Island, Cleveland, OH
2007Bruce Busbey500Lake Norman Yacht ClubBuffalo Canoe Club, Crystal Beach, ON
2008John Bauer1959Berlin Yacht ClubLake Norman Yacht Club, Charlotte, NC
2009Skip Dieball2001North Cape Yacht ClubNorth Cape Yacht Club, Monroe, MI
2010Ernie Dieball1001North Cape Yacht ClubPymatuning Yacht Club, Jamestown, PA
2011Skip Dieball1001North Cape Yacht ClubRock Hall Yacht Club, Rock Hall, MD
2012Skip Dieball2001North Cape Yacht ClubEdgewater/Whiskey Island, Cleveland, OH
2013Lee Sackett2000Edgewater Yacht ClubNorth Cape Yacht Club, Monroe, MI
2014Skip Dieball999North Cape Yacht ClubPymatuning Yacht Club, Jamestown, PA
2015Tanner Shultz1007Lake Norman Yacht ClubWestern Carolina Sailing Club, Anderson, SC
2023Tanner, Shultz, Keren Hutchinson, Wyatt Shultz1007Lake Norman Yacht ClubWestern Carolina Sailing Club, Anderson, SC
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