The Buccaneer 18, also called the Buccaneer dinghy and the Gloucester 18, is an American planing sailing dinghy that was designed in 1966 by Rod Macalpine-Downie and Dick Gibbs as a one-design racer and day sailer. The prototype was first shown in 1967 at Yachting's "One of a Kind" Regatta, in which it placed second.
Production
The design was built by a long line of companies in the United States. About 5,000 boats had been built by the time production ended in 2020.
Wellcraft Marine Corporation's Starwind division built the design from 1982-1984, completing about 250 boats. Cardinal Yachts took over production from 1987-2000, building 28 boats over 13 years.
The Buccaneer 18 Class Association is currently pursuing new manufacturing partnerships to meet ongoing demand from multiple sailors and fleets who have expressed documented readiness to purchase new boats
Design
The Buccaneer 18 is a recreational sailboat, built predominantly of vinylester resin fiberglass, with wooden trim. It has a fractional sloop rig with foam-filled anodized aluminum spars. The hull has a spooned raked stem, a slightly reverse transom, a transom-hung, kick-up rudder controlled by a tiller and a kick-up centerboard. It displaces and has positive flotation for safety.
In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote that the, "Buccaneer, originally built by Chrysler, is a big boat with a 7-foot 3-inch cockpit, seating six. The boat was designed to be easy to sail and maintain. The hull is planing, with the wide beam well aft and a lean bow."