Zim Sailing has begun production of the ISCA (International Sunfish Class Association) sailboat in its Rhode Island facility.
Zim Sailing was appointed as the official ISCA builder in November 2024, and has since been carrying out testing both on and off the water, looking at a range of measures from hardware selection to construction methods for the dinghy.
The Zim ISCA is now the only class-legal new boat for International Sunfish Class racing with Zim providing boats for the ISCA World Championship in December 2025.
The first boats are due to be completed in a few weeks.
“The Zim ISCA is a testament to the historic one-design nature of the International Sunfish Class, while also improving overall durability to deliver the best possible boat to sailors,” said a Zim Sailing company spokesperson.
One-design standards
“Brand new tooling and molds ensure every boat meets strict one-design standards and the foam blocks that originally provided structure and buoyancy have been upgraded and replaced with closed-cell foam technology that will not absorb water, while providing stiffness to construction.”
The new boat features Harken Carbo blocks on the racing boom and a Harken linked traveller block.
In addition, the ISCA Race comes equipped with a North Sails racing mainsail, outhaul and cunningham system, a quick release gooseneck and lower racing boom with Harken blocks, and fiberglass blades.
Kingfisher Ropes has developed Club and Race line packages.
The Sunfish dinghy is sailed in around 30 countries and since it was first developed by Alcort Inc and launched in 1952, around half a million boats have been built.
It was previously built by Laser Performance.
The dinghy is known as an entry-level craft for sailors of all ages, genders and abilities.
Zim Sailing has also been approved by the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) as a builder of the association’s class-legal boats in the US.
