Thunderbird 26

The Thunderbird class sailboat was designed in 1958 by Seattle Washington naval architect Ben Seaborn, in response to a request from the Douglas Fir Plywood Association (now APA - The Engineered Wood Association) of Tacoma, Washington for design proposals for a sailboat that would "... be both a racing and cruising boat; provide sleeping accommodations for four crew; be capable of being built by reasonably skilled amateurs; provide auxiliary power by an outboard motor that could be easily removed and stowed; and out-perform other sailboats in its class." More than 35 years of experience and construction of more than 1,250 Thunderbirds around the world have demonstrated that the 25.90-foot (7.89 m) Thunderbird class sailboat is a success on all accounts.

Design and construction

T-Birds can be built of marine plywood, usually fiberglass-covered for minimum maintenance, or with a fiberglass hull and deck. The International Thunderbird Class Association (ITCA) maintains specifications of what dimensions and specifications fit the definition of the Thunderbird class. Many plywood T-Birds have been built by amateur builders, while fiberglass T-Birds usually are built by professional boatbuilders, although plans also are available for "one-off" construction of fiberglass T-Birds by amateur builders.