The first Stars were built in 1911. In 1906, there appeared in Manhasset Bay and on Long Island Sound a little keel one-design called the Bug. After five years of racing in the Bugs, George Corry and others came to the conclusion that these boats were too small and uncomfortable to become popular as a serious long-term proposition. He went to his friend William Gardner and asked him to produce a design for a boat of the same type but a little larger The new design was at first called the Big Bug, or "the new Bug Class of 1911." By the end of 1925, the yacht list carried 329 boats registered in 30 fleets. The Star's rig had gone through two changes in ten years, the first to eliminate the gaff in 1921, the second to adopt the tall mast and shorter boom in 1929. The Class continued to expand. The total boat roster was increased by 137 boats built in 1930 and 87 in 1931, despite the worldwide Depression. The decision to include Stars in the 1932 Los Angles Olympics was not announced until late in 1931, leaving little time to plan qualification races.

Today the Star Class boats are still being raced in Olympic competition. At the 2000 games in Sydney Australia, Americans Mark Reynolds and Magnus Lihedahl won the gold medal in this class.

Excepts from "A History of The Star Class, The First Eighty Years" by C. Stanley Ogilivy, published by the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association.

Specifications:

• Designer -- William Gardner / Francis Sweisguth 1911
• Length Overall -- 22'8" "
• Length Waterline -- 15'6"-- 4.72 m "
• Beam Maximum -- 5'6" -- 1.73 m "
• Draft (approx) -- 3'4" -- 1.02 m "
• Displacment -- 1,480 lbs -- 671.3 kg
• Keel weight -- 900 lbs - 408.2 kg (min), 870 lbs. - 394.6 kg (max)
• Ballast Ratio -- 59.7% (ave)
• Mast-sheave to deck -- 31'9" - 9.45 m "
• Mainsail area -- 221.7 ft. sq. - 20.6 m. sq.
• Jib area -- 66.0 ft. sq. - 6.1 m. sq.
• Total sail area -- 287.7 ft. sq. - 26.7 m. sq