one-design class

one-design class, a class of yacht or small racing boat all of which have been built to one accepted design. So as to give all yachts of a class an equal chance when racing against one another, and to eliminate the complications of handicapping, one-designs are built and rigged to be identical, or nearly so. Each yacht in a one-design class should have theoretically the same sailing performance, so that the results of a race should depend on the individual skills of the helmsmen and their crews. In practice, yachts reflect the amount of maintenance they receive and the care the owner gives to his boat's tuning-up and details of sails and gear, so, in fact, the relative performance of boats in a one-design class can vary widely. However, the principle of the one-design does limit the advantage the wealthy owner can have over the less affluent, and on the whole racing in any one-design class tends to be very fair.