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The original Wayfarer was designed in 1957 by Ian Proctor, a prolific English designer whose boats and technical innovations were particularly lauded in Britain. Besides his designs for dinghies and cruising yachts, Proctor was known for the tapered, extruded aluminum mast he built in 1953-the first of its kind-which led to a commercial venture and enthusiastic adoption of the new technology by Olympic racers. The Wayfarer, a 16-foot (4.9m) dinghy designed for the challenging coastal waters of the British Isles, has gone through many adjustments over the years, including both wooden and fiberglass hulls. It has a retractable centerboard and symmetric spinnaker. The Wayfarer is often chosen by sailing schools and families for its size and stability, with storage space for longer cruises. It is sailed throughout the United States-Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and Northwest-and is built in North America by Abbott Boats. For more information, read the Wayfarer Wikipedia article.