A New York Yacht Club engaged Bruce Kirby to design a frostbiter in the late eighties. The IOTA 12 was the result, and total of eight IOTA dinghies were built in 1989. I have not discovered any other IOTAs, nor the manufacturer of this boat. The sail number was obviously assigned as a racing number. My IOTA doesn't even have the required Hull Identification Number on the transom, but a former owner had the boat titled in 2004 as "unknown." Pennsylvania gave it the Hull Identification Number: PAZ284731400
In 1990, an almost identical dinghy designed by Kirby went into production called the TRINKA 12. Instead of the wide gunwales, the TRINKA has narrow bench seats, probably because many units would be sold to youngsters learning to sail. Frostbiting, however, is an extreme sport and definitely not for kids! It is interesting to note that in pictures of the TRINKA under sail, the sailors seldom sit on the seats, but usually on the uncomfortable gunwales!
The base price for a new TRINKA is $5,150 and it is known as the best of sailing dinghies. TRINKA sold 125 units in the first year of production.
SailingTexas.com presently lists seven used Trinkas that have sold on this site.
Olympic and America's Cup sailor, Bruce Kirby, is perhaps the most prolific boat and yacht designer of all time with over 60 boats of his conception and a quarter million units produced. The popular Laser and San Juan 30 are just two well-known Kirby designs. At 85, Bruce Kirby is designing two more boats!
Description of my IOTA
The sail, by Ulmer Kolius, is in very good condition. The sail insignia is a dotted "i".
All the rigging is there. I set it up without instructions in 17 minutes.
I just repainted the boat with West Marine polyurethane Topside and it is ready to sail (summer or winter!).
The hull is self bailing and unsinkable.
LOA: 12.0 feet (3.66 m)
DWL: 11.875 feet (3.62 m)
Draft: Board Up: 5 in. (12.7 cm) Board Down: 34 in. (86.4 cm)
Beam: 63 in. (160 cm)
Sail Area 88 ft2 (8.2 m2)
Weight 225 Lbs. (102 kgs)
Maximum Capacity: 750 Lbs.(340 kgs) persons, motor & gear Max 2 HP Motor Boom vang Fiberglass kick-up rudder, wood tiller and adjustable tiller extension.
Centerboard (dagger) of fiberglass.
The boat includes a good trailer and is located in southern New Jersey, about half an hour from the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
