The Starling Class yacht is a one-person centreboard yacht that has been used to train most of New Zealand’s teenage sailors over a period of four decades. For many of New Zealand’s most successful sailors, the Starling Class was the place they learned the foundations of performance enhancing skills necessary for Americas Cup, Volvo Around the World and Olympic campaigns.

Former Class national champions include a large number of sailors who later moved onto international world champion successes including Russell Coutts, David Barnes, Peter Evans, Craig Monk, Dan Slater, Simon Cooke, and Peter Burling.

In New Zealand the Starling holds the largest national championships after the Optimist with fleet sizes between 100-200.

For international interests:

The Glendowie Boating Club owns the Starling Class design and the club administers the class by a committee within the club. The club would like to see other country’s sailors have access to Starlings and enjoy the benefits that four decades of New Zealand sailors have received.

The Glendowie Boating Club is inviting expressions of interest to any person or company who would be interested in building, promoting or sailing fibreglass Starling yachts outside New Zealand.