American Sail Inc.

American Sail Inc. is a boat dealer in Charleston, SC. The company builds small sailboats, catamarans, daysailers, and sailing dinghies, and has been producing boats for almost 50 years. Its line includes the Aqua Cat catamaran, the American 14.6 and American 18 daysailers, the Aqua Finn board boat, the Pennant, and the Dink line of yacht tenders. The boats are designed for family sailing rather than hard-core racing, and each can be rigged by one person in under 20 minutes. Most models can be towed behind ordinary vehicles. The company sells factory direct and ships parts by US Postal and FedEx. It holds a rating of 5.00 based on 4 reviews.

American Sail traces its history to 1970, when David Stanton was transferred to Charleston to lead American Fiberglass Corporation, a builder of entry level sailboats and fishing boats. In 1976 he purchased the Aqua Cat Catamaran product line and started American Sail, Inc. The original Aqua Cat 12 was later updated to the faster 12.5, and the larger Aqua Cat 14 was developed. More than 25,000 Aqua Cats have been built, and the design was inducted into the National Sailboat Hall of Fame in 2001. Stanton chaired the National Sailing Industry Association for three terms, served as a board member of Sail America, and received an industry leadership award from Sail magazine in 2002.

The company's boats are built of hand laid fiberglass, with sheets of cross woven fiberglass mat and resin applied by hand rather than by chopper gun. A vinyl ester barrier coat is sprayed behind the gelcoat layer to help prevent blistering. Anodized aluminum mast systems, stainless steel hardware, and 3.8 ounce Dacron sails are standard, and cleats and deck hardware are backed with aluminum plates under the fiberglass instead of wood. The Aqua Finn can be rigged in ten minutes and is built for use at camps, rentals, and sailing schools. The American 14.6 has a quick-planing hull, a large cockpit, and an above head boom, and is difficult to capsize. The Pennant, released in 1993, is a sloop-rigged daysailer in the ten foot range with a main and jib. Parts orders are accepted by phone, and the company offers a 30 day return policy on parts and accessories.

American Sail is among the small sailboat builders with a long record in Charleston, and its boats have been sailed by thousands of families over five decades.