The Albacore is a 4.57 m (15 ft) two-person planing dinghy, for lake and near-inshore day sailing. Hulls are made of either wood or fiberglass. The basic shape was developed in 1954 from an Uffa Fox design.

Recent boats retain the same classic dimensions, and use modern materials and modern control systems. A deep airfoil section centerboard and rudder make the Albacore highly maneuverable. The Albacore’s rig uses swept spreaders supporting a tapered mast, a powerful vang, and adjustable jib halyard and other sail controls to depower in high winds. This adjustability enables light crews and heavy crews to race head-to-head in all but the most extreme conditions.

It does not have a trapeze or spinnaker, and hence avoids the difficult handling of sport boats. The powerful rig and easily driven hull give excellent performance over a wide range of wind and wave conditions.

Boat specifications

The detailed official specification is the Class Rules. The nominal specifications are show below.

Overall Length	4.57 meters	15 feet 0 inches
Beam	1.55 meters	5 feet 1 inch
Minimum Hull Weight	109 kg	240 lbs
Full Rigged Weight (without people)	136 kg	299 lbs
Sail Area – Mainsail	8.4 m2	90 sq ft
Sail Area – Jib	3.3 m2	35 sq ft
Draft with Centerboard and Rudder Up	0.2 m	8 inches
Draft with Centerboard Down	1.3 m	4 feet 2 inches