The classic sleekness of Luders 16s can’t be denied. They always look ready to pounce into action, even when just moored in fog at low tide or riding a high tide under the sun.
These sloop-rigged racers have been described as “two-man boats needing the work of three men.” I hasten to correct the record and point out that you’re looking at “Frolic,” a local L-16 that’s owned and sailed by a woman and moored in Great Cove.
The L-16s were designed by the renowned naval Architect Alfred E. (Bill) Luders for the Fishers Island Yacht Club in New York. Hence, they originally were called Fishers Island L-Class boats, with the “L” indicating their designer. According to the published specifications, they’re 16’4’ long at the waterline and 26’4” overall, with a beam (widest part) of 5’9”.
The first L-16s were designed and built by Bill at Luders Marine Construction, his Connecticut boatyard that was founded by his father. Bill spent most of his career working out of Luders Marine. During World War II, that company built more than 100 military ships under Bill’s direction, including minesweepers, patrol craft, and submarine chasers.
Bill Luders died at the age of 90 in 1999. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on June 19 and 21, 2025.)