Are Marbleheads making a comeback?
In the latest episode of San Diego Argonauts Radio, Commodore Jess Atkinson sits down with Bruce Andersen, U.S. Marblehead Class Secretary and Chairman of the International Radio Sailing Association (IRSA), for a fascinating conversation about one of the oldest, fastest, and most technologically advanced classes in radio sailing.
Also available on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marbleheads-are-making-a-comeback-trend-or-here-to-stay/id1874110517?i=1000779643020
The Marblehead has a history stretching back nearly a century. Originally developed in Marblehead, Massachusetts, the class evolved from free sailing to vane sailing and eventually radio control. Today’s Marbleheads bear little resemblance to those early boats. At 50 inches long with 800 square inches of sail, modern Marbleheads are lightweight, carbon-fiber, deep-keel racing machines capable of remarkable acceleration and speed.
As Bruce puts it, if tightly controlled classes such as the IOM and DragonForce are the NASCAR of radio sailing, the Marblehead is Formula One.
Jess and Bruce explore the evolution of the class—from the home-built boats that once dominated American radio sailing, through legendary designs such as the Scalpel, to today’s extremely narrow and sophisticated Grunge and Red Ant designs.
They also discuss why Marblehead racing declined in the United States as sailors migrated toward the more easily transported IOM and, later, the DF classes—and why that trend may now be starting to reverse.
New fleets and renewed interest are appearing on both coasts, with experienced IOM sailors increasingly adding Marbleheads to their boat sheds. Regattas are beginning to combine IOM and Marblehead racing, and the Marblehead will be one of the featured classes at San Diego Argonauts Race Week 2027.
And there is a reason sailors keep coming back to them.
They are fast.
Really fast.
Modern Marbleheads feature sophisticated rigs—including their distinctive swing rigs—and acceleration unlike almost anything else in radio sailing. As Jess describes it, sheet in the sail and the boat can take off “like a rocket.”
Bruce and Jess also talk about how newcomers can get involved. Their advice is simple: don’t buy one first—sail one. Come to a Marblehead regatta, introduce yourself, and chances are someone will happily put a transmitter in your hands.
Also in this episode, Jess gives a big shout-out to everyone who helped make the 2026 San Diego Argonauts Open House such a successful “party at the park,” and wraps up with results and highlights from recent ODOM, DF95, and IOM points racing at the Mission Bay Model Yacht Pond.
If you’ve ever wondered why Marblehead sailors become so enthusiastic about these extraordinary boats—or you’re simply curious about the history and evolution of high-performance radio sailing—this is an episode you’ll want to hear.
Are Marbleheads simply enjoying another moment in the spotlight, or are they truly making a comeback?
Give the episode a listen and decide for yourself.
