The 12 Metre Class

HETI belongs to the class of 12-meter yachts. The meter classes have in common that they are constructed according to a formula, the International Rule. This was defined in 1907 and then changed twice, in 1920 and 1933. Various parameters are included in the calculation, including the length of the waterline, width, sail area and freeboard. In the end the race value 12 must come out. So, unlike a standard class, Oertz and the other designers had some leeway in design.

The aim of the formula was to achieve comparability, so that yachts of the same class could sail against each other in regattas without remuneration. Several classes were established: In addition to the 12mR class, there were also the smaller 5.5mR, 6mR, 7mR, 8mR and 10mR as well as the larger classes 15mR, 19mR and 23mR, of which, however, considerably fewer were built than the 12mR. The 2.4mR class was last added in 2000.

Over the years, the 12mRs developed into the top class of sailing, comparable to Formula 1 in automobile sport. Until 1987 the America's Cup was sailed with 3rd-Rule-12ers.

Conceived as solid and seaworthy ships, the Twelve represented superlatives of yacht building with their open deck, first-class equipment, excellent sailing behaviour and high speed. They experienced their heyday in the thirties to fifties. Some famous yachts from this era have been preserved, such as the OSTWIND (today: SPHINX) and the WESTWIND (today: INGA) of the German Navy or the FLICA II.


Until the First World War, however, only seven twelve-seater yachts with gaff rigging were launched for German owners. Only one of these ships has survived - the HETI, designed and built by Max Oertz. It is also the only first-generation twelver that the famous yacht designer built for a German customer.