View source for Ton class

{{Short description|Type of classification for yachts}}
{{For|the naval vessels|Ton-class minesweeper}}
'''Ton classes''' are categories used to identify classes of [[yacht]]s.

==Thames tonnage==
{{Main|Thames Measurement}}
Early attempts at creating rating rules were based on the British "old tonnage measurement" system to calculate the volume of the hold of large commercial ships. It gave the vessel's carrying capacity in tons (at 35 cubic feet per ton) or, as some believe, in [[Tun (volume)|tun]]s. Sail area was not included, of course, nor were any credits given for less efficient rigs so, naturally, in the yacht-racing field the [[Cutter (boat)|cutters]] predominated. Eventually, this rule was modified in 1854 as the Thames Measurement Rule:

:<math>\text{Thames tonnage} = \frac {(\text{length}-\text{beam}) \times \text{beam}^2} {188}</math>

where the length is in [[foot (length)|feet]], from the stempost to sternpost; and the [[beam (nautical)|beam]] is the maximum beam, in feet.

== Godinet rule ==
[[File:Lerina 1900.jpg|thumb|''Lérina'' during a sailing competition]]
[[File:Chain and skin girth.svg|thumb|Modification to the rule in 1901]]
The Godinet rule was adopted in 1892 by the "{{lang|fr|Union des yachts français}}", and was quickly adopted by other nations from the European continental. It allowed the classifications of yachts by tons, with a formula established by [[Auguste Godinet]] which considers displacement, length, and the total sail area.

:<math>T=\frac {(L- 0.25P) \cdot P \cdot \sqrt{S}} {130}</math>

where:
* ''L'' = LWL
* ''P'' = girth of the hull
* ''S'' = Sail area
* ''T'' = Rule in tons
The {{lang|fr|[[Société Nautique de Genève]]}}, which was an early adopter of the rule, amended it in 1901 to include the skin girth instead of the chain girth.

This new French rule was adopted in December 1892 by Switzerland followed by Germany, Denmark, Finland and Sweden in March 1893. Belgium and Spain completed the list. In March 1894 the Godinet rule is first noted in the United States, at the construction of the ''Vendenesse'', the world's first aluminium yacht.

Some yacht in existence that were designed to the Godinet rule:
* ''Bona Fide'': designed by Charles Sibbick in 1898 to rate as a 5-tonner. It was built at the Albert Yard, Cowes, for J.Howard Taylor, who later won the gold medal in the category 3 to 10 tons at the [[Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics - 3 to 10 ton|1900 Olympics]]. This yacht was authentically restored between 1999 and 2003 by the Cantiere Navale dell'Argentario, in Tuscany, and is the last 19th-century Godinet rater.
* ''Calypso'': designed and built in 1911 to rate as a 3-tonner

== Olympic Games ==
The Ton classes were Olympic classes in 1900 and probably also in 1896. Due to weather conditions the yacht races in 1896 were cancelled and much information of that event is no longer available. For the 1900 events, sailing categories were established based on the Godinet rule:
{{gallery
      |width  = 630
      |height = 215
      |File:1900 Open Class.svg
}}

* 0.5 Ton
* 0.5–1 Ton
* 1–2 Ton
* 2–3 Ton
* 3–10 Ton
* 10–20 Ton
* Open Class

=== 1900 Olympics {{FlagIOC|FRA|1900 Summer}} ===
{| {{MedalistTable|type=Event}}
 |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: Open class''' <br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Open class}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br>[[Lorne Currie]]<br>[[John Gretton, 1st Baron Gretton|John Gretton]]<br>[[Linton Hope]]<br>[[Algernon Maudslay]]
                                    |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the German Empire.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Germany]]&nbsp;[[Germany at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Germany]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GER)</span><br>[[Paul Wiesner]]<br>[[Georg Naue]]<br>[[Heinrich Peters]]<br>[[Ottokar Weise]]
                                    |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Émile Michelet]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 0 to .5 ton''' <br>Race: 1<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 0 to .5 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Pierre Gervais]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[François Texier]]<br>[[Auguste Texier]]<br>[[Jean-Baptiste Charcot]]<br>[[Robert Linzeler]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Henri Monnot]]<br>[[Léon Tellier]]<br>[[Gaston Cailleux]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 0 to .5 ton''' <br>Race: 2<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 0 to .5 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Émile Sacré (sailor)|Émile Sacré]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[François Texier]]<br>[[Auguste Texier]]<br>[[Jean-Baptiste Charcot]]<br>[[Robert Linzeler]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Pierre Gervais]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: .5 to 1 ton''' <br>Race: 1<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – .5 to 1 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br>[[Lorne Currie]]<br>[[John Gretton, 1st Baron Gretton|John Gretton]]<br>[[Linton Hope]]<br>[[Algernon Maudslay]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Jules Valton]]<br>[[Félix Marcotte]]<br>[[William Martin (Olympic sailor)|William Martin]]<br>[[Jacques Baudrier]]<br>[[Jean Le Bret]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Émile Michelet]]<br>[[Marcel Meran]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: .5 to 1 ton''' <br>Race: 2<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – .5 to 1 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Louis Auguste-Dormeuil]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Émile Michelet]]<br>[[Marcel Meran]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Jules Valton]]<br>[[Félix Marcotte]]<br>[[William Martin (Olympic sailor)|William Martin]]<br>[[Jacques Baudrier]]<br>[[Jean Le Bret]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 1 to 2 ton''' <br>Race: 1<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 1 to 2 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Switzerland.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Switzerland]]&nbsp;[[Switzerland at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Switzerland]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(SUI)</span><br>[[Hermann de Pourtalès]]<br>[[Hélène de Pourtalès]]<br>[[Bernard de Pourtalès]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[François Vilamitjana]]<br>[[Auguste Albert]]<br>[[Albert Duval]]<br>[[Charles Hugo (sailor)|Charles Hugo]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Jacques Baudrier]]<br>[[Lucien Baudrier]]<br>[[Dubosq]]<br>[[Édouard Mantois]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 1 to 2 ton''' <br>Race: 2<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 1 to 2 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the German Empire.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Germany]]&nbsp;[[Germany at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Germany]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GER)</span><br>[[Paul Wiesner]]<br>[[Georg Naue]]<br>[[Heinrich Peters]]<br>[[Ottokar Weise]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Switzerland.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Switzerland]]&nbsp;[[Switzerland at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Switzerland]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(SUI)</span><br>[[Hermann de Pourtalès]]<br>[[Hélène de Pourtalès]]<br>[[Bernard de Pourtalès]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[François Vilamitjana]]<br>[[Auguste Albert]]<br>[[Albert Duval]]<br>[[Charles Hugo (sailor)|Charles Hugo]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 2 to 3 ton''' <br>Race: 1<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 2 to 3 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Olympic flag.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Mixed team]]&nbsp;[[Mixed team at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Mixed team]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(ZZX)</span><br>[[William Exshaw]]<br>[[Frédéric Blanchy]]<br>[[Jacques Le Lavasseur]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Léon Susse]]<br>[[Jacques Doucet (sailor)|Jacques Doucet]]<br>[[Auguste Godinet]]<br>[[Henri Mialaret]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Ferdinand Schlatter]]<br>[[de Cottignon]]<br>[[Émile Jean-Fontaine]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 2 to 3 ton''' <br>Race: 2<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 2 to 3 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Olympic flag.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Mixed team]]&nbsp;[[Mixed team at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Mixed team]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(ZZX)</span><br>[[William Exshaw]]<br>[[Frédéric Blanchy]]<br>[[Jacques Le Lavasseur]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Léon Susse]]<br>[[Jacques Doucet (sailor)|Jacques Doucet]]<br>[[Auguste Godinet]]<br>[[Henri Mialaret]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Auguste Donny]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 3 to 10 ton''' <br>Race: 1<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 3 to 10 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Henri Gilardoni]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Netherlands]]&nbsp;[[Netherlands at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Netherlands]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(NED)</span><br>[[Henri Smulders]]<br>[[Chris Hooykaas]]<br>[[Arie van der Velden]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Maurice Gufflet]]<br>A. Dubois<br>J. Dubois<br>[[Robert Gufflet]]<br>[[Charles Guiraist]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 3 to 10 ton''' <br>Race: 2<br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 3 to 10 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br>[[Howard Taylor (sailor)|Howard Taylor]]<br>[[Edward Hore]]<br>[[Harry Jefferson (sailor)|Harry Jefferson]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Maurice Gufflet]]<br>A. Dubois<br>J. Dubois<br>[[Robert Gufflet]]<br>[[Charles Guiraist]]
                                         |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:US flag 45 stars.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|United States]]&nbsp;[[United States at the 1900 Summer Olympics|United States]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(USA)</span><br>H. MacHenry

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 10 to 20 ton''' <br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 10 to 20 ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Émile Billard]]<br>[[Paul Perquer]]
                                    |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1900 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br>[[Jean, duc Decazes]]
                                    |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br>[[Edward Hore]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:NO Class insigna.png|x20px]]<br>
'''1900: 20+ ton''' <br>{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics – 20+ ton}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br>[[Cecil Quentin]]
                                    |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br>[[Selwin Calverley]]
                                    |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:US flag 45 stars.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|United States]]&nbsp;[[United States at the 1900 Summer Olympics|United States]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(USA)</span><br>[[Harry Van Bergen]]

|}
<gallery>
File:Phoebus090909.JPG|the 3-tonner ''Phoebus II''
File:Phoebus090820.JPG|aboard a 3-tonner
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[International Rule (sailing)|Metre Rule (sailing)]]
*[[Square Metre Rule (sailing)]]
*[[Universal Rule]]

== References ==
* {{ISBN|978-90-78440-23-9}}{{Full citation needed|date=November 2012}}

{{Olympic class sailboats}}

[[Category:Ton class| ]]
[[Category:Keelboats]]
[[Category:Olympic sailing classes]]