The Jet 14 sailboat is a 14-ft LOA One-Design racing dinghy that traces its origins back to the early 1950s, when several skippers were complaining about the state of one-design racing. The boats of the era were either too big or too small, too tricky or too slow, most were far too expensive and of the remaining classes many were not particularly adherent to the One-Design principles. It was because of these issues and dissatisfaction that the first of the Jet 14s were created. It was based around several principles. All boats had to have strict adherence to the One-Design rules in regards to speed-producing elements, had to have good performance both all-around and when planing, have minimal initial and maintenance costs, and be easy to transport from one location to another.
The boat design was incredibly balanced. While the boat was initially believed to be too powerful for adolescents, it was soon determined that some of the design features made it quite adaptable for crews of all shapes and sizes. The metal centerboard lowered the center of gravity, making capsizing more difficult. The smaller sail plan made handling in rough weather easier for smaller crews, and even if the boat did capsize, they will typically float on edge instead of turtling. Because of the size and balance of a boat, crews do not need to include a large member (often called a gorilla) to help keep control in foul weather, like larger two-person boats often do.