The original design has been preserved, and the class is sailed competitively in the UK,[1] The Netherlands,[2] Germany,[3] and Portugal.

The term 'Twelve Square Metre' evolves from the original sail area, though on modern sharpies sail designs reach up to around sixteen square metres.

Past Australian champions to have passed through the ranks include Sir James Hardy, John Cuneo, Rolly Tasker and John Bertrand.

Rolly Tasker won Australia's first sailing medal at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne when he and John Scott won a silver medal in their 12 m2 Sharpie.

There are still a few original sharpies in Australia and Brasil, though they have not been sailed competitively on International level since the 1960s.