Sailboats were once made solely of wood however, the Invicta was the first sailboat produced with a fiberglass hull to win a major ocean race (the 1964 Newport, Rhode Island to Bermuda), being placed second overall in the 1962 Newport to Bermuda Race.
These designs featured long overhangs at the bow and stern and curved "springy" sheer lines giving these yachts intrinsic beauty.
As the yacht heeled over in the wind, more waterline length became available thus increasing theoretical hull speed.
The Invicta's designer, William Tripp, following the concept of Finisterre, developed a series of keel centerboard fiberglass production boats including: the Block Island 40 (built first in the Netherlands and later in East Greenwich Rhode Island), the Mercer 44 (built first in New Jersey by Mercer Reinforced Plastics and currently by Cape Cod Shipbuilding in Wareham MA), the Bermuda 40 and'Hinckley 48 (built in Southwest Harbor Maine by the Hinckley Company).
This is distinct from the Van de Stadt designed Folkboat derivative Invicta 26.