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Released by Mattel in 1975, the Barbie Sunsailer was a large-scale playset designed to place Barbie in a relaxed, recreational sailing environment. Its ambitious size and nautical theme reflected Mattel’s continued expansion of Barbie’s world beyond fashion and domestic play into leisure and lifestyle settings.
Standing approximately three feet tall, the Sunsailer took the form of a catamaran-style sailboat, moulded in plastic with twin hulls joined by an open deck. A tall mast supported a Barbie-branded sail, while rigging details echoed those found on real sailing craft. The deck provided space for Barbie and her friends to sit or recline, reinforcing the idea of casual daytime sailing rather than competitive sport.
In keeping with its nautical inspiration, the boat incorporated elements associated with a standard catamaran, including a head stay, mast, mainsail, shrouds, trapeze, bridle, boom, hulls, trampoline, walking straps, tiller, and rudder. Picnic accessories extended play beyond the toy itself, encouraging imaginative scenarios that moved from sea to shore.
A complete playset included the boat components, a foot holder, four dishes, two glasses, a thermos, an ice chest, a life jacket, and string. An instruction pamphlet was also provided. As with many Barbie playsets of the period, dolls were not included.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Examples of the Sunsailer appear periodically on the secondary market, though complete sets are increasingly difficult to locate. Many of the smaller accessories were easily lost over time, and structural components were prone to wear. As a result, fully intact or boxed examples are uncommon, and collectors may need to combine parts from multiple sets to assemble a complete display.
Watch a vintage commercial for Barbie Sunsailer on the Toy Tales YouTube channel.
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