The first boats of this class were designed in 1980 after America’s Cup regatta sailed off Newport (USA). The first boats were designed as miniaturized 12 Meter Class yachts Illusion and Shadow built in the United Kingdom. Two independent East- and West Coast-based American builders designed then the boats called Milmeter and Defender.

In Europe the beginning of 2.4mR Class dates back to 1986 in Scandinavia. Well-known yacht designers Odd Lindqvist, Peter Norlin and Hakan Södergren designed small, one-man yacht based on large 12 and Six Meter Classes boats. New construction was measured and defined by formula that have resulted with 2.4 – according to international measurement rules.

In 1986 disabled Swedish doctor Claes Hulting took two Mini 12 Meter Class boats to Fremantle (Australia), just before start of the 12 Meter Class regatta. During this prestigious regatta his yachts succeed and shortly afterwards their mass production has been initialized by local boat building industry. Popularity of small one-man yachts forced their formalizing. In 1988 IYRU has sanctioned definitively all measurement rules of the 2.4mR Class.

Shortly afterwards majority of disabled sailors learned that sailing by this class of the boats is the only way to one-handed sailing and gives equal chances to compete against able-bodied sailors.