49er Dinghy

Many of the principal features of the 49er are relatively new to the sailing world. This is because the 49er is a development of the Sydney Eighteen foot skiff, and the skiff class has itself recently experienced an unprecedented two decades of the most intense development.

The 16-foot 49er was designed by Julian Bethwaite to be sailed by two people. They do that by hooking up to trapezes and hanging out over the water with their feet against wings that extend from the narrow hull. The rig is enormous, with a powerfully roached mainsail set on a mast whose top third is made of spun fiberglass and carbon and is hooked back like a fly rod. The 410-square-foot spinnaker is set from the masthead and a long retractable sprit.

The 49er gives the ultimate combination of horsepower to weight in a boat that two people can almost handle. By design, the 49er is overpowered most of the time. It may be the ultimate two-man dinghy ! Its definatley not a boat for beginners but for experts who will give everything for boat speed and sailing thrills.

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Sailing Dinghy Specifications Length : 5.0m Beam : 3.0m Sail Area : 21.20m sq Portsmouth Yardstick : 760

Related Links 49er Class 49er Class

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