420 (dinghy)

History

The International 420 was designed by Christian Maury in France in the year 1959. The class developed rapidly in France, being adopted nationally as a youth trainer for the larger Olympic class International 470. By the late 1960s the class was adopted by a few UK university sailing clubs for training and team racing.

Construction

The class adopted a policy of "prudent evolution" so as to allow development without making existing dinghies obsolete. The hull's seaworthiness and stability at speed proved to be better than most of its contemporaries, and this together with its modest sail area make it fun to sail in heavy weather and thus an excellent youth trainer, qualities that led to its adoption for that role by the Royal Yachting Association in the mid-1970s. In addition, the international 420 is known for its inherent lightness. The floatability of the boat made for a safer training vessel.

With its trapeze and spinnaker it provides the capability for advanced sailing techniques for international standard sailors, while still remaining affordable and accessible to beginners. The International 420 maintains a large multinational class association. The combination of effective class management, the boat's inherent sailing qualities, and prudent evolution have contributed to the class's continuing success.

Derivatives C420 and Z420

The Club 420, or C420, was derived from the 420 by Vanguard boats in the 1970s. It is not recognized by World Sailing or the International 420 Class Association and cannot be used at I420 class events.

Itt is much simpler to sail and is used on the youth race circuit in the US, with over 5,000 boats in North America, but is not sailed in most other countries.

With a heavier hull, reinforced for durability in institutional sailing, and a stiff, untapered mast it lacks the performance of the original dinghy due to its extra weight.

The Z420 is a transformation of the Club 420. Its hull is 50 lb lighter and 40 percent stiffer than the C420. Whereas a C420 hull is composed of six pieces, the Z420 has only three molded components: the hull, the deck, and the mast partners. Unlike the C420, the Z420 does not include a spinnaker or trapeze in its rigging. Z420 boats are specially designed for college sailing and were used at the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association National Championships in 2014 for the first time.

420 Events

420 World Championships

Main article: 420 World Championships

Held every year since 1973 organized by the International 420 Class Association and recognised by World Sailing. Three fleets current race separately which are the Male & Mixed, Female and Open Under 17.

420 Team Racing World Championship

The boat has been used for team racing in both the ISAF Team Racing World Championship and the ISAF World Sailing Games however the class established its own team racing competition in 2015. Only the International 14 and Optimist (dinghy) class association hold a team racing based World Championships in addition to the two discipline led events.

IYRU Women World Championships

World Sailing – Youth Sailing World Championships

The class has been used extensively at the Youth Sailing World Championships which run by World Sailing this is different to the Class Worlds by way that equipment is supplied and entries are limited to one entry per nations but often from more nations.

Club 420 Events

Club 420 North American Championship

Club 420 US National Championship

Notes

References

References

1. "Introduction to the 420".
2. "Centerboard Classes". Offshore.ussailing.org.
3. "Portsmouth Number List 2012". Royal Yachting Association (RYA).
4. "Introduction to the 420 - 420 Sailing".
5. "Boat Classes {{!}} Chester Yacht Club".
6. "The C420 Association".
7. "Z420: New School Dinghy".
8. "International 420 World Team Racing Championship 2015".
9. Nauta360. (19 September 2015). "El RCNP homenajea a los campeones del mundo de Team Racing". [[Expansion.com]].
10. (4 September 2016). "Spain Wins Gold at 420 Team Racing World Championship". 420 Sailing.