470 (DINGHY)

'''Specifications Under Current Rules'''
Number of crew ''2 (Single Trapeze)'' LWL 4400 mm 14 ft 7in LOA 4700 mm 15 ft 5in Beam 1690 mm 5 ft 6in Draft 1066 mm 3 ft 6in Hull weight (with fittings) 120 kg 264 lb Sail Area of total of Jib 3.58 m² 39sq.ft Sail Area of total of Main 9.12 m² 98sq.ft Sail Area Spinnaker 13 m² 140sq.ft
'''Olympic Class'''

The '470' is a monohull planing dinghy with centerboard, Bermuda rig and center sheeting, designed for a crew of two.
The name is the overall length of the boat in centimeters (i.e. the boat is exactly 4.7 meters long). The 470 has been an Olympic class since the 1976 games. The Class was initially an open class, but since the 1988 games there have been separate events for men and women. Construction is from glass-reinforced plastic with integral buoyancy tanks. The fore-deck is very lightly built, and not designed to support the weight of a person standing on it.
It is a popular class of dinghy with both individuals and sailing schools, offering a good introduction to high-performance boats without being excessively hard to handle. It is not a boat designed for beginners. It has a large sail area to weight ratio, and is designed to plane easily.
Most 470 sailors first get substantial experience in a more stable and less demanding dinghy.
The 470 is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, which makes sailing a real teamwork. The 470 is not difficult, but to be competitive,everything should be mastered to perfection. Tactically the boat is demanding as speed differences are small and fleets are usually big.

Contents

History 470

The Olympics and the 470

The Sailor

The Races

The Construction

External links

History 470

The 470 was designed in 1963 by the french André Cornu, as a modern fiberglass planing dinghy. The boat should appeal sailors of different size and age. This formula was right, and the boat spread around the world. In 1969 the class was given international status and it has been an olympic class since 1976. In 1988 the first olympic womens event was sailed, naturally in the 470.

The Olympics and the 470

The Olympic regatta is not unlike other events in the Olympic Games in that it is the culmination of years of training and competition for an athlete. What does differ is that the racing takes place over multiple days, so the sailor has to prepare for what is sure to be a long, demanding event.
Beyond the Games, the Olympic circuit comprises a series of 'Graded' events in known locations, similar to World Cup races in Olympic skiing, for example. These events are annual and are supplemented by continental and World championships that are hosted in different locations each year. In short, the competition schedule for an Olympic fleet is not merely during the Olympic year, but rather, runs continuously during the quadrennium.

The Sailor

To sail the 470 a good physical health is enough, strength is not crucial. The competitive crew weight is 110 - 145 kg. This makes it ideal for both women and men. On the national level there are a lot of sailors outside this weight range who enjoy racing the 470.

The Races

World and Continental Championships are organized every year with separate start for women and men/mixed teams. There are also a World Championship for juniors and a Master World Championship. The 470 is used in regional championships, like the Asian- , Meditaranean-
and PanAm Games. In the important international races the entries have to be limited.
This develops good competition as qualifying races have to be organized in most countries.
In the World Championships there have been more than 30 countries represented.
There are 65 member nations in the International Class Assocaition and more than 40.000 boats have been built in 20 countries in all continents.
World and Continental Championships are organized every year with separate starts for Women and Men/Mixed teams. There are also a World Championship for Juniors and a World Championship. The 470 is used in regional championships, like the Asian-, Mediterranean - and PanAm Games. In the important international races the entries have to be limited. This develops good competition as qualifying races have to be organized in most countries.

The Construction

Specifications (Metric/English)
Length Overall 4.7 m / 15' 5"
Length Waterline 4.4 m / 14' 7"
Beam 1.68 m/ 5' 6"
Draft .5 m / 6"
Draft (CB down).5 m / 3' 6"
Weight 120 kg / 264 lbs
Mast 6.78m / 22' 3"
Boom 2.65m / 8' 8"
Spinnaker Pole 1.90 m / 6' 3"
Jib 3.58 sq. m/ 39 sq. ft.
Main 9.12 sq. m/ 98 sq. ft.
Spinnaker 13 sq. m/ 140 sq. ft.
Total Sail Area 12.7 sq. m/ 137 sq. ft.

External links

★ Official class website

★ Great website of the french community of 470

★ North American Class Website