470 (dinghy)

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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 foredeck 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 absolute beginners; most 470 sailors move to it after gaining substantial experience in a more stable and less demanding dinghy. The 470 is rather tricky to sail, a lot depending on the large sail area and the trapeze.

The related 420 class dinghy is a smaller boat designed as a youth trainer for the 470.

[edit] External links

• Official class website
• North American Class Website