49er

The 49er is a doublehanded skiff designed in 1994 by Australian Julian Bethwaite. It has been an Olympic class since the Sydney Olympics of 2000. The first international regatta was held in 1997, not long after the Olympic choice had been made, and now there are nearly 1,000 boats in existence. Based partially on the International 14, the 49er keeps its predecessor's double trapeze, but with the change to an asymmetric spinnaker. The Portsmouth yardstick classifies the 49er as the world's fastest two-person monohull dinghy. It features smooth acceleration and a low-drag design, with gust response in the deflecting top mast, which flattens the sails. Most U.S. racing is centered in California. See also Bethwaite's 29er. The 49er is an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Olympic Class. For more information, read the 49er Wikipedia article.