At the 2008 505 North American Championships. Photo courtesy Pacific Fog.
The International 505, which is 505 centimeters in length (16 ft. 6 in.) but weighs only 280 pounds, is a two-person dinghy designed in the 1950s by John Westell. The high-performance boat features a conventional (symmetric) spinnaker with an unusually long pole, and planes easily. With a large sail area (151 square feet in main and jib and a huge 280-square-foot spinnaker) it can require considerable physical strength in heavy air; the crew is on a trapeze while the driver hikes out. (See also International 420 and Flying Dutchman.) The 505 is raced in 19 countries around the world, with many builders and over 9000 boats as of 2008. The class association rules control the 505's hull shape and sail plan, but the spars, foils, and rigging are open, allowing a variety of possible layout combinations. The strongest fleets in the U.S. are on the West Coast. The 505 is an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) International Centreboard Class Association. For more information, read the 505 Wikipedia article.