49er (dinghy)

The 49er and 49er FX is a two-handed skiff-type high-performance sailing dinghy. The two crew work on different roles with the helm making many tactical decisions, as well as steering, and the crew doing most of the sail control. Both of the crew are equipped with their own trapeze and sailing is done while cantilevered over the water to the fullest extent to balance against the sails.

Class symbol
Development
Boat
Crew2 (double trapeze)
Draft1,447 mm (4 ft 9 in)
Hull
Hull weight94 kg (207 lb)
LOA4,876 mm (16 ft)
Beamwithout wings:
1,752 mm (5 ft 9 in)
with wings:
2,743 mm (9 ft 0 in)
Sails
Spinnaker area37.16 m2 (400 sq ft)
Upwind sail area19.97 m2 (215 sq ft)
Racing
D-PN68.2[1]
RYA PN710[2]
Current Olympic equipment

The 49er was designed by Julian Bethwaite (the son of Frank Bethwaite) and developed by a consortium consisting of Bethwaites, Performance Sailcraft Japan, Peter Johnston, and Ovington boats.[3] The boat has been an Olympic class since it was selected by the International Sailing Federation to be the men's high performance double handed dinghy Sydney Summer Games of 2000. Its derivative featuring a re-designed rig, the 49er FX, was selected by World Sailing to be the women's high performance double-hander at the Rio Summer Olympics of 2016.

History

The 49er's name comes from its hull length of 4.99 metres (16 ft 4 in). It incorporates ideas developed in Julian Bethwaite's 18ft Skiffs, notably the Prime Computer series of boats, which were double handers.[4]

To handle a large and powerful sail area, the mast uses a square topped sail that causes the upper main to twist off and flatten, allowing a controllable sail with fast gust response and reducing the heeling moment. The use of solid wings, rather than tubes as on similar boats (RS800 etc.), makes it easier for the crew to run across the deck from gunwale to gunwale during maneuvers.

49er skiffs in a race
49ers at the Extreme Sailing Series in Boston harbor preparing to race, 4th of July, 2011

The 49er made its first Olympic appearance at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and has continued to grow in popularity ever since.

With a Portsmouth yardstick Handicap of 740 the 49er is the fastest two person one-design monohull dinghy.

In 2009 the boat received a new rig design, including a larger fully carbon mast (replacing the aluminum mast) and square top (roach) mainsail.[5]

Construction

As a one design class, the 49er has two licensed suppliers, Mackay Boats in Oceania and Ovington in Europe.

Hull

The hull is made of Epoxy GRP and foam sandwich laminate with carbon fibre in high load areas. It includes two solid wings, also called racks, that clip into the side to increase righting moment of the trapezing crew.[6] Its length was fixed at 4.99 metres because the ISAF brief for the high performance Olympic class dinghy called for a 5-metre boat, but Tokao Otani, a member of the development consortium, pointed out that there was a tariff in Japan for boats over 5 metres long.[3] It has a fine entry to efficiently transition between the low speed displacement, and high speed planing modes.[7] According to the International 49er class rules, the minimum hull weight including all permanent fittings can not be less than 94.0 kg.[8]

49er at the 2012 London Olympic Games

Racing

49er and 49er FX racing is incredibly competitive. Teams race for Olympic glory, with the pinnacle sought being the Olympic Games every four years. Some of the biggest superstars of sailing have emerged from 49er sailing including: - 1997-1999 World Champion Chris Nicholson who went on to lead multiple Volvo Ocean Race campaigns - 2002, 2004, and 2010 World Champions Iker Martinez de Lizarduy and Xabier Fernández who each went on to lead multiple Volvo Ocean Race campaigns - 2009, 2011, and 2012 World Champion Nathan Outteridge who lead the ArtemisAmerica's Cup team and the Japanese Sail GP team - 2013-2016 World Champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke won the 2017 America's Cup and each narrowly lost out on winning the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race

Racing for the 49er class can best be followed via 49er.org

Spars

Southern Spars, part of the North Technology Group, is the licensed supplier of the 49er mast. It is a three piece male-moulded assembly made from 100% standard modulus carbon.[9] It is 7.0 meters tall and capable of supporting a combined crew weight up to 165 kg from its dual trapeze. The mast is braced by three sets of shrouds that connect to a fitting on the side of the boat. The crew is able to adjust them by tightening or loosening them, depending on the wind speed and sea states.[10]

The boom is made from an aluminium alloy extrusion.

Foils

The rudder and daggerboard are made out from a composite of epoxy, carbon and glass, covered by a hard gelcoat surface. The head of each class legal foil carries the embossed 49er logo and the ICA label.[8]

Sails

The 49er contains three sails: a main sail, jib, and spinnaker. The main and jib are 20 square meters, fully battened and made of reinforced Mylar (film polyester). The main was redesigned in 2007 from a full, curved roach plan to having a square on top in order to provide more sail area and to control more shape adjustment. The spinnaker is 38 square meters in a tri-radial asymmetric shape.[6]

Events

Men's 49er

Gold Silver Bronze
2000 Sydney
 Finland (FIN)
Thomas Johanson
Jyrki Järvi
 Great Britain (GBR)
Ian Barker
Simon Hiscocks
 United States (USA)
Jonathan McKee
Charlie McKee
2004 Athens
 Spain (ESP)
Iker Martínez
Xabier Fernández
 Ukraine (UKR)
Rodion Luka
George Leonchuk
 Great Britain (GBR)
Chris Draper
Simon Hiscocks
2008 Beijing
 Denmark (DEN)
Jonas Warrer
Martin Kirketerp
 Spain (ESP)
Iker Martínez de Lizarduy
Xabier Fernández
 Germany (GER)
Jan-Peter Peckolt
Hannes Peckolt
2012 London
 Australia (AUS)
Nathan Outteridge
Iain Jensen
 New Zealand (NZL)
Peter Burling
Blair Tuke
 Denmark (DEN)
Allan Nørregaard
Peter Lang
2016 Rio de Janeiro
 New Zealand (NZL)
Peter Burling
Blair Tuke
 Australia (AUS)
Nathan Outteridge
Iain Jensen
 Germany (GER)
Erik Heil
Thomas Plößel
2020 Tokyo
 Great Britain (GBR)
Dylan Fletcher
Stuart Bithell
 New Zealand (NZL)
Peter Burling
Blair Tuke
 Germany (GER)
Erik Heil
Thomas Plößel
2024 Paris

Women's 49er FX

Gold Silver Bronze
2016 Rio de Janeiro
 Brazil (BRA)
Martine Grael
Kahena Kunze
 New Zealand (NZL)
Alex Maloney
Molly Meech
 Denmark (DEN)
Jena Mai Hansen
Katja Salskov-Iversen
2020 Tokyo
 Brazil (BRA)
Martine Grael
Kahena Kunze
 Germany (GER)
Tina Lutz
Susann Beucke
 Netherlands (NED)
Annemiek Bekkering
Annette Duetz
2024 Paris

World Championships

Men's 49er

Year Gold Silver Bronze
1997 Perth  Australia
Chris Nicholson
Daniel Phillips
 United States
Jonathan McKee
Charles McKee
 United States
Morgan Larson
Kevin Hall
1998 Bandol  Australia
Chris Nicholson
Daniel Phillips
 Great Britain
Andy Budgen
Ian Budgen
 United States
Morgan Larson
Kevin Hall
1999 Melbourne  Australia
Chris Nicholson
Ed Smyth
 Australia
Adam Beashel
Teague Czislowski
 United States
Morgan Larson
Kevin Hall
2000 Sonora Bay  Spain
Santiago López-Vázquez
Javier de la Plaza
 Germany
Marcus Baur
Philip Barth
 Finland
Thomas Johanson
Jyrki Järvi
2001 Malcesine  United States
Jonathan McKee
Charles McKee
 Spain
Iker Martínez
Xabier Fernández
 Ukraine
Rodion Luka
George Leonchuk
2002 Kaneohe Bay  Spain
Iker Martínez
Xabier Fernández
 Great Britain
Christopher Draper
Simon Hiscocks
 Great Britain
Paul Brotherton
Mark Asquith
2003 Cádiz  Great Britain
Christopher Draper
Simon Hiscocks
 Norway
Christoffer Sundby
Frode Bovim
 Ukraine
Rodion Luka
George Leonchuk
2004 Athens  Spain
Iker Martínez
Xabier Fernández
 Great Britain
Christopher Draper
Simon Hiscocks
 Germany
Marcus Baur
Max Groy
2005 Moscow  Ukraine
Rodion Luka
George Leonchuk
 Great Britain
Christopher Draper
Simon Hiscocks
 Italy
Pietro Sibello
Gianfranco Sibello
2006 Aix-le-Bain  Great Britain
Christopher Draper
Simon Hiscocks
 Greece
Thanasis Pakhoumas
Athanasios Siouzios
 Great Britain
Stevie Morrison
Ben Rhodes
2007 Cascais  Great Britain
Stevie Morrison
Ben Rhodes
 Austria
Nico Delle Karth
Nikolaus Resch
 Australia
Nathan Outteridge
Ben Austin
2008 Melbourne  Australia
Nathan Outteridge
Ben Austin
 Great Britain
Stevie Morrison
Ben Rhodes
 Ukraine
Rodion Luka
George Leonchuk
2009 Riva del Garda  Australia
Nathan Outteridge
Iain Jensen
 Great Britain
John Pink
Rick Peacock
 Italy
Pietro Sibello
Gianfranco Sibello
2010 Port Lucaya  Spain
Iker Martínez
Xabier Fernández
 Australia
Nathan Outteridge
Iain Jensen
 Italy
Pietro Sibello
Gianfranco Sibello
2011 Perth  Australia
Nathan Outteridge
Iain Jensen
 New Zealand
Peter Burling
Blair Tuke
 Denmark
Emil Toft Nielsen
Simon Toft Nielsen
2012 Zadar  Australia
Nathan Outteridge
Iain Jensen
 New Zealand
Peter Burling
Blair Tuke
 Denmark
Allan Nørregaard
Peter Lang

Women's 49er FX

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2013 Marseille  New Zealand
Alex Maloney
Molly Meech
 Brazil
Martine Grael
Kahena Kunze
 France
Sarah Steyaert
Julie Bossard
2014 Santander
 Brazil
Martine Grael
Kahena Kunze
 Denmark
Ida Marie Baad Nielsen
Marie Thusgaard Olsen
 Italy
Giulia Conti
Francesca Clapcich
2015 Buenos Aires
 Italy
Giulia Conti
Francesca Clapcich
 Brazil
Martine Grael
Kahena Kunze
 Denmark
Ida Marie Baad Nielsen
Marie Thusgaard Olsen
2016 Clearwater[11]  Spain
Támara Echegoyen
Berta Betanzos
 Denmark
Maiken Foght Schütt
Anne-Julie Schütt
 Germany
Victoria Jurczok
Anika Lorenz
2017 Matosinhos[12]
 Denmark
Jena Hansen
Katja Salskov-Iversen
 Brazil
Martine Grael
Kahena Kunze
 New Zealand
Alex Maloney
Molly Meech
2018 Aarhus[13]
 Netherlands
Annemiek Bekkering
Annette Duetz
 Austria
Tanja Frank
Lorena Abicht
 Great Britain
Sophie Weguelin
Sophie Ainsworth
2019 Auckland[14]
 Netherlands
Annemiek Bekkering
Annette Duetz
 Brazil
Martine Grael
Kahena Kunze
 Denmark
Ida Marie Baad Nielsen
Marie Thusgaard Olsen
2020 Geelong[15]
 Spain
Támara Echegoyen
Paula Barceló
 Great Britain
Charlotte Dobson
Saskia Tidey
 United States
Stephanie Roble
Maggie Shea
2021 Wudam Al Sahil[16]
 Netherlands
Odile van Aanholt
Elise de Ruijter
 Norway
Helene Næss
Marie Rønningen
 Brazil
Martine Grael
Kahena Kunze
2022 St. Margarets Bay[17]
 Netherlands
Odile van Aanholt
Annette Duetz
 Sweden
Vilma Bobeck
Rebecca Netzler
 Spain
Támara Echegoyen
Paula Barceló
2023 The Hague[18]
 Sweden
Vilma Bobeck
Rebecca Netzler
 Netherlands
Odile van Aanholt
Annette Duetz
 Australia
Olivia Price
Evie Haseldine

The 49er FX was developed by Mackay Boats to be a women's Olympic class. It consists of a 49er hull, wings, and foils, with a scaled down rig designed to suit the weight of an elite female crew.

The 29er is a smaller, single trapeze trainer to the 49er. It has become popular in North America, Europe and Australia as a fast youth boat. Recently the 29erXX, a twin trapeze version of the 29er, has been produced with a rig very similar to the 49er.

The 59er dinghy was put into production in Australia and the UK in 2002. It is a non-trapeze, 4.7m (15 feet 5 inches) sailing dinghy, rigged with an asymmetrical spinnaker. It is designed for a crew weight of 145 kg to 180 kg (320 lb to 400 lb).

References

  1. "Centerboard Classes". US Sailing. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  2. "Portsmouth Number List 2017". Royal Yachting Association. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  3. Bethwaite, Frank (2008). Higher performance sailing. London: Adlard Coles Nautical. ISBN 9781408101261. OCLC 854680844.
  4. "Prime Computer Skiff".
  5. "49er Class". 49er.org. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  6. "49er shop". Ovington Boats. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  7. "Design Elements".
  8. "International 49er Class Rules" (PDF). 2016. pp. 11 & 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  9. "49er Mast Users Manual" (PDF). MackayBoats. SouthernSpars. 2010.
  10. "49er". SouthernSpars. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  11. "2016 World Championship". 49er.org.
  12. "2017 World Championship in Porto". 49er.org.
  13. "2018 World Championship in Aarhus". manage2sail.com.
  14. "2019 World Championship in Auckland".
  15. "2020 World Championship in Geelong".
  16. "2021 World Championship in Wudam Al Sahil".
  17. "2022 World Championship in St. Margarets Bay".
  18. "2023 World Championship in The Hague".
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