Finn (dinghy)

Encyclopedia : F : FI : FIN : Finn (dinghy)

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Specifications Under Current Rules
Number of crew 1 LWL 14 ft LOA 4.5 m 14 ft 9in Beam 1.15 m 4 ft 10in Hull weight (with fittings) 140kgs 319 lb Sail Area 10 m². 115 sq ft rig type Cat
Olympic Class

The Finn dinghy is the men's single-handed Olympic class for sailing. It was designed by Swedish canoe designer, Rickard Sarby, in 1949 for the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Since the 1952 debut of the boat, the design has been in every summer Olympics, making it one of the most prolific Olympic sailboats.

Design Changes

Although the Finn hull has changed little since 1949, there has been other developments in controlling the sails. The original spars were made of wood, which is a stiff material. In the late 60’s and early 70’s there was a slow change to Aluminum mast. Aluminum is significantly more flexible and gives more control over sail shape. It became common place after the 1972 Olympics in Kiel when they were first supplied to Olympic sailors. Recently, carbon fiber masts have become common place in competitive Finn fleets. The sails too have gone through revolution and are now commonly made of Kevlar.

External links

• [International Finn Association]
• [Finn Site - Germany]