It has a large sail-area-to-weight ratio, and is designed to plane easily. Zim Sailing makes the highest-performing, durable, and dependable 420's available. Now some people unfamiliar with two-person sailing may challenge your step into the 420 with some of these most frequently heard questions: “It’s a hassle to co-ordinate with another sailor”…only true if you have picked the wrong sailor to partner with. You will need to get your crew to hold the side of the boat so that a gust doesn’t blow it off the trailer! It is very important to know how much to pull it on though.Barber hauling makes the jib fuller and therefore more powerful. If your pre-bend measurement does not equal your sail’s requirement then release the rig tension, adjust the spreaders so that they are angled further back if your measurement is too small or further forward if it is too large. Sailing the MiniCat 420. The Club 420 Association was established to promote, foster, encourage and sponsor one-design sailing. As with any boat, if you are planning to buy a second-hand 420 then there are some top tips to ensure you buy the best possible boat for your money. Although€the€two€boats€are€different€in€a€number€of€ways,€many€of€the€Club€420€sailing€principals€and€handling€characteristics€are€similar€to the€International€420.€Many€articles€found€on€the€Internet€are€for€the€Club€420… About Club 420. Exceeding two inches however will close the slot and is not fast so be careful. (Again, note the chart at the end of the tuning guide.) Chocks alter the pre-bend by pushing back on the lower mast, therefore straightening it. Your boat came equipped to rig a mainsheet bridle. The following is a general table on how you might set up your 420 for different conditions. As soon as you get on the wire there is enough wind for the sail to cope with being a bit fuller & more powerful put one more chock in (we call this +1). Use this only in very windy conditions. If the wind does change in a race such that you need to change the chocks then the best time to do it is on a run – there is less forwards pressure on the mast on a run & the crew is in the boat and able to reach the chocks. young people trained up in the 420 before moving onto olympic class boats), the 420 has a good class following, and is a good introduction to performance boats. Also, do not exceed two extra chocks – putting in three extra chocks is likely to invert the mast!!! Always choose the setting that best suits the strength of the lulls. (The bridle length is changed with mast rake like this because the boom height alters with mast rake). Go To: Sailing - Rigging Guides Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 7:26 PM. Once achieved mark the mast with ‘M’ and again record the hole number (which is usually a hole down from the light wind setting). This will help to flatten/de-power your sail even more. This will make the leeward shroud go slack. It has the same effect on the jib as chocks do to the main, and therefore follows a similar pattern: The strengths of wind at which you should change settings depends entirely on your crew weight: Use the light wind setting upto the point where you become overpowered. As delivered, tension from the jib hal- yard automatically puts tension into the cloth of the jib and is equivalent to having a jib Cunningham tightened all the time. centerboard kicks to windward as the mast heels to leeward, causing 1. In 2013 we became Benelux distributor for the MiniCat catamarans. Barber hauling is the name given to tensioning the windward/slack jib sheet. Change the leeward/other shroud to the new hole. Then lower it slightly until it measures 16’1½” at the top of the black band at the gooseneck. If you set up your light wind mast rake you will find a gap in front of the mast where the chocks go. It will teach you how to sail in an environment of partnership with your crewmate, adding another significant element to your development as a sailor (and as a person). Learn How to Sail: A Step-by-Step Guide to SAILING - YouTube in near survival conditions. June 19, 2003. If none of the telltails are flying & it’s straight/tight then your bridle is too short. Adjust your bridle until this perfect leech is achieved, making sure you make equal adjustments to each side so it always lines up with the centreboard. The 420 is an ideal platform for learning about tuning a boat and the consequences of tuning, teaching in a relatively simple way the trimming of sail combinations (i.e. Gaining experience in the 420 increases your sailing ability and means it is easy to switch across classes, whether you are a skipper or a crew. They affect the pre-bend and as a result affect the amount of power you have in the mainsail: Less pre-bend = Straighter mast = Fuller mainsail = More power The L-shaped metal pin at the forward end of the boom holds the forward bottom corner of the mainsail, called the tack. Release the kicker and pull the rig tension onto the new mark on the mast (that corresponds to the new hole numbers). The Club 420 is a two person dinghy which forms the base of many local, high school and collegiate programs in North America. Some young sailors may never be big enough to sail a Laser Radial or other one-person international classes, or may take a longer time to grow, so getting into the two-person classes via the 420 makes sense to develop your skills and keep future options open. Speed – 32mm During the Summer of 2011 I spent some time at the RSGYC training in Feva’s and 420’s with Adam Hyland. Mark this as ‘S’ on your mast and record the hole number, (which is usually a hole down from the medium setting). If you fill this gap with chocks so that they are touching the mast but not pushing back on it this is your neutral number of chocks. Record/remember this number of chocks. It is also safer to buy shroud plates that the shrouds cannot come out the top of should things go wrong! “It makes it hard to go back to one-person sailing”…completely untrue!!! The 420 is an ideal platform for learning about tuning a boat and the consequences of tuning, teaching in a relatively simple way the trimming of sail combinations (i.e. Completely let the rig tension off & pull the kicker on hard. To use the strong setting you just need to clip the loops onto the bar: NOTE: You will now need to set up your light wind setting again because tying the loops will have shortened the light wind settings quite a lot. The 420 has a very flat aft hull surface which dictates the quirks associated with the boat. Pull on rig tension until it reads 30 on the tension meter. Pull the tape measure to the transom & take the measurement at the top edge of the transom. The 420 is a pure racing machine , high tech , and from a later era when semi-submerged sailing in frogmans suits became fashionable among the poseur jocks around the sailing club boat-ramps . This class is primarily designed for advanced beginners and intermediate sailors; however, some older beginners and those over 125 pounds will begin their sailing instruction in the Club 420… The 420 will give you a unique experience during your Youth years. If your leech has a slight curve and the top telltail is flying 50% of the time then your bridle is perfect. By Staff. NOTE: If you are very overpowered in very strong wind then you can remove one of the neutral chocks (-1). Hoist the main sail and set it up as if you were going sailing (eg outhaul on etc but no kicker on). Chock are the small ‘mushroom-shaped’ plates that you can put in front of the mast. (Each hole on the chain plates will make a difference of roughly 1½” to your measurement). It is a catamaran that we can bring along with us in the Cirrus aircraft or in the car and that inflates and is ready to sail in about an hour. The 420 has a bermuda rig and an optional spinnaker and trapeze. Set up your light wind setting & make sure there are no chocks in. The 420 is a stable boat to sail which planes upwind easily, the trend in modern yachting. Then, repeat steps 1-4 but to get a measurement of 19’9¾”. However it is useful to be able to do before a race and in between races should the wind get up or die. Putting marks on your jib sheets in both the sheeting positions and the barber-hauler positions will help you to judge how much jib sheet and/or barber hauler you have on. Sailboat and sailing yacht searchable database with more than 8,000 sailboats from around the world including sailboat photos and drawings. However, as soon as you become overpowered (i.e. your crew is flat wiring and you are having to play more than 6” of mainsail. You’ll hear words and expressions like port, starboard, leeward, halyard, helms alee, rode, tacking, gybing, eye of the wind, velocity made good and course over ground, just to name a few. More pre-bend = More curved mast = Flatter mainsail = Less power. It is a good idea to tie your shroud plate pins onto the plates so that you do not loose them whilst changing holes on the water. Choose a day with a force 3-4 wind & set up your light wind mast rake. The Club 420 is the second most sailed boat of college sailing. If it does not read 19’11” then take the rig tension off & move the shrouds down the chain plates if the reading is above 19’11”, and up the plates if it is below. From this position measure (using a ruler) the distance between the halyard and the back edge of the mast where the spreaders join. Then re-measure the pre-bend using steps 1-4 and keep adjusting until its right! Meanwhile the lighter one of you needs to climb onto the boat (carefully) and stand next to the mast where the chocks normally go. The 420 is a global class with great opportunities available to develop your sailing and compete at the highest level, making many friends from around the world along the way. This is your strong wind setting. Barber hauling makes the jib fuller and therefore more powerful. This is not done in all boats (e.g. Read 10 Nautical & Sailing Terms to Know Get the heavier of the two of you to pull and hold the main halyard tight against the gooseneck on the back edge of the mast. (Back the jib, let the main sail go completely & put the tiller down to leeward). Sailing has its own glossary of terms that you’ll need to know. Spreader Deflection Due to the base helm characteristics of 420, you need to put the mast step almost max forward in the rule which is 2830mm. Check that the bridle ropes are equal in length by lining the block up along the centreboard. Coconut Grove Sailing Club, January 20, 2020 — 37 teams from across the country competed over a three-day span on the waters off Miami for the International 420 North American Championship.As a newcomer to the class, I was immediately both struck by and impressed with the talent among sailors and coaches; this is an intensely competitive class, and those at the top pursue sailing … In wiring conditions before flat-wiring you again want power, so it is good to pull on about an inch and a half. The 420E from Zim Sailing sets a new standard in enclosed deck technology for high school and college sailing. The Club 420 design incorporates a number of modifications for intercollegiate sailing in the US. (Always take the reading at shoulder height up the shroud). It is very important to know how much to pull it on though. The airtight foredeck has taken weight out of the bow, increasing performance and safety, without sacrificing the durability Zim Sailing's boats are known for. Don’t worry if a rig tension of 31 is needed to achieve this measurement. A committed sailor with a supportive family in fact make it easier as there are two of you offering support to move boats, move sailors, chaperone trips, etc. The cloth of the 420 jib is seized to the wire at the tack and tied off at the top to the thimble in the wire. I would encourage you however to make a table of your own personal settings built up through trail and error. This process will take a few minutes and so is not practical to do in a race. So the more chocks that you put in the straighter the mast becomes and the more power you achieve. Go-Fast Tips for the Club 420. Top 420 sailors have jumped back into one-person boats and have generally been very successful as their sailing careers have developed. Sailrite offers FREE rig and sail dimensions with featured products and canvas kits that fit the boat. Then, do the same again but to get 19’8½” using 31-32 on the rig tension. This is your medium wind setting. Courtesy of the British 420 Class Association, below is information on some basic boat settings written by Matt Burge: Barber hauling is the name given to tensioning the windward/slack jib sheet. This is your light wind setting. All boats recognised by World Sailing have been independently assessed by World Sailing to be ideal for developing and/or teaching sailing within the World Sailing Learn to Sail programme. This is not done in all boats (e.g. The 420 offers great development for sailors in the two-person disciplines – most of the World's top sailors sailed in this class and easily moved on to succeed in other classes, and enjoy Olympic and big boat careers. This is great for all your future sailing, not just two-person sailing. In fact, splitting the costs between two sailors makes 420 sailing quite similar in expense to a committed one-person campaign. To make the strong wind setting just tie two loops 7cm up from where the ends of the bridle join the clips on the bar. flat-wiring & playing the mainsail all the time) then go back down to neutral chocks because you do not need any extra power. This does depend upon your crew weight though and so should not be followed religiously. I join up with my friend Sam, a retired Air Force pilot and retired Delta pilot. If you set up your light wind setting you will notice that your mast has a slight bend/curve going up it, this is called the pre-bend. The only time I consider sailing in a bad lane is when the wind is very shifty and the potential gain from the next shift outweighs the loss of speed from sailing in bad air. Pull the main in block to block and look at the leech. A good, top competitive, second hand 420 is relatively inexpensive, usually with lots of sails and gear. 420 Rigging Guide. To learn your trade as a helm or crew it is best to do this in the 420, especially with the coaching structure and events available around the world. Complete Sail Plan Data for the International 420 Sailboat. Adjust them so that they are. “It’s expensive”…sailing is an expensive sport, but you already know that. The lengths of the bridle are very important because they control the mainsail leech tension when block to block. With our worldwide contacts and design input, we continue to help refine the racing sails for top performance. Introduction to the 420 Class; I-420 Sailing Academy; New 420 Tuning Video; 420 e-Book - Performance Training; 420 To The Max; Learn to Sail - Recommended Boat; Technical . A 20- … the Mirror) but in the 420 it helps to achieve a faster jib slot / leech shape. Although the two boats are different in a number of ways, many of the Club 420 sailing principals and handling characteristics are similar to the International 420. Change the leeward shroud to the new hole. When you are well out on the wire (but not flat wiring/overpowered), and especially in choppy conditions put two extra chocks in (+2) for maximum power. The class is managed at a global level by the International 420 Class Association, and … Repeat steps 1-4 until you achieve 19’11” with 30 on the rig tension. main, jib, spinnaker together) like no other boat can. If you are then having to play more than 6” of mainsail all the time on medium settings then change to strong wind settings. You apply barber hauler simply by pulling the windward jib sheet and cleating it. If it is choppy as well up to two inches is good. Also, turn the boat 45 degrees to the wind so that it’s in the close hauled position. Then change to medium wind settings. (Make sure the kicker is off all the time). If you & your crew are very light you may like to set up 19’7” with 31-32 on the rig tension. Our Blue Ribbon Line of 420 sails is designed for college or high school teams that demand the ultimate in … The amount of pre-bend is controlled by the spreaders. Olimpic – 33mm Simple for beginning sailors and yet challenging enough for collegiate champions. The International 420 is one of the most popular junior classes around the globe. Approximately forty-three percent of all programs throughout the country own a full fleet of 420s. The bridle is the piece of rope that holds your mainsheet block and joins onto each end of the bar behind the centreboard. Label this mark ‘L’ and record which hole the shrouds are in on the chain plates. North – 32mm. We are aiming for a reading of 19’11” here (with 30 on the rig tension). The 420 is a stable boat to sail which planes upwind easily, the trend in modern yachting. (This is the point where the pre-bend is greatest). i.e. From this position, you then adjust the deflection (D) to create the desired pre-bend. You apply barber hauler simply by pulling the windward jib sheet and cleating … It is not always practical to change chocks in a race so make sure they are right before you start. Once achieved this is your light wind bridle setting. It can be rigged to be sailed single-handed or double-handed. Prepare the kite by finding the corner and making sure the sail isn't twisted; Run your spinnaker sheets and guys before attaching to tack and clew; ... but the principles of setting a symmetrical spinnaker are the same whether you're on a 420 dinghy or a fifty foot racer. Request a Sail Quote after reviewing your sailboat specifications. While sailing your Club 420 in club/junior racing, your rig tension should be varied from 240 lb. Go ‘heave-to’. The rules state that you are allowed two settings on your bridle length, so we set up one to be used with the light wind mast rake and one to be used with the medium & strong wind mast rakes. in light winds, to a maximum tension of 360 lb. The 420 is an International class recognized by the International Sailing Federation. The sail “slugs,” fittings on the sail's luff, slide up the mast in this slot. 420 – Learn to Sail In this class, youth sailors learn the skills to sail a small two-person boat along with another sailor. A similar slot can be seen in the top of the boom, to hold the foot of the sail. When you have neutral chocks in your sail is at its flattest, so neutral chocks are good when the wind is very light or if you are overpowered. If the leech is very bowed/slack and all the telltails are flying then your bridle is too long. the Mirror) but in the 420 it helps to achieve a faster jib slot / leech shape. Tie the tape measure to the end of the main halyard and pull to the top of the mast. The sailing skills learnt with Oppies and competing in home and overseas events set me up for moving into a new class, but it was not an easy decision whether to sail a Laser or 420. So if it is 19’11” leave it and put a pen mark on the mast lining up with where the rig tension block/hook is. You can measure pre-bend by following these steps: Different makes of sails require different pre-bends, these are: Pinnel & Bax – 35mm Unlike Optimists, most boats you will sail in the future will have downwind sails. About the 420 sailboat Calculations Help SA/Disp. Familiarize yourself with them before ever setting foot on a boat and you’ll be ahead of the game. If we can help a bunch of 420 sailors get more passionate about their 420 sailing because they cross-trained on a multihull, I’m all good with that. A smaller version of the olympic 470 class, the 420 was formerly a youth development class (i.e. It will teach you how to sail in an environment of partnership with your crewmate, adding another significant element to your development as a sailor (and as a person). In very light winds and when you are overpowered you want the jib flat, so none is needed, however it often pays to put on half an inch in strong wind because it makes the leech more stable. The Club 420 offers more learning … Wind bridle setting worldwide contacts and design input, we continue to help refine the racing for... 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