History
The 49er's name comes from its hull length of 4.99 metres. It incorporates ideas developed in Julian Bethwaite's 18ft Skiffs, notably the Prime Computer series of boats, which were double handers.
For a controllable and fast gust response, the mast was carefully tuned to deflect from the top downwards with an increase in wind speed, causing the upper main to twist, reducing the heeling moment. The use of solid wings, rather than tubes as on similar boats (RS800 etc.), aids sailors new to the world of skiff racing while facilitating rapid movement across the 49er during maneuvers.
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 744 the 49er is the fastest two person one-design monohull dinghy.
For the 2012 olympics the boat received a new rig design, including a larger fully carbon mast and square top mainsail.
Read more about this topic: 49er (dinghy)
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“The principle that human nature, in its psychological aspects, is nothing more than a product of history and given social relations removes all barriers to coercion and manipulation by the powerful.”
—Noam Chomsky (b. 1928)
“Universal history is the history of a few metaphors.”
—Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986)
“There is one great fact, characteristic of this our nineteenth century, a fact which no party dares deny. On the one hand, there have started into life industrial and scientific forces which no epoch of former human history had ever suspected. On the other hand, there exist symptoms of decay, far surpassing the horrors recorded of the latter times of the Roman empire. In our days everything seems pregnant with its contrary.”
—Karl Marx (1818–1883)