Regatta Regatta

The 470 (Four-Seventy) is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centreboard, Bermuda rig, and center sheeting.

The name is the overall length of the boat in centimeters (i.e., the boat is 4.70 meters long). The 470 has been an Olympic class since the 1976 games. The Class was initially an open class, but since the 1988 games there have been separate events for men and women. The hull is fiberglass with integral buoyancy tanks.

It is a popular class of dinghy with both individuals and sailing schools, offering a good introduction to high-performance boats without being excessively difficult to handle. It is not a boat designed for beginners. It has a large sail-area-to-weight ratio, and is designed to plane easily.

Most sailors get substantial experience in a more stable and less demanding dinghy before beginning the 470.

The 470 is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, making teamwork necessary to sail it well. The 470 is not difficult, but to be competitive everything should be mastered to perfection. Tactically the boat is demanding because speed differences are small and fleets are usually big.