The Boat
The Finn Olympic Class - Men's One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight)
The Finn is the men's heavyweight single-handed, Olympic class dinghy.
Originating in Finland, the Finn has been part of the Olympic Games since 1952. The Finn is an intensely tactical boat in which the top ten places are often seconds apart after several hours racing and the fact that the boat is powerful means that it requires a true athlete to get the most out of it.
In strong winds the boat rewards those who are fit and able to discipline themselves to perform the exhausting task of driving the boat full out while managing the tactical and psychological aspects of the race.
Overall the Finn requires an athlete to be exceptionally fit and strong, outstanding in tactics and familiar with the techniques of sail and rig tuning.
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.
Finn - Stats
| Designer |
Rickard Sarby |
| Year Designed |
1949 |
| LOA |
4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) |
| LWL |
4.34 m (14 ft 3 in) |
| Beam |
1.47 m (4 ft 10 in) |
| Draft |
0.17m (6.7in) |
| Mainsail Area |
10.6 m2 (114 sq ft) |
| Hull Weight |
145 kg (320 lb) |
| Mast Height |
6.66 m (21 ft 10 in) |
| Crew |
1 |
| Olympic Debut |
1952 - Helsinki, Finland |
| UK Class Association |
www.finnuk.org.uk |
Finn British Olympic Medals
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Top 3
| Gold |
Ben Ainslie |
Great Britain (GBR) |
| Silver |
Zach Railey |
United States (USA) |
| Bronze |
Guillaume Florent |
France (FRA) |