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RACING / TRAINING
Twenty years ago LaserPerfomance developed the Club 420 in response to the growing need for a more durable, high-performance, double-handed racing dinghy that could stand up to the rigors of club and collegiate programs. Ideal for crews ranging in size from 220-310 lbs., the Club 420 is manageable for sailors coming out of the Optimist class and enables young sailors to learn teamwork, trapeze, and spinnaker techniques. The stable, forgiving hull is built tough with reinforced fiberglass, high impact bumpers, and a simple, untapered rig. The Club 420 is simple and safe for beginning sailors and yet quick enough to keep collegiate All-Americans interested.
The Club 420 was essentially born in 1977 when Yale Corinthian Yacht Club delivered to LaserPerfomance an order for 24 420's, to be built of a more rugged hull lay-up than the existing International 420's. The Yale sailors recognized the 420's fine sailing characteristics, but were frustrated by the boat's fragility in the hectic college sailing environment. To go along with the ruggedized hull construction, the Yale sailors specified a more durable untapered spar for these boats.
As more and more sailors were exposed to the Yale boats, demand for them grew. The boat's durability struck a chord with junior program organizers, who approached LaserPerfomance with the idea of rigging a College 420 with spinnaker and trap gear to be used in their junior programs. This boat caught fire in New England, with several hundred appearing in junior programs, especially in Massachusetts. This marked the beginning of the end for the technically more demanding and globally popular international 420 in the US.
Doublehanded junior sailing in the US was fragmented with many different boats. All of the boats in other regions lacked the cost effectiveness and durability of the Club 420, and soon other regions decided that the Club 420 fit their needs and adopted it.
Currently, Club 420's are sailed in every area of the country. They are used in every major junior and youth championship in the US, as well as countless other regional championships. Fleets of over 100 boats are common throughout the East Coast, and the boat's popularity as a junior trainer continues to spread.
2008 sail color chart
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