2.4 Metre (keelboat)

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Specifications Under Current Rules[1]
Number of crew 1 LOA 4.2 m (13 ft 8 in) Beam 0.81 m (2 ft 8 in) Draft 0.99 m (3 ft 3 in) Hull displacement 254 kg (559 lb) Sail Area (Main and Jib) 7.5 m² (81 ft²)
Paralympic Class

The 2.4mR is a one-person keelboat designed by yacht designer Peter Norlin of Sweden. It is a miniaturized version of the old America's Cup boats on a 1:5 scale. 2.4mR has been a Paralympic class since 2000 and is ideal for handicap integrated sailing since the sailor does not move in the boat, and everything is adjustable from right in front of the sailor. Both hand-steering and foot-steering is possible. The boat's ability in integrated sailing has been proven on the result lists of several World Championships. In 2002 and 2005 there were handicapped World Champions. The boat is sailed without a spinnaker, but with a whisker-pole for the jib.

[edit] History

After the 1980 America's Cup, people in the Newport, RI area started sailing boats called Mini-12s named for the 12-Meter Yachts used in the America's Cup. As the class developed, word of it spread to Sweden, home of yacht designer Peter Norlin. Norlin tweeked the design, and along with other naval architect created the 2.4 meter yacht class. Although the 2.4mR is a construction class, Peter Norlin is in practice the totally dominating designer, and the class is therefore often mistaken as a one design class. In addition to all the sailing aspects of the boat, Norlin has worked the design to incorporate features for the physically disabled to use the boat.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• US Class Page