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welcome22

NOTICE BOARD

2024 Photo Calendar is now available HERE

finn2024 poster800

2024 Calendar

Finn World Masters, Puntala, ITA, 7-14 June, www.finnworldmasters.com

Finn Gold Cup/Finn Silver Cup, Aarhus, DEN, 31 August to 7 September, 2024.finngoldcup.org

Senior, U23 and Masters Europeans, Cannes, FRA, 19-26 October, 2024.finneuropeans.org

 

Read the February 2023 newsletter here.

 

2023 FINN SILVER CUP - EVENT PAGE
All information and links

 

How to follow the 2023 Finn Gold Cup in Miami

fgc2023

Watch the latest FINNTALKS HERE

 

 

2023 MAJOR EVENTS

Finn Gold Cup, Miami, USA, Jan 24-31, Website
Open and U23 Europeans, Csopak, Balaton, HUN 12-18 May Website
Finn World Masters, Kavala, GRE, 26 May-2 June Website
Silver Cup, AVAL-CDC, Lake Como, ITA, 3rd week July - Web page
European Masters, Campione del Garda, ITA, Sept 2-8 Web page

2022 AGM papers can all be found here

2023 Finn Gold Cup website

Update on 2022 Open and U23 Europeans

 

Statement from the Finn Class on the situation in Ukraine (published 1 March 2022)

All current news articles can be found in the menu on the left. Archived news can be found under the NEWS menu above.

 

The Finn

History of the Finn Gold Cup

The Finn Gold Cup was presented to the International Finn Association by the late F. G. Mitchell of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Great Britain in 1956 and became the World Championship Trophy for the Finn Class. The late Joerg Bruder of Brazil won the cup three times. In 1973 while en route to defend his title in France, he was killed in an airplane accident and the original cup, which was in his custody at the time, was lost. Somms Marine of France presented a replica of the original cup to the Finn Class in 1975 which is used today to represent the highest honour in single-handed racing.

The Gold Cup is the most important part of the history of the Finn Class. The foundation of the IFA August 23, 1956 in Loosdrecht Holland was strongly influenced by the first Gold Cup March/April 1956 in Burnham-on-Crouch in England. From there on the Annual General Meeting of the IFA was generally at the time and place of the Gold Cup. Therefore the sportive and administrative climax of each year coincided at the Gold Cups.

In the beginning there was no limitation of numbers of entries to the Gold Cup. Because of the difficulties at the starting lines in 1961 and 1962, the number of participants in the Gold Cup 1963 in Medemblik was limited to 15 boats per nation. In 1964 in Torquay there were 10 entries per nation allowed. In 1964 the idea was considered to have the Gold Cup divided into two weeks of racing, one week of eliminations and a second week with those qualified. The idea was finally rejected. By 1965 it was agreed to allow again 15 boats per nation. In 1969 in Bermuda a new regulation was decided upon. A basic quota of 3 boats was granted to each member country, plus 1 entry for each 25 paid IFA dues, up to a maximum of 15 boats per nation. In 1971 this system was altered, the minimum being 2 boats per nation. In 1973 the IYRU tried to reduce the number of entries to 60 boats. The IFA refused. The system remained unchanged and national secretaries were allowed to enter above the national quota in addition. By 1974 it was agreed, that the top 10 individual finishers of the previous Gold Cup are allowed to enter above the national quota.

The proportional system, relating number of paid IFA dues to the number of entries to the Gold Cup and the European Championship was changed again in 1977. By 1978 the IYRU tried again to enforce a limitation of 60 boats, but the IFA decided, it would try to find a way to circumvent this rule. In 1980 the proportions between number of IFA fees paid and number of entries allowed was changed once again. In 1982 it was decided, that the basis should be the average of the fees paid in the last three years. The Gold Cup races together with the European Championships turned out to be the best indicator for any new technical development of the Finn Class.

In the first 5 Gold Cups 1956-l960 only wooden boats were allowed. When GRP was permitted in 1961 and plastic boats ended up lst, 2nd and 3rd, the Finn class ran into a severe crisis. Many owners of older wooden boats were afraid, that their equipment had been totally outmoded. In addition Arne Akerson won the 1962 event with the boat of Fred Miller jun., which Rickard Sarby found to behave very different from an ordinary Finn dinghy in the waves. The measurement committee of the Gold Cup 1962 found several kilos of hidden lead in that magic boat, a fact which raised further objections against plastic boats. It was felt, that it was too easy to cheat in GRP.

And then in 1964 Hubert Raudaschi won the Gold Cup in his home made wooden boat and thus turned backward the wheel of Finn development for almost a decade. After two years of experimenting with his own GRP development, Willy Kuhweide bought back his old wooden Finn and won the Gold Cup twice. After Raudaschi and Kuhwei- de, also the late Jorg Bruder used wooden hulls to demonstrate the qualities of this traditional material. In the mid seventies GRP hulls with soft wooden decks proved to be most successful and from the late seventies on the full GRP hulls were leading in the Gold Cups, dominated finally by Vanguard.

In regard with masts the development was less confusing. The traditional wooden masts were outmoded by special wooden Bruder spars by 1969. In that same year Jack Knights showed up with an aluminium spar at the Gold Cup in Bermuda for the first time. In 1972 Jorg Bruder himself won the Gold Cup with his own aluminium mast. From then, until the introduction of carbon, only aluminium masts were used by the winners of the Gold Cup with Needlespar masts gaining a complete domination of the Finn market.

In regard with sails up to 1959 only cotton was allowed. Thereafter Dacron was used exclusively up to 1984. In the late sixties Raudaschl sails dominated the Finn events in combination with Bruder masts. In the late seventies early eighties North sails gained a similar dominance. In 1997 Kevlar sails were first used and now the fleet only used reinforced plastic materials for sailcloth.

Outstanding individuals in the history of the Gold Cup are:

Joerg Bruder of Brazil won the Cup three times consecutively in 1970/1971/1972 and was second in 1969;

Willy Kuhweide of FRG three times in 1963/1966/1967;

Lasse Hjortnaes three times in 1982/1984/198;

Andre Nelis of Belgium won the Cup twice in 1956/1961, was second three times in 1958/1959/1960, and third twice in 1957/1962, thus he finished seven years among the top three;

Giles Scott has so far won four Gold Cups, in 2011 2014, 2015 and 2016.

However all of this is overshadowed by Ben Ainslie who won the Finn Gold Cup four years in succession (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005) and the twice more in 2008 and 2012.

 

The Full results archive can be found here: http://www.finnclass.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=9

National Fleets

 

The following list outlines countries where Finn sailing has been or is present along with the last known contact.

If your country is not listed here, of if the information given is incorrect, or if you are the Finn coordinator in your country please email the IFA Office at office (at) finnclass.org  with contact details and further information.

 

 

Nation President Secretary Website

ARGENTINA

 

 

 

AUSTRALIA

Phil Chadwick:

philchadwick65 (at) icloud.com

David Bull

davidannb (at) bigpond.com

www.finnclass.com.au

AUSTRIA




Bernd Rohlfs
bernd.rohlfs (at) gmx.at

 www.finnclass.at

BELGIUM

Paul Goossens

paul (at) finn-sailing.be

info (at) finn-sailing.be

www.finn-sailing.be

BERMUDA

Rockal Evans
rockalevans (at)gmail.com

 

 

BRAZIL



Cristiano Frederico Ruschmann

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

BULGARIA



Rosen Marangozov

 

CANADA

 

Simon van Wonderen
svanwonderen (at)hotmail.ca

 

 

CZECH REPUBLIC

Vladimír Zbořil
vzboril (at) gmail.com

 

DENMARK

 

 

 

Jens Kristian Andersen


jen.kristian (at) andersen.mail.dk

www.finnjolle.dk

ESTONIA



 

Juhun Idnurm

 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FINLAND




Jesse Kylänpää


Jesse.kylanpaa (at) raumanpurjehdusseura.fi

https://finnjolla.wordpress.com

 

FRANCE

Herve Brillaud
herve.brillaud64 (at) gmail.com

 

www.finn-france.fr/

GERMANY


Claus Winmmer
wimmer.claus (at) web.de

 

www.finnwelle.de

 

GREECE

Davourlis Pangiotis

davour.li (at) hotmail.com

 

 

HUNGARY

 

Peter Sipos

secretary (at) finnclass.hu


Website: www.finn.sailing.hu

ICELAND

Runar Stinsen

 

 

ITALY

Marko Kolic

markokolic86 (at) gmail.com

Andrea Lino

segretario (at) classfinn.it

www.classefinn.it

LITHUANIA




Kastytis Sabas

kastysis (at) draudikas.lt

 

MONOCO

Michael Kurtz
mkurtz (at) marineconsultingmc.mc

 

 

NETHERLANDS

Chris Frijdal

c.frijdal (at) frijdal.eu

 

Finn Club Holland
www.finn-sailing.nl


NEW ZEALAND

 

 

Chris Wells

crpwells (at) gmail.com

 

www.finnclass.org.nz

NORWAY

Arild Heldal
arild.heldal (at) gmail.com

 

www.finnjolle.no

POLAND

President: Juliusz Reichelt  juliusz.reichelt (at) gmail.com
Secretary: Artur Siwik     artur.siwik (at) wp.pl 
 
 
 

PORTUGAL

Jorge Melo
jorgepmelo (at) hotmail.com

 

 

 

SLOVAKIA

Milan Loukota
mloukota (at) gmail.com

 

 

SOUTH AFRICA

Morgan Evans
morgan (at) ullmansailsrsa.com

 

 

SPAIN

Andres Lloret Perez
andrestagero1 (at) gmail.com

 

 

SWEDEN

Mats Karlsson

karlsson.matsr (at) gmail.com 

 

www.finnjolle.se

SWITZERLAND

Christoph Burger

chris (at) burgersailing.com

Sylke Paasche

sylke.paasche (at) gmail.com

Website

TURKEY

Turkish Federation
Fatih Ozmen (at) tyf.org.tr

 

 

 

UNITED KINGDOM

John Heyes

johngbr61 (at) gmail.com

Simon Percival

simon635 (at) virginmedia.com

British Finn Association

www.finnuk.org.uk

UKRAINE

Andreii Gusenko
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Peter Frissell

Peterfrissell13720 (at) gmail.com

Rodion Mazin

rodionmazoin (at) gmail.com

www.nafinnclass.org

 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

ARGENTINA

George Cavaglia
Argentinian Finn Association
Juramento 2828 7“A”
CP1428
City Capital federal
Argentina

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

AUSTRALIA

Secretary

International Finn Association of Australia

146 Palm Beach Drive

Patterson Lakes

Victoria 3197

Australia

Email: brian.reynolds2 (at)optusnet.com.au
www.finnaustralia.org

AUSTRIA

Secretary:

Österreichische Finn Vereinigung
c/o Florian Urban
Lannastraße 11
4810 Gmunden

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.finnclass.at

 

BELARUS

Ms Elena Zubareva
Belarus Finn Association

c/o Belarus Sailing Union

220002, Masherova Av 25-302

Minsk
Republic of Belarus

Tel +375 172 843 029
Fax + 375 172 316 328

BELGIUM

Finn Class Belgium
Mr Paul Goossens

Durmelaan 20

9160 Lokeren

Email: paul.goossens (at) intel.com
www.finn-sailing.be

BERMUDA

Brett Wright
7 Cove Point Lane
Spanish Point
Pembroke, Bermuda

 

BRAZIL

Fernando A.V. Madureira

Secretary

Brazilian Finn Association

Rua Visconde Silva 41/306 , Botafogo

Rio de Janeiro , R.J.

 

BULGARIA

Mr Rosen Marangozov

Secretary

Bulgarian Finn Class Association

75 Blvd Vassil Levski

Bulgaria

 

CANADA

Lawrence Lemieux
5366 Walker's Line, RR2
Milton, Ontario
L9T 2X6
Canada
Tel +1 905 331 0817

Email: lemieux (at) idirect.com

 

COSTA RICA

Rodrigo Vazquez
P.O. Box 476
San Jose
Costa Rica

 

CROATIA

Cicarelli, L. - Hrvatski Jedrilicarski Savez
Obala Hrvatskog Preporoda 3/II
21000 Split
Croatia

Tel FED +385 21 45788
Fax +385 21 585881

CZECH REPUBLIC

Tomas Vika
Na Babach 172
Praha 4 - Seberov
149 00
Czech Republic

mobil: +420 732 546 850
mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DENMARK

Secretary Kenneth Bøggild

Granvej 8

2635 Ishøj

 

E.mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.finnjolle.dk

ESTONIA

Secretary

Estonian Finn Association

PO Box 61

Parnu EE 3600

Estonia

 

FINLAND

Matti Nirkko
Hirsikalliontie 23-25 E
02710 Espoo
Finland

Tel (H): +358 9 593291
Tel (Mob): +358 400 444 416
Fax: +358 9 586 3138
Email: mattinirkko (at) mac.com

FRANCE

Claire Allain des Beauvais

Finn France Secretary

3 rue de la Gaudinière

44300 Nantes

France

Email: claire (at) allain-des-beauvais.com
Web site :http://www.finn-france.fr/

GERMANY

President

Friedrich Müller GER 146

Basaltstr. 8
26725 Emden

Telefon +49 4921 21139
Fax +49 4921 358770

Vice-President

Matthias Bohn
Schillerstr.19
18055 Rostock
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.finnwelle.de

GREECE

Davourlis Pangiotis

 

INDIA

Indian Finn Association

c/o Maj N S Johal

Army Yachting Node

Pilot Bunder Road

Colaba, Mumbai- 400 005

India

 

HONG KONG

N. Bryan
Hong Kong & Shanghai Corp. Level 17
Queen's Road
Central Hong Kong
Hong Kong

 

HUNGARY

Dr. Balazs Hajdu
PLUS Food Discount Ltd.
Jaszberenyi ut 43-47.
1106 Budapest
Hungary

T: + 36 1 265 5170
F: + 36 1 265 5163
M:+ 36 30 332 7415
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website:
www.finn.sailing.hu

ICELAND

Runar Stinsen
Havleyrarbraut 5
220 Hafnarfjordur
Iceland

 

IRELAND

Irish Finn Association

Driftwood

1 Harbour Crescent

Dalkey Co.Dublin

Ireland

 

 

ITALY

Marco Buglielli
Via Cinigiano 7

00139 Roma

Italy

Tel: +39.06.35420953

Fax and vocal box: +39.178.2718760
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web site
www.classefinn.it

JAPAN

Mr Kazuaki Kaido
Japan Yachting Association
Dr Kishi Memorial Hall
1-1-1 Jinnan-Shibuya-Ku
Tokyo 150

 

LITHUANIA

Lithuanian Finn Association

Kastytis Sabas

V. Putvinskio g. 30/6

44211 Kaunas

Lithuania

 

MACEDONIA

Mr Ivan Andreeski

S.C.Snegar-Struga

M.Tito No.71

6330 Struga

Macedonia

 

MONOCO

Michael Kurtz

34 Quay Jean-Charles Rey

98000 Monaco

Monaco

 

NETHERLANDS

Finn Club Holland
Secretary: Robert Sledziewski
Elandsstraat 16
1016 SG Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Tel +31 20 623 5263
Fax +31 20 623 4044
Email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web site:
www.finn-sailing.nl

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Finn Association

John Duff 259 Bothwell Park Rd RD2, Waiuku, Auckland

+64 9 235 2738 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.finnclass.org.nz

NORWAY

Norwegian Finn class

Nordstand vei 58B

1163 Oslo

Norway

 

POLAND

Secretary

Polish Finn Association

ul. Barcza 23/4

10-685 Olsztyn

Poland

e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,

mobile phone  +48 507106337.

 

PORTUGAL

Rodrigo Quina

Associação Portuguesa da Classe FINN

Campo Pequeno 36-2 esq

1000 - 080 Lisboa

Portugal

 

ROMANIA

Dumitru Fratila
Str. Eliberarii no. 33
Bl. AE p. 17.
INEL II Constanta
Romania

Tel +40 41616105
Fax + 40 416 16105

RUSSIA

Secretary General

All Russia Yachting Federation

Lushnetskaya nad. 8

119270 Moscow

Russia

 

Vasiliy Kravchenko

ul. Vilisa Latsisa

21, bld.2, off.49

125480, Moscow

Russia

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SLOVAKIA

Mr Robert Por

Secretary

Slovakian Finn Class Association

Šamorínska 4

903 01 Senec

Slovak Republic

 

SLOVENIA

Bojan Gale, Secretary General
Slovenian Sailing Federation
Kopalisko nabrezje 5
SI-6000 KOPER
Slovenia

Tel: +386 5 626 1515
Fax: +386 5 627 2420
E-mail:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SOUTH AFRICA

Ken Reynolds
South African Finn Association
PO Box 479
Green Point
8051 Cape Town
South Africa

Tel +27 11 48 01281 (H)
Tel +27 11 787 35 58 (W)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

SPAIN

Victor Serrano (ESP109)
Alameda de San Antón,
17 7.B - 30205 Cartagena
Spain

Tel no: +34.968.50.26.32 / +34.968.50.36.26
Fax no: +34.968.50.56.43
Email
: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

SWEDEN

President

Swedish Finn Association

Tolvmansgatan 9

SE-65460 KARLSTAD

Sweden

 

SWITZERLAND

Jiri Huracek
Spitalgasse 37
3011 Bern
Schweiz
Tel: 079 439 22 02

Tel:079 439 22 02
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.finn.ch

TURKEY

Secretary: Arif Gurdenli
MCT Sungurlar Is Merkezi kat 5
Yildiz Posta cad
Besiktas

Tel+90 212 310 17 00
Fax+90 212 236 59 81
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

UNITED KINGDOM

Rory Barnes

British Finn Association

Membership: Brian Porter

British Finn Association

Linden Lea

Down Street

West Ashling PO18 8DS

Chichester

UK

Email: roryb (at) barnesingram.co.uk

www.finnuk.org.uk

UKRAINE

Sergey Kotov
Odessa reg.
Yuzhny, 65481
Lenin St 16/41

Tel: +38 0505061142
Fax: +380484222786

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

Mr Ben Beer

Secretary

US Virgin Islands Finn Association

6501 Red Hook Plz #54

St Thomas

802

US Virgin Islands

 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

US Finn Association
USA Secretary: Scott Mason

178 Shorecliff Road

Corona del Mar

CA 92625

USA

(949) 278-5811 (cell)

email: smason (at) advbenesys.com

www.nafinnclass.org

YUGOSLAVIA

Srdjan Volarevic
Ohridaka 7
11080 Beograd
Yugoslavia

Tel +38 111 619 873
Fax +38 111 612 879
Email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web site: www.city.ch/yusail
Yugoslav sailing website:
www.yusail.org
email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe Finn Secretary
P.O. Box UA 491, Union Avenue
Harare
Zimbabwe

 

Suppliers

Boatbuilders
Devoti Sailing
- Czech Republic
Pata Boats
- Hungary
Wilke
- Switzerland.
HiTechSailing
 
DC Composites -  builder of the TT2 Finn
BlueBlue - Poland

Dealers and suppliers
Suntouched:
UK dealer for the  Devoti Finn and accessories
Dinghy Racing Centre
- Dealer for Devoti in The Netherlands (formerly HIT Masts)
Finnports - Supplier and charter in Australia

Masts
Pata Boats
- Hungary
Wilke (Swiss Marine Composites)
Dinghy Racing Centre
- Netherlands (formerly HIT Masts)
www.c-tech.co.nz
- New Zealand

Booms
Art of Racing - New Zealand 

Sails
North Sails
Victory Sails - Slovenoa
WB Sails
- Finland
Doyle Raudaschl
- Austria
Dynamic Sails - UK

Other
Finnports/NB Sailsports - Finn and RIB charter in Australia
Zhik
- Sailing gear
Marina Dellas
(Boat charter, gear)
Hi Tech Sailing
(Hiking simulators)
Regatta Active Images
(Jan Walker)
Finnsailing.de
(Finn shop with a variety of products)
P
orttackoption (coach boat hire in Weymouth, Perth and elsewhere)
Mauri Pro Sailing
(Finn parts and fittings, Texas, USA)
coachboat.com (coach boat services)
HIT Trailer - Enclosed boat trailer

Hall of Fame

President of Honour - Gerardo Seeliger

Life Honorary Member - Nikos Kouklelis (1921-1995)        

 

HALL OF FAME    

Rickard Sarby  

Jorg Bruder  

Paul Elvström  

Gilbert Lamboley  

Willy Kuhweide  

Hubert Raudaschl  

John Bertrand  

Lasse Hjortnaes  

Jose Luis Doreste  

Fredrik Lööf  

Jose-Maria van der Ploeg  

August Miller  

Mateusz Kusznierewicz  

Ben Ainslie

Jüri Saraskin

Richard Hart

 

The Finn

The Finn was designed in 1949 to be the 'monotype' dinghy at the 1952 Olympic Games. It has remained an Olympic cass ever since and is now the longest standing of any Olympic dinghy class. It currently fills the slot for the Heavyweight Dinghy.

Brief facts:

ben_medalrace08
Ben Ainslie, 2008
Hull Material GRP (classic boats wood)
Year Designed: 1949
Hull Length 4.5 metres
Beam 1.5 metres
Mainsail Area 10.2 square metres
Hull Weight 107 kg
Advertising Cat C

 

What the sailors say:

In other classes, there is very little difference in speed between the good and the very good. But in the Finn, the very good can always leave distance between himself and all others. If you really love competitive sailing, want to work hard, race hard and enjoy the fruits of your efforts then the Finn Class is for you. Paul Elvstrom (1962)  

To replace the Finn in the Olympics would be the same as replacing the skis with snowboards in the alpine disciplines. Paul Elvstrom (1999)  

The unique spirit of the Finn class transcends generations. Finn sailors know what it takes to master this magnificent boat, being the most physical and tactical in the world. This bonds them together. Jacques Rogge (1998)  

I credit the Finn as the best class available, offering an individual a true platform to learn and compete in at the highest level. The knowledge and work ethics gained from my years of Finn sailing have benefited me in all aspects of sailing throughout my career. Peter Holmberg (1998)  

When asked what boat you sail it is sufficient to say 'Finn' to prove excellence. Paul Henderson (1998)  

The Finn is the most physically and mentally demanding singlehander in the world. It breeds exceptional, all-round sailors by testing all aspects of racing. IFA   The cult of the International Finn Monotype may seem strange to some people, but to us devotees, there is nothing else remotely like it. The Finn offers the most purely athletic form of yacht racing and is, therefore, the most fundamentally competitive. The Finn offers the rewarding opportunity of doing a difficult thing well. There will always be those who aspire to be the master of a Finn. Jack Knights (1961)  

We are the most important class in the world today. We have more boats starting in more races throughout the world than any other class. We must grow through this strength and we must fight the idea of giving up the Finn as an Olympic class boat. Vernon Stratton (1967)  

The Finn Class is unique. I learnt about winning and losing against the world's best. I established life long friends around the world as I learnt how tough physically and mentally a sail boat could be. I learnt the finest details of tuning and balance, the painful difference between fast and slow. Of all the boats that I have raced, from Sabots to the America's Cup and all the classes in between, for me the tough little Finn is the most sacred of them all. This class is a classic. John Bertrand (1998)

 

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