The 49erFX is the women's double handed Olympic skiff. It is a fast, high performance dinghy, and the physical and mental challenges of racing it attract some of the best female sailors in the world.
About the class
The 49er made its Olympic debut in 2000 as a co-ed class. However, the ideal crew weight and physical demands of the original design made it difficult for women to compete, and the 49er became in practice a strictly men's class. However, as interest and participation in skiff sailing began to grow, momentum built to create an equivalent women's class in the Olympics. Through the tireless efforts of many people, the 49er FX was named as the Women's Olympic Skiff in 2012, and made its successful Olympic debut in 2016.
About the Boat
The FX is a skiff, meaning it has a flat, planing hull shape and preforms best at high speeds, becoming unstable when still. It measures 4.99 meters long, has a full mast head asymmetrical spinnaker, and is crewed by two sailors, both on the trapeze.The boat shares an identical hull with the men's double handed Olympic skiff, the 49er, but has a shorter mast and flatter sails allowing for a smaller crew weight. The boat is very physically demanding and requires precise weight placement and steering to maintain its speed and stability. Sailors must train extensively on and off the water to be competitive in the class.
For more information, check out the class website at
49er.org.
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