International 420 (i420)
| Crew | Two (skipper and crew, full trapeze for the crew) |
|---|---|
| Length | 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in) |
| Rig | Trapeze and spinnaker, built to the class rules World Sailing recognizes |
| Typical sailor | Competitive youth and Olympic-pathway racers; one of the Youth National Team's six classes |
The International 420, often written i420, is the version of the 420 that World Sailing recognizes. The Club 420 that many North American programs use is a heavier, simpler variant of the same design. The i420 has a trapeze and a spinnaker, and it is the version used at the more competitive end of youth racing, including as one of the six classes on US Sailing's Youth National Team.
Often confused with the Club 420, the simplified, no-trapeze version of the same hull built for North American high-school and college programs.
History
Christian Maury designed the 420 in France in 1959, and it is named for its length, 420 centimetres. The Royal Yachting Association adopted it as a youth trainer in the mid 1970s, and its World Championships have been held every year since 1973.
The numbers
- Displacement 100 kg and hull weight 80 kg
- Beam 1.63 m
- Upwind sail area 10.25 sq m
How it sails
It has a large sail area for its weight and is designed to plane easily, with better seaworthiness and stability at speed than the boats it was compared with when it appeared.
Class and racing
The International 420 is used in team racing competitions and takes part in the Youth Sailing World Championships.
Checked against its sources on September 20, 2026.