- The 420 offers great development for sailors in double handed sailing and many of our sailors have progressed to compete successfully in other classes and even up to an Olympic level of competition.
- The association provides as a series of annual domestic competitions and open class coaching in order to encourage sailors to develop their skills.
- Some young sailors may never be big enough to sail youth single handed boats, or may take a longer time to grow, so getting into the two-person classes via the 420 makes sense to develop your skills and keep future options open.
- Other sailors simply prefer double handed sailing and the 420 will teach sailors how to sail in an environment of partnership which is a significant element in their development as a sailor (and as a person).
For those who are not familiar with two-person sailing some of the most frequently heard questions are as follows:
“It’s a hassle to co-ordinate with another sailor”
only true if you have picked the wrong sailor to partner with. A committed sailor with a supportive family in fact make it easier as there are two of you offering support to move boats, move sailors, chaperone trips, etc
“It makes it hard to go back to one-person sailing``
completely untrue!!! Gaining experience in the 420 increases your sailing ability and means it is easy to switch across classes, whether you are a skipper or a crew. Top 420 sailors have jumped back into one-person boats and have generally been very successful as their sailing careers have developed
``It's expensive``
sailing is an expensive sport, but you already know that. A good, top competitive, second hand 420 is relatively inexpensive, usually with lots of sails and gear. In fact, splitting the costs between two sailors makes 420 sailing quite similar in expense to a committed one-person campaign.