The 470 is a monohull planing dinghy with centerboard, bermudan rig and center sheeting, designed for a crew of two.
The name is the overall length of the boat in centimeters (i.e. the boat is exactly 4.7 meters long). The 470 has been an Olympic class since the 1976 games. The Class was initially an open class, but since the 1988 games there have been separate events for men and women. Construction is from glass-reinforced plastic with integral buoyancy tanks ; the foredeck is a weak point in the design and should not be expected to support any weight (in other words, don't tread on the foredeck).
It is a popular class of dinghy with both individuals and sailing schools, offering a good introduction to high-performance boats without being excessively hard to handle. However, the 470 is most definitely not a suitable boat for the inexperienced. A 470 is a good choice of boat for dinghy sailors of substantial experience who are beginning to get bored with less demanding boats and are looking for more fun and excitement (and who don't mind getting wet occasionally).
The 470 is rather tricky to sail, a lot depending on the large sail area and the trapeze. For beginners and light sailors, the smaller 420 is recommended.
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