Men's Skiff

The equipment for the Men’s Skiff event is the 49er, named after its hull length of 4.99 metres.

The two-handed high-performance skiff is a one-design class where athletes compete with identical equipment built by a limited number of manufacturers. The two sailors onboard take different roles; the helm generally makes the tactical decisions and steers the boat, while the crew undertakes more of the physical work and controls the sails.

Both of the crew are equipped with their own trapeze, and sail while cantilevered over the water to the fullest extent, to balance against the sails. The mast can support a combined crew weight of up to 165kg from its dual trapeze.

The spinnaker, one of three sails along with the mainsail and jib, is decorated in each country’s flag at the Olympic Games, making this class one of the most visually appealing to watch.