Dear Finn friends,
Our journey of raising $35,000 to jumpstart the production of new Finns in the US is well on its way. We’ve raised $20,000 so far, which leaves $15,000 to go. Here’s the PayPal link for a quick and easy donation.
You and I love racing Finns – the thrill, the intensity, the camaraderie. But it can be hard to get new people in the boat. With new boats for $12-14k (40% less than an import), it will be easier for more sailors to get into a Finn. That means more boats on the line.
How we’re ensuring a state-of-the-art boat:
The Finn Foundation members and I are working with technology leaders and top sailors to learn as much as we can about what makes a fast boat. Here are highlights of our progress and plans.
- The Finn Foundation has purchased the Lemieux molds. They will be accurately measured before giving to the boat builder, Beacon Composites, to ensure they are fair and symmetrical.
- We’re building a custom data acquisition system to analyze the loading on the boat (100+ data points per second while sailing). We’ll use it to benchmark other boats, correlate the computer studies, and determine the characteristics of the top-performing boats.
- The University of Michigan Naval Architecture Department will be analyzing the structure to ensure the new boats have the proper stiffness and other competitive properties.
How can you help make this fast, new boat a reality?
I know this might be a hard time to hear a request for money, but even a $100 donation will move us closer to our goal.
Could you donate the money you saved from our (sadly) canceled regattas last year? Could you donate a portion of what you may have made in the recent bull market?
Every gift will impact the future of the Finn Class. Please donate today.
Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions. I’ve been working with the Finn Foundation for several months on this and would be glad to share details. You can also read the full plan on the Finn website.
Finns Forever!!
Peter Frissell
USAFA President, Finn Foundation President
P.S. A few people have suggested we hire a leading yacht designer to develop a whole new design. We haven’t gone this route for a few reasons:
- Why hire an expensive designer when the Lemieux molds already produce fast boats?
- The cantilevered mast creates a symbiotic relationship between the boat and the mast. Designers without Finn experience may not understand or value this unique element.
But if you’d like to fund the cost of a world-class designer, I’m willing to listen.
