5.5 Metre

History

The 5.5-metre class was a redesign of the 6-metre class by Charles E. Nicholson in 1937. The first boats conforming to the 5.5-metre rule were built in 1949. There had been an earlier attempt to build a cheaper alternative to the Sixes. In 1929, the 5-metre class was established by the French "Union de Societes Nautique Francaise" and was accepted in London. It achieved a position as the smallest new international metre class, and some hundred boats were built. Nevertheless, the 5 metre never managed to achieve an Olympic status. The 5.5-metre class replaced it quickly and was raced in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki for the first time. The Scandinavian Gold Cup has competed with 5.5m boats since 1953. 5.5 metre boats replaced the International 6-metre at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. The 5.5 metre participation in the Olympic sailing events continued at the 1960 and the 1964 Olympic Games. During the 1960s; however, it began to draw similar criticism as the preceding six-metre class - namely, increasing costs - and the boat lost Olympic status after the 1968 Olympic Games, due to excessive design and building costs of one-off boats, marking the end of development class keel boats in Olympic regattas. However, the class remained active thereafter, and 5.5-metre boats are still very actively raced.

The formula

The measurement formula is given in the 2006 International Five Point Five Metre Rating Rules:

: 5.500 \mbox{ metres} \ge 0.9 \cdot \left( \frac{L \cdot \sqrt[2]{S}} {12 \cdot \sqrt[3]{D}} + \frac{L + \sqrt[2]{S}} {4} \right)

where

• L = length for rating
• S = measured sail area
• D = displacement in cubic metres

Events

Olympic Games

World Championship

Main article: 5.5 Metre World Championship

Vintage Yachting Games

Pan American Games

European Championships

Scandinavian Gold Cup

Class association

The object of the International 5.5 Metre Class Association is to promote and develop 5.5 Metre racing throughout the World. The first President of the association was Mr. Owen Aisher.

Since the development of the class spanned more than half a century, the early boats are not competitive in racing against the modern designs. Therefore, the association made, in 2007, divisions in the class based upon the age of the boat:

• Classic Fleet (Designs before 1970)
• Evolution Fleet
• Modern Fleet (Designs from 1994) During major races, there are separate trophies per fleet; however, if a classic fleet boat beats the modern fleet, the classic fleet boat wins the modern fleet trophy.

References

References

1. [http://www.vintageyachtinggames.org Vintage Yachting Games]
2. "PanAm results".
3. "International 5.5 Metre Class Association".
4. "International 5.5 Metre Class Association".
5. "International 5.5 Metre Class Association".
6. "International 5.5 Metre Class Association".
7. "European Championships".
8. "Constitution".
9. "World Championship Rules".