The 29er is a two-person high performance sailing skiff designed and first produced in 1998. Derived from the Olympic 49er class, the 29er is able to reach high speeds fairly quickly by having a sleek and hydrodynamic hull and will often exceed the wind speed when planing both up and down...wind.
The rig features a fractional asymmetric spinnaker - a self-tacking jib decreases the work load of the crew, making maneuvers more efficient and freeing the crew to take the mainsheet upwind and on two-sail reaches.
The spinnaker rigging set-up challenges crews to be fit and coordinated, and maneuvers in the boat require athleticism due to its lack of inherent stability and the high speed with which the fully battened mainsail and jib power up.
Check out some shots from the recent nationals held at Howick Sailing Club!!