Europe (dinghy)

International Europe
Class symbol
Development
DesignerAlois Roland
LocationBelgium
Year1960
DesignOne-Design
NameInternational Europe
Boat
Crew1
Draft0.15 m (5.9 in)
1.0 m (3 ft 3 in)
Hull
TypeMonohull
ConstructionGRP
Cold moulded plywood
Composite
Hull weight45 kg (99 lb)
LOA3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Beam1.38 m (4 ft 6 in)
Hull appendages
Keel/board typeDaggerboard
Rig
Rig typeBermuda rig
Mast length4.895 m (16.06 ft)
Sails
Mainsail area7 m2 (75 sq ft)
Racing
D-PN92.8[1]
RYA PN1145[2]
Former Olympic class
The Europe dinghy on land
Europe during the 2008 Vintage Yachting Games

The Europe is a one-person dinghy designed in Belgium in 1960 by Alois Roland as a class legal Moth dinghy. The design later changed into its own one-design class.

The dinghy is ideal for sailors weighing 50–85 kilos. The hull is made of fibre glass and weighs 45 kg, fully rigged 60 kg. The dinghy is tapering in the stem and round in the bottom. The sail is made of dacron. The mast is made of carbon fibre and specially designed to the sailor. A soft mast is best for light sailors, while heavier sailors use stiffer masts. Sails are also specially designed according to mast stiffness and crew weight.

The Europe was introduced as an Olympic class in the 1992 Summer Olympics as the women's single-handed dinghy. It was replaced by the Laser Radial in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Since 2008 the Europe is one of the Vintage Yachting Classes at the Vintage Yachting Games.

  1. ^ "Centerboard Classes". US Sailing. Archived from the original on 16 August 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  2. ^ "Portsmouth Number List 2012". Royal Yachting Association. Retrieved 31 July 2012.