Set Sail: The E420 Race and Recreation Fleet (21 boats)

For the past eleven years MITs colorful and perfectly matched fleet of Firefly dinghies has allowed us to host major collegiate events and the boats were additionally used for PE Sailing and summer team racing. Their tight tacking angles and ability to accommodate larger body sizes without a speed penalty made them a wonderful boat in a wide range of sailing conditions.

Intercollegiate sailing has become much narrower in focus. MIT remains the only school in the country with these boats and many teams use that as an excuse to not attend events which we host on the Charles River. The 420 has become almost universally accepted as the second fleet of boats for hosting major championships. The E420 is a new development which many schools are adopting with a slightly improved sheeting angle for the jib and a much lighter hull than the club 420 which many compared to our old tech dinghies rigged with a jib. Tighter winded and more responsive to plane in marginal conditions, these boats have been purchased by Navy, Yale, Brown, Harvard, St Mary's and others.

At MIT we believe that this fleet will let us continue to host major regattas and championships and also fulfill the needs of our recreational sailing program with an exciting and quite stable next step boat for those who learn in a tech dinghy. The coed and women's sailing teams will now be better prepared for away events held in 420s. Our PE sailors enjoy the thrill of being able to go fast once they learn how to keep the sail over the boat in breezy conditions.

Naming

New 420 naming rights are $12,500 each, or $37,500 for three. Each block of three has the same color - a great way to contribute with your classmates!

Give to the Sailing Fleet Renewal Fund (#2737867)

For more information how to name or endow a boat, please contact Becca Shaw (shawr@mit.edu) in the Office of Individual Giving, or reach out to Franny or the Sailing Coaches (sailingcoaches@mit.edu).

Endowments

To endow a 420 in perpetuity is an additional $37,500 per boat ($50,000 total). Endowments may be pledged now and fulfilled over the next three years.

Give to the Sailing Fleet Endowment Fund (#3663200)