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A single-seat, one-man centerboard dinghy, the Finn requires tremendous physical exertion and mental concentration. This combination of excellent craft with sophisticated competitor makes Finn racing unique.

Finn sailors are strong, fit and tolerant of long periods of concentration and physical exertion. Averaging more than 6' in height, they weigh in at 175+ lbs. and are unusually tough. Yet, even at this size, they often carry extra weight in water jackets for racing in heavy wind. Finn sailors train hard for competition and are known as well-rounded athletes with proven general sailing skills.

Sailing the Finn is perhaps the purest athletic experience in world class sailing today, equaled perhaps only by the windsurfer. Because the 115-square-foot sail is fully adjustable, and its shape bears directly on performance and boat speed, the Finn is extremely responsive. Mastery of the craft is never quite fully achieved. Finn sailors may have sailed the craft for years, yet find some small nuance of tactics, weight or other adjustment yielding a greater result and luring them to a lifelong love of the boat.

Designed by Swedish sailor Richard Sarby in 1949, the boat was the winner of a design competition to provide the best possible singlehanded boat for the 1952 Olympics in Finland. The new Finn challenged the sailor to the maximum, which immediately attracted many competitors. The Finn remains today as the oldest continuous class in Olympic sailing.