The Boat

Concept & History

The 1720 Sportsboat is designed to be a safe, afforadable and exciting one-design keelboat. the concept arose as a result of the demise in handicapped rating systems as a basis for providing quality Club Level and International keelboat racing. The original idea was conceived by a group of committed racing members of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, on the South coast of Ireland, which was founded in 1720 and as such is the oldest yacht club in the world.

What was required was a boat that would deliver affordable competitive keelboat racing to a helmsman and crew. In 1991 the group approached a number of international naval architects with an idea to produce a new Cork Harbour One Design to replace the famous class that was designed and built in 1895/96 and raced in Cork until the 1960s.

 

Our Story

Tony Castro was closest to the brief by producing an inexpensive robust, highly stable, high performance one design keelboat that will satisfy the needs of sailors today and for the foreseeable future. A set of high quality moulds were made and with the persistence of a small dedicated group, aided by many Royal Cork members, and others, the prototype was launched in March 1994.

The yacht immediately proved to have outstanding performance, and within a few days it was realised that Tony Castro had achieved everything that was asked for. An intensive sailing and development programme was undertaken with the prototype, thus reducing snags and now there is a boat which achieves speeds in excess of 20 knots, while at the same time provides the basis for a stable, controlled, close racing, one design class.

As you would expect, there have been a number of significant developments within the Class, which have been essential in order to keep pace with developments in ‘Sportsboat’ racing and to keep the 1720 design and Class up to date. Most notable of these was the introduction of a new, more modern deck plan in 2003.

 

1720 Specifications

Dimensions:

LOA 8.00m

Beam: 2.50m

Draft 1.60m

Displacement: 1365kgs

Hull & Deck:

Hand laminated GRP hull, finished in white gelcoat, reinforced by a grid-an, bulkheads and stringers.

Hand laminated GRP deck, finished in light grey gelcoat, balsa sandwich laminate on horizontal surfaces, integral non-skid pattern.

Keel:

Cast lead, low CG keel, bolted to a hull recess, with stainless steel nuts and counter plates.

A single point lifting eye is attached to the top of the keel.

Weight 630kgs.

Rudder & Steering:

Transom-hung GEP aerofoil rudder with strong stainless steel fittings.

Tiller with extension.

Spars & Rigging

John Mast mast, tapered top section, 2 pairs of aerofoil profile spreaders.

Selden boom, internal 6:1 outhaul line.

Selden bowsprit, tapered, carbon fibre and retractable.

Dyform and 1x19 stainless steel rigging, complete with bottle screws and toggles, plus a Dyneema adjustable backstay with controls.

Running rigging is a combination of Dyneema and braid line and includes:

  • 2:1 main halyard;

  • Jib halyard;

  • Masthead and fractional asymmetrical spinnaker halyards;

  • 4:1 cunningham tackle;

  • 16:1 cascade vang system;

  • 2 x 6:1 jib sheets;

  • Spinnaker tack line;

  • Main sheet with 20:1 fine tune; and

  • Traveller control line.

For the CLUB Version, delete masthead spinnaker halyard and add Factor or Harken Type 0 Jib furling system.

Deck Fittings:

Two speed harken winch with locking handle.

Harken Genoa Sheet system:

  • 2 x 0.6m Harken jib tracks plus end caps, with adjustable Harken cars;

  • 2 x ratchet sheet blocks: and

  • 4 x Harken cam cleats for head sail primary and fine tune.

4 x asymmetric sheet blocks, 2 with ratchets.

Spinlock rope clutches for halyards and tack line, all leading to centre-mounted winch.

Full main sheet system with 20:1 fine tune, and traveller, using Harken cars and blocks.

Bowsprit control line leading under-deck to Harken cam cleat.

Plastimo 925 bilge pump, optional extra of 3-way valve to outboard compartment in cockpit floor.

Vetus opening hatch for access to storage below.

Low profile 60mm high stainless safety rail, with integral attachment points for asymmetric blocks.

Stainless steel crossbar to hold spinnaker divider bags.

Stainless steel crossbar on Branson for strength and safety.

1720 Specifications as of January 2022. Specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation.