Open 5.70

Description

The Open 5.70 (also stylized as Open 570) is a high-performance, one-design sport keelboat designed by the renowned French naval architecture firm Groupe Finot (Jean Marie Finot) and originally built by Phileas Boats in Rochefort, France, starting around 2002. It was later distributed and supported in some markets by Hobie Cat (with shared components like rotating mast/boom from Hobie catamarans), emphasizing thrilling, accessible racing with features like an unsinkable foam-cored fiberglass hull, lifting T-bulb keel (for shallow-water capability), twin canted rudders to maintain control when heeled, a wide-open cockpit for 2–3 crew (class max weight often around 573 lb), square-top full-batten mainsail, self-tacking jib option in some setups, and an easy-to-handle asymmetrical spinnaker that enables downwind speeds exceeding 18 knots. Named Sailing World's 2007 One-Design of the Year for its stability, speed, simplicity, and fun factor (similar in feel to an Open 60 mini but scaled down), it combines dinghy-like excitement with keelboat forgiveness—great for club racing, singlehanded sailing, or entry-level high-performance crews. Production was primarily in the 2000s, with fleets active in Europe, North America (e.g., California bays like Redwood City), and occasional revivals; it's trailerable, ramp-launchable, and known for excellent build quality though fleets remain niche compared to larger one-designs like the J/24.