Z420 and 420 Omega: This is the Future

March 14, 2015

The Z420 and 420 Omega by LaserPerformance

Designed in Collaboration with Coaches and Industry Experts
The new LaserPerformance collegiate Z420 and 420 Omega has been designed to insure the future success of collegiate sailing through the collaborative efforts of many college coaches including Adam Werblow, Zack Leonard, John Mollicone, Greg Wilkinson, Mitch Brindley, Joel Hanneman, Justin Assad, and Bill Healey as well as sailing industry designers, experts and racers such as Pete Levesque, Matt Braitsch, Rob Brooks, Ched Proctor and many others. Their work is evident in each and every innovation that the Z420 brings to the water.

You’ll Know It’s a Z420
The team was able to shave weight of the existing C420 SCV and still make the hull 40% stiffer– so the levels of performance have completely jumped off the charts. The Z420 is also eminently more seaworthy because of its larger, enclosed, air-tight, forepeak which provides a higher level of safety.

Ergonomic, Design and Structural Improvements
The Z420 looks as good as it sails! The elongated and flattened foredeck, angled seat tanks, high-end perfectly placed hardware, distinct color combinations and graphics all work together to complete the package. You wouldn’t want to be caught dead sailing anything else. An integrated bow bumper, a keelson that is angled to account for the human factors involved in roll tacking, side tanks that have been angled to improve crew comfort and increase internal air volume, an angled and reinforced centerboard trunk cap for strength and ergonomics, increased radii in all corners to increase strength and rigidity of the structure and much more. Working with college coaches has also guaranteed a “turn-key” product!

State-of-the-Art Construction Methods
LaserPerformance has completely modernized its construction techniques in building the Z420. The hull and deck employ a modern laminate schedule that utilizes a ballistic core for both stiffness and durability. The Z420’s keelson is a solid closed cell foam structure that is “insert molded” in place when the boat is manufactured. Utilizing the infusion process, the Z420 has a solid backbone giving it strength from stem to stern. It is built to endure.

What’s the 420 Omega?
The 420 Omega is a special hybrid of the Z420 that is currently in production at Laser Performance. Features include a fathead main, oversized spinnaker, beefed-up mast and rigging, and trapezes on the base Z420 hull.

And it’s Good for the Planet too
The Z420 utilizes the infused molding process. What this means is that the molds are closed during the manufacturing process thus keeping volatile organic compounds, or greenhouse gasses, from escaping into the atmosphere. Additionally the resins used in the hull and deck are metered out so that each hull has the same amount of resin resulting in a consistent product and less wasted raw material finding its way to the landfill.