Design and Character
AMF Alcort promoted the Force 5 as a high-performance technical dinghy, and the class quickly developed a competitive circuit. By the early 1980s, Force 5 sailors were competing in regional, national, and international events, including an annual World Championship. A dedicated class association formed in 1986 to sustain that racing culture.
The 140-pound fiberglass monohull has a daggerboard, a 4-foot 11-inch beam, and 91 square feet of sail on a cat rig. These dimensions place it among lively, singlehanded planing dinghies rather than lazy pond boats.
Owners describe the hull as having a curved bottom rather than a shallow V, a form that contributes to the boat’s distinctive on-water personality.
Construction and Production History
Original production continued through a series of corporate changes. Alcort passed to Pearson Yachts in 1988. Pearson then acquired the Laser rights and ended Force 5 production. The parent company went out of business in 1991 and sold its designs to Sunfish Laser Inc.
The class was unwilling to let the boat disappear and began looking for a new builder. In 1993, Brian Weeks of Weeks Yacht Yard was approached about taking over the rights and parts. By early 1994, his yard owned the trademark and equipment sales.
Weeks Yacht Yard went on to refine the molded structure. Later boats were built stiffer, stronger, and lighter than the originals, while the yard continued supplying fleets nationwide, throughout the Caribbean, and beyond.
Rig and Handling
From the seated sailing position, all sail controls are literally at the sailor’s fingertips, making the boat well suited to responsive singlehanded tuning.
A Short-Rig option broadens the boat’s usable wind range without requiring a replacement Full-Rig mast and boom, as some one-designs demand. The sailor simply inserts a mast cap into the existing mid-section. The Short-Rig sail retains a full foot and has a generous roach supported by a full upper batten. It also uses the same luff-sleeve pre-bend built into the standard rig, producing a stable, high-performance configuration.
The Force 5 has a responsive daggerboard and a minimum draft of a quarter foot for shoal exploration. Its planing-friendly, 91-square-foot cat rig provides windward bite.
Onboard Space and Use
There are no cabins or berths to speak of. The Force 5 is a daysailer and racer, not a cruiser. Its appeal lies in the big-boat feel claimed for a 13-foot hull, with complete sail control available from the hiking position.
Known Issues
The same curved hull section that gives the Force 5 its quick responses also makes it a handful off the wind. Owners report that the boat is unstable and always rocking, a trait attributed to the hull form rather than to wear or poor maintenance.
That liveliness becomes more serious after a capsize. The dinghy can be fickle and difficult to right because it tends to keep rolling over onto the opposite side. Anyone sailing solo in a breeze will need practiced recovery technique.
The Verdict
The Force 5 is a purpose-built one-design dinghy with a deep competitive lineage and a builder that still supports parts decades after the first hulls were molded. It rewards an engaged sailor with fingertip control and offers a stable Short-Rig option, but its curved-bottom hull is frankly tippy and awkward to recover after a capsize.
Pros
- Large, active class with worldwide parts support through Weeks Yacht Yard
- Fingertip sail control from the seated sailing position
- Short-Rig upgrade reuses the existing mast and boom
- Improved Weeks Yacht Yard construction made later boats stiffer, stronger, and lighter
Cons
- Unstable and constantly rocking, according to owner reports
- Difficult to right after a capsize and inclined to roll onto the opposite side
