the optimist sailboat

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Sku: mc1 mclaughlin optimist.

Description

The only Optimist hand built in the United States by experts for over 25 years. McLaughlin has built World Champion hulls for years and have put in the hard work to come out on top. With the stiffest hulls available, minimum weight guaranteed, and best rigging options available, these boats are built to last and consistently perform for years to come.

Harken 3:1 Mainsheet Block System
Optiparts Padded Hiking Straps
Adjustable Mast Step
3 x Optiparts Airbags
2 x Standard Optiparts Bailers

Available Packages

Mclaughlin optimist club racer.

Standard McLaughlin Hull
Optiparts Upgraded Club Spars
New Rule Epoxy Blade Set
Dinghy Shop Club Sail with Window

McLaughlin Optimist Intermediate Racer

Optiparts Quick Silver Spar Set
Dinghy Shop Sweet Blue Race Sail with Window

McLaughlin Optimist Advanced Racer

Optiparts Black Gold Racing Spar Set
Choice of Quantum or Olimpic Race Sail

McLaughlin Optimist ProRacer

Upgraded ProRacer McLaughlin Hull
4:1 Harken Mainsheet System with Double Tapered Mainsheet
2 x Optiparts Large Bailers
Optiparts Mast Clamp
Extra Padded Adjustable Hiking Straps
Optiparts Black Gold / Giulietti or Optimax MK3 spars
McLaughlin N1 PRO Foils
Quantum or Olimpic Race Sail

Optimist Buying Guide

By tom coleman.

The Optimist; at first glance a simple little kids boat…right? The more you get to know this “simple” little kids’ boat, the more you realize it’s not so simple. But little Jimmy starts sailing class in a month and you’re told to provide a fully rigged Optimist for his use. Where do you start? What do you really need and what’s it all gonna cost? Tom “Optiguytom” Coleman, long associated with junior sailing, is considered internationally as an Optimist guru, especially when it comes to getting kids started in racing. In this article he helps parents get started into the world of the Optimist, unraveling the mysteries of understanding, choosing and purchasing an Optimist sailboat.

Optimist Basics

The Opti, or Optimist Dinghy, is relatively unchanged from the first prams designed and built by visionary Clark Mills in Clearwater, FL, 65 years ago. Testament to Mills’ genius, the Opti remains the largest and fastest growing sailboat class in the world, a phenomenon as THE definitive teaching boat for hundreds of thousands of children the world over.

The Opti is not for everyone. It was designed for children. Optis are sailed by kids as young as five* years old and can be officially raced by kids up to age fifteen. Although it’s possible for a parent to sail an Optimist alone or with a small child, realistically adult sized sailors just don’t fit well. That’s part of the magic behind why they work so perfectly for kids.

Mills originally designed the Opti to be garage-built out of $50 worth of materials… hence the “one sheet of plywood” nearly 4’x8’ size. Little did Clark know that one day two Optis could easily slide into the back of a Suburban or mini-van, or that Mom and a teen could lift it onto the car top, or that the spars (mast, boom, and sprit) could be shipped UPS or flown as baggage.

https://windcheckmagazine.com/app/uploads/2019/01/optimist_nomenclature-2.jpg

Why Buy Them Their Own Boat?

Many learn-to-sail programs provide Optis for participants, but some have gotten so popular that you will need to supply your own boat. Check with the program and solicit their recommendation on procuring a suitable Optimist. As a rule, Optis hold their value extremely well, making the overall investment quite reasonable. While a brand new, ready to race Optimist will start at less than $3,000, completely rigged Optis suitable for beginners can be had for less than $1,000. Another reason to buy your child their own Opti is the pride of ownership that comes from taking care of their own vessel. It’s a great way to build responsibility and help get them invested in this life-long activity.

What Will They Need to Start?

When we say Optimist, or Opti, we are talking about a complete, ready to sail package. Although there are many possible accessories and upgrades, this is what your child must have:

Hull – it’s the shell or body of the boat, the vessel itself. The vast majority are built of fiberglass. It includes the deck which runs around the top edge and is for sitting on, not standing. The hull also includes the mast thwart, daggerboard trunk and midship frame. These are all permanently attached during manufacture. Every hull has important parts attached mechanically (with screws), or secured by other means. These include hiking straps, ratchet block, dagger board bungee, three flotation bags, mainsheet, mast step (should be adjustable), and bow line.

Blades – sometimes called foils. They are the rudder (with tiller and extension) and the daggerboard.

Sail – usually white, made of Dacron.

Rig – often called spar set; these are the mast, boom, and sprit; the poles that support the sail. The rig includes the lines (ropes) and blocks (pulleys) that control the sail.

Accessories

Bailers – need two in the boat at all times, flimsy plastic bottles don’t work and are NOT safe.

Blade Bag – protects and stores the daggerboard and rudder, makes for easier carrying.

Life jacket – must be USCG Approved and appropriate size.

Whistle – secured to life jacket with a short lanyard.

Bow bumper – protects not only your investment but those of others.

Dolly – for dockside transport, launching, sometimes storage. Some programs require them.

Covers – depending on how boat will be stored a top or bottom cover may be a good investment.

Praddle – one handed paddle. Regular canoe or telescopic paddles DO NOT WORK!

https://windcheckmagazine.com/app/uploads/2019/01/optimist_nomenclature_top_view-2.jpg

New, Used, Chartered?

New complete Opti packages start at around $2700 while used Optis range from $500 on up depending on age, condition, and accessories. A third option is called a “chartered” or “event” Optimist. Think of these as demos, typically used at a few regattas by good sailors. Often these come with brand new spars and sail, carry new boat warranties, and sell for $200 – 300 below retail.

Club, Intermediate, Advanced, Premium Racer?

Those are names of various Opti packages differentiated by the equipment each comes with. Beginning sailors should be most interested in the “Club” or “Club Racer” version. Besides being the most economical, it’s designed for their level; a little heavier duty with less parts to loose or break. The Intermediate will have some upgrades mainly of interest to racing. The Advanced (read more expensive), are aimed at delivering a product suited exclusively toward competitive sailing and bear no advantage to those starting out. It’s important to know that the hull is really the same in each package and can be upgraded as the sailor progresses with the purchase of different spars, blades, and sails.

Where to Buy

Local Sailing Programs

Check the bulletin boards at local yacht clubs and community sailing centers and you’re likely to find at least a couple of formerly sailed Optis available. Ask around, during weekend and after school Opti classes (yes, most have already started), and you may uncover some unadvertised bargains.

Friendly Neighborhood Dealer

Shopping new or used Optis at your local dealership is perhaps the easiest way to obtain the right boat for your child. Typical small boat sales staff, as a rule, are local sailors and have insight on the surrounding programs and what each expects. You’ll find them to be very knowledgeable, highly enthusiastic, but not pushy.

The best deals can be found at the many spring open houses, boat swaps, or Opti auctions. You’ll be able to compare $600 fixer-uppers and $1,000 bargains (privately owned, taken in on commission) to used, chartered and brand new Optis, all at one location. The dealer can fix you up with necessary accessories, including roof racks to transport the newest addition to your family.

Online shopping can produce some real bargains, but has its limitations. eBay and Craig’s List occasionally have listings, but the drawback of buying sight unseen or traveling a long distance to see only one boat may not prove prudent. A recent search produced only one Opti on ebay and five scattered from New Jersey to Rhode Island.

JSALIS.org has a page of used Optis and equipment for sale as does the Opti Class at usoda.org.

Yes, but is it “Class legal”?

Class legal means that the hull, spars, sail and blades (and some accessories) meet certain rigid requirements pertaining to materials, measurements and construction. These requirements keep the Optimist safe for your child while ensuring that every Opti is virtually the same and one doesn’t have a significant advantage over another on the race course. Your Opti may be class legal if it has a sticker with a unique ISAF number or if very old, an IYRU number. The best guarantee is if you have the measurement papers issued by USODA (United States Optimist Dinghy Association) that came with the boat.

…and is it Necessary?

It’s only necessary if those holding the race say it is. Within your program it shouldn’t matter and most green fleet regattas (for beginners) are only concerned that it is safe and a reasonable facsimile. As your child progresses and begins to do more racing (regionally, nationally and even internationally), having a class legal Optimist is an “Opti-must”.

* It’s generally agreed that most kids are not developmentally ready for formal sailing instruction until 8 years of age.

Tom “OPTIGUYTOM” Coleman has been associated with the Optimist Class as a coach and instructor trainer for over a decade. He was Marketing Manager for McLaughlin Boat Works for nearly fifteen years. In 2004 he was chosen by the US Olympic Committee as Developmental Coach of the Year for Sailing. You’ll find him running the Green Fleet at many top Optimist regattas.

You can reach Tom for clinics and regatta coaching at Optiguytom@yahoo.com .

The Optimist Dinghy – sailed by kids since 1947

Rewind the clock back 66 years:

Beginings: In 1947, the Clearwater Florida version of the “Soapbox Derby” called the “Orange Crate Derby” was sponsored by the Clearwater Optimist Club . Optimist member, Major Clifford McKay promoted the idea, and it finally made some headway with other members. He contacted local boat builder, Clark Mills about the idea and asked Mills to design a small sailboat that could be made for under $50.

Design Phase: Mills started sketching and soon ran into a basic limitation. Plywood comes in eight foot sheets. So, he knew the boat had to be less than eight feet. Since it was hard to put a pointed bow in an eight foot boat, he designed it as a pram. Clark Mills noted that the size and shape of the world’s largest class was dictated by the dimensions of a sheet of plywood and by McKay’s $50 budget. Mills chose a sprit rig, to allow some shape in the poorly designed, often home-sewn sails of the era. Mills vividly recalls the very first Optimist hull. “It wasn’t pretty, because Major McKay wanted it fast, for the next Optimist Club meeting. I hammered it together in a day and a half with 10 penny galvanized nails, slapped on a coat of paint, and called her an ‘Optimist Pram.’ We rigged her up in the hotel lobby where the Optimist Club met.”

Birth of the IOD: The Optimist was mainly a Florida phenomenon until 1958, when Axel Damgaard, the captain of a Danish tall ship, visited the United States and was inspired by the design. With Mills’ permission, he took an Optimist back to Europe, modified it, and renamed it the International Optimist Dinghy. The IOD had a battened sail and much simplified running rigging. The new design spread quickly, first through Europe then all around the world.

The Decline of the Pram: The IOD collided with a large, established fleet of Optimist Prams in the U.S. As more and more IODs landed on the shores of the U.S., regattas were scheduled for both Prams and IODs. As late as 1985, separate regattas were held for both boats. Many sailors from the 1970s and 1980s owned two boats, to sail in both types of regattas. In the early 1980s, the scales were tipping in favor of the IOD. The number of Prams steadily declined and, by the mid 1980s, Pram racing opportunities had dried up.Today, Prams are occasionally found in learn-to-sail and community sailing programs but they are no longer an organized class and are virtually never raced.

Image shows the design changes from the 1947 Optimist to the modern IOD: For more history and images visit Wooden Optimist

The originator of the design: Clark Mills recounts the story of the Optimist Pram in Clearwater, Florida:

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United States Optimist Dinghy Association

Class contact information.

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Class Email

Class Website

One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Youth

Approximately how many class members do you have? 1200

Photo Credit:

About United States Optimist Dinghy Association

USODA is the national class organization for Optimist sailing in the United States.

Our mission is simple: USODA will support and sustain junior sailors, their families, and junior sailing programs with leadership, information, and organization which facilitates the growth of Optimist sailing at all levels. We will accomplish this while promoting fun, safety, self-reliance, and good sportsmanship.

USODA is a 501(c)(3) educational organization, able to receive tax deductible contributions from individuals. Its interest is in promoting a boat, the International Optimist Dinghy (IOD), and promoting sailing across the United States.

Boats Produced: Over 23,000 in the United States

Class boat builder(s):

The Class has multiple builders, with McLaughlin being the sole builder in the United States. The main vendors in the United States for new boats are:

McLaughlin Simmons Boatworks KO Sailing Zim

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America?

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

The Optimist Class is active throughout the US.

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? No

How many people sail as a crew including the helm? 1

Ideal combined weight of range of crew: 75-110 lbs

Boat Designed in 1947

Length (feet/inches): 7’2″

Beam: 3’8″

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 77 lbs

Draft: 2’9″

Mast Height: 7’5″

Class Rules (PDF Doc)

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Optimist Resources

Understanding Club, Silver & BlackGold spars.

How to set up the standard Opti rig.

Detailed photos of rigged Optis.

The Optimist sailboat is the designed for youth sailors and is the choice for introductory sailing experiences. West Coast Sailing has all the resources you need to rig, find replacement parts, and enjoy sailing your Opti.

Opti Line Lengths:


Upper Sprit Halyard	4 ft	4mm	Halyard	1
Lower Sprit Halyard	4 ft	4mm	Halyard	1
Mainsheet	24 ft	7mm	Sheet	1	/
Outhaul	5 ft	4mm	Control Line	1
Vang	3 ft	5mm	Control Line	1
Boom Jaw Retainer	2 ft	3mm	Misc.	1
Bow Loop	1 ft	3mm	Misc.	1
Daggerboard Retainer	6 ft	3mm	Misc.	1
Daggerboard Retainer Bungee	5 ft	5mm	Misc.	1
Hiking Strap Tie	3 ft	5mm	Misc.	2
Hiking Strap Lift	2 ft	5mm	Misc.	1
Mast Tie-in	2 ft	3mm	Misc.	1
Main Sheet Bridle	5 ft	3mm	Misc.	1
Main Sheet Bridle Safety	2 ft	3mm	Misc.	1
Bow Line	30 ft	6mm	Misc.	1
Sail Ties	2 ft	3mm	Misc.	12
Sail Ties - Corner	2 ft	3mm	Misc.	12

About the Optimist:

The Optimist sailboat, affectionately known as the Opti, is a popular and iconic single-handed dinghy designed specifically for young sailors. Renowned for its simplicity, stability, and ease of use, the Optimist has become a staple in youth sailing programs worldwide. With a distinctive pram-like hull and a single, sprit-rigged sail, this small boat provides an excellent platform for beginners to learn the fundamentals of sailing. Its widespread use in sailing schools and junior regattas highlights its effectiveness in nurturing sailing skills and instilling confidence in young sailors, contributing to its status as one of the most widely sailed and recognizable boats in youth sailing.

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The history of the Optimist Dinghy

The International Optimist Dinghy

Designed in 1947 by Clarke Mills, Fla, the Optimist is a single-handed one-design dinghy which is ideal for children who are at first learning to sail, and in which they can then carry on to experience exhilarating racing at all levels, up to the World Championships. For fascinating information on the birth of the Optimist Dinghy, see the link below.

The best way to introduce kids to sailing is through the Optimist class. Optimist sailboats are designed especially for children, with a broad beam for exceptional safety and stability. The boats are simple to operate – just one sail, one line, and one centreboard. They’re also simple to transport – just strap it to the roof of your car or stow it in the back of a van or sport utility vehicle.

Sailed in over 100 countries by over 150,000 young people, it is the only dinghy approved by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) exclusively for sailors under 16 years of age.

Optimist Class Specifications

Length: 2.3 m / 7′ 9″ Beam: 1.1.m / 3′ 8″ Draft: 2′ 9″ Sail area: 35 sq.ft Weight: 77 lbs / 35 kgs. (FRP hull) Hull: Wood or FRP Spars: Wood or aluminum Racing: crew 1 First built: 1947 Number built: 500,000 + worldwide

Designer Clark Mills 1947, modified by Axel Damgard 1954

More info on the origins of the design/class: http://www.balancedrig.com/landsendmarina/mills.html

2002 – Clarky Mills, the colorful boat designer who changed the boating world with his innovative Optimist pram, died Dec. 11 in Clearwater, FL, at the age of 86.

International Optimist Championship 1970 International Optimist Championship 1970 BarcelonaA lot has changed in 48 years Posted by Optiparts on Saturday, January 26, 2019

Canadian Optimist Dinghy Association

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Meet the Optimist Dinghy

December 4, 2013 by Sail1Design Editor Leave a Comment

by Airwaves writer Emma White

The optimist, originally designed by Clark Mills in 1947, became a registered One-Design boat in 1995; after a few modifications. It is roughly 8 feet long, precisely 3 feet and eight inches wide, and weighs approximately 77 pounds. Although, many describe this boat as a floating bathtub, it does not stop youth sailors from competing and having fun. Sailed internationally in more than 100 countries with approximately 200,000 sailors registered in optimists. Optimists are safe and are easy for kids to sail who want to hit the water and have some fun. Optimists are also sailed competitively. Whether it be state, national, or even international competitions, opti sailors enjoy the thrill of racing this boat. Sailors learn invaluable skills from high-level coaches, make life-long friends, and learn skills that increase independence through various clinics and regattas offered to them.

Optimist sailors range from the age of 10 to15 years old. They are eligible to compete in national and international events. These sailors represent the ‘red’, ‘white’, and ‘blue’ fleets. The divisions further separate the sailors by age. Sailors aged10 are placed into White fleet, followed by sailors aging between 11-12 wh o are in Blue fleet, and finally sailors aging between 13-15 who are in Red fleet. Although, the fleets divided the age group of 10-15, they all compete with one another on the starting line and in the race course. Results of regattas are delineated by “fleet” and the top female competitor is usually recognized. The use of fleets is just one way to identify each racer. Racing is available to sailors younger than 10 years of age and this group of sailors is referred to as “green fleet”. National and local events are organized for these eager, opti-enthusiasts as well, allowing them to get a head start on opti competition before they join the older sailors.

A wide age range of opti sailors also translates into a broad weight range of the junior sailors. A study of the 2011 Optimist Worlds (a competition among the most skilled opti sailors in the world) which was held in New Zealand, pinpoints the range and average weight of the top ten optimist sailors of the regatta. The average size of the finishers were 110 pounds, with a range of 30 pounds. This means that optis are for sailors of all sizes, and it also means, contrary to popular belief, optimists are not boats that sailors outgrow at the age 13.

Many of opti sailors have aspirations of competing at the Olympic level. In fact, nearly 50 percent of the United States Sailing Team are previous opti sailors. Optimists are provide a strong sailing foundation, fun and they are competitive.

Rigging Information:

– One hull

$1 – Fiberglass

– One sail

$1 – The sail is held up with a sprit and two battens

$1 – Sail-ties connect the sail to the boom and mast

$1 – To adjust sail shape, change the sprit, vang, and outhaul tension

– Use a rudder and centerboard

Thank you to the following sources for making this article possible:

http://www.optiworld.org

https://sites.google.com/site/optiracingusscmc/faqs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimist_(dinghy )

http://pix.daveheinphotography.com/Boats

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THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR YOUTH SAILBOAT

The Optimist dinghy is the world’s most popular sailboat for children. North Sails offers multiple sail designs to match your sailor's weight and wind conditions. North has two styles of optimist sails. The Crossover Mainsail is an entry-level sail designed for beginners. This mainsail will carry beginners from their first days on the water through their first season of comeptitve racing.

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McLaughlin Optimist

Relaunching Fall 2023...

May 12, 2023

US One-Design, Inc , a leading importer and reseller of performance one-design dinghies, gear and accessories has acquired North American’s only manufacturer of Optimist Dinghies, McLaughlin Boat Works.

Having pioneered much of the performance technology used on today’s Optimists, McLaughlin Boat Works has been the leading producer of Optimists for over 25 years. Built right here in the United States, McLaughlin Boat Works has earned a worldwide reputation for craftsmanship, speed, and excellence. American made strength, speed, and durability have been the cornerstones of their manufacturing process, and it shows… McLaughlin has produced more championship sailors than any other boat. Their commitment to US Optimist sailors and the broader youth sailing community has been unparalleled. “The Sherman family is eager to begin working closely with Trisha Leaver and her team of highly qualified individuals to produce the same consistent, high quality and the only “Made In The USA” McLaughlin Optimists that the sailing community has come to love.” Steve and Mike Sherman will be overseeing the new production line ensuring North America has the highest quality Optimist manufactured in the World.

US One-Design and McLaughlin Boat Works share a common mission of “giving service beyond anyone’s expectations.” US One-Design is committed to supporting competitive youth sailing and will continue McLaughlin’s legacy of supporting US Optimist sailors on-the-ground with charters, education, and regatta support. Equally important to US One-Design owner, Trisha Leaver, is supporting club and community sailing programs. Often known for saying “every sailor starts in the green fleet,” Leaver’s passion for getting … and keeping … sailors of all ages and abilities out on the water is the foundation upon which US One-Design was built.

McLaughlin Boat Works, in partnership with US One-Design, is open for business and committed to providing the same exceptional sales, service, and support that have made them the top choice for individual Optimist sailors, clubs and community sailing programs across the country for over 25 years. Current inventory coupled with start-up production will assure an adequate supply of Mclaughlin Optimist for 2023 and beyond.

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The Optimist dinghy (Opti) is one of the world's most popular sailboats for youth training and racing, with an active regatta circuit and great competition from green fleet to the most competitive world class regattas. Zim Sailing offers race ready Optimist sailboats in a variety of options, including Club and Race spec boats and the regatta winning Pro Opti by Fighter. Trust the experts at Zim Sailing with your next Opti purchase.

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Hatteras Sailing

encouraging youth sailing and competitive opportunities

Optimist Class Sailboats

Why does Hatteras Sailing sail the Optimist Class?

The Optimist Class sailboat has been the standard for youth and junior sailing programs for decades. The class was launched in 1947, and has a long history as the training boat on which the world’s best sailors learn the basics. The boat was designed and first built in Clearwater, Florida but quickly traveled to Europe and throughout the world. The International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) was formed in 1965 and remains one of the most active racing classes in sailing. There are many reasons for a juniors program to adopt the Optimist Class as the training boat for young first time sailors.

Optimist is a deceivingly humble class. An uninformed observer may look at an optimist and see a little kids pram, but an optimist is a fairly high performance little dinghy, and the rigging is cleverly adjustable. From that angle, the Optimist is the unsung hero of junior sailing, and just skirts the line between safety, simplicity, and performance.

Hatteras Sailing chooses to sail the optimist for the same reasons thousands of other sailing and yacht clubs worldwide:

Availability of boats, gear, and competition

Sailboats are expensive. They are expensive to own and expensive to maintain. For a community sailing program, like Hatteras Sailing, it is a prudent decision to choose a boat that is very popular with a long history. This means there is a larger market of used gear and boats which is more affordable for a community supported program.

Many opportunities for racing locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally

Because the Optimist Class has such a long and well established class association (IODA), there are many more opportunities to sail against other competitive sailors in an Opti versus other training dinghy designs. Optimist is just the standard worldwide. If any of our sailors show exceptional talent, more opportunities for more competitive racing helps our club develop that talent.

It is ideal for a sailor to remain in the Opti class as long as physically possible.

The IODA allows sailors to remain in the optimist class up to 15 years of age. The relative simplicity of the Opti class allows sailors to focus on understanding the fundamentals of sailing – wind, current, physics, weather, and the physical and mental multitasking required to make expert sailors. The competition is intense, worldwide sailing opportunities are prevalent, and the sailors learn and practice racing tactics and strategies becoming experts at very young ages. By the time a sailor is ready to graduate Opti class, these fundamental skills should be well developed allowing the sailor to transition into team sailing and more boat complexity on a strong foundation of more fundamental skills.

What gear and equipment does an Optimist Class sailboat need to be competitive?

There is a fair amount of gear an Optimist sailor needs for his/her boat to be legal for racing, but also to be competitive. In this article, we are going to outline the rigging and gear. There many other accessories such as watches, wind instruments, etc which are legal in racing that are not particularly unique to Opti sailing and, while nice to have, those will not be covered here.

Optimist Boat & Gear

Tiller and tiller extension
Daggerboard
Spars: mast and boom
Mainsheet blocks and rigging
Bow line /Painter
Daggerboard securing bungee & rigging

Personal Gear

Dinghy Sailing booties
Good watch with timer

Hatteras Sailing currently only has one dolly which we share among all 8 of our boats. Within this fall season, it is our goal to raise enough funds to have a dolly for each boat. Our team also needs a travel trailer which will hold all of our competition Optis, gear, dollies, and rigs.

How much does it cost to buy and equip a new Optimist Class sailboat to perform at the highest level?

A brand new Pro Level Opti equipped for international level racing with a full set of gear and accessories can be purchased new for around $5000. Club level boats can be found for less and the largest manufacturer also sells re-certified refurbished hulls in good as new condition.

A sailboat “class” is a written specification agreed and maintained by the sailors of the class. Most sailboat class associations will allow any builder to manufacture to the class standard, and provide certification services to builders who wish to produce sailboats for the racing class. This is true of the Opti Sailboat Class.

There are many manufacturers for the Optimist class, and the competitive differences between boats are fairly minimal. However, the gear, sails, and rigging can be a significant difference to a sailor’s performance. Currently, our club has a set of 7 borrowed optimists that belong to the Colington Yacht Club and most were built by McGlaughlin.

Many clubs build their own Optis and request a certification of their boats. There are advantages to a ‘build your own program’. Clubs may choose to build because it offers a significant bonding and educational experience for both the parents and sailors. An Opti can be built in wood or in fiberglass. If you build an Opti from fiberglass, it is helpful to have a certified mold and then each boat is racing class. The builder of the mold gets a manufacturer’s certificate and issued a builder number, etc.

Owning your gear and accessories

Our club has a set of 8 hulls (7 borrowed, 1 owned) in pretty good condition and well maintained. Our club eventually does need to purchase its own boats.

Currently, sailors in the Hatteras Sailing program do not need to buy a boat to participate or to be competitive. However, as our sailors improve and succeed in regional racing, having a really great boat that belongs to you is something that every competitive sailor eventually wants. Sailboats like Optis resell for pretty good value. A great Opti purchased for $5000 may sell in 7 years for $2500 – $3000.

When a sailor makes it onto the Hatteras Sailing Invitational Team, they earn the right to choose a club hull and label that hull with their own name. In essence, for as long as they remain on the team, that boat is assigned to the sailor, and that sailor should race, equip, and maintain that the boat as their own.

Equipping your boat

There is considerable wear and tear on gear that is used during practice, etc, and keeping a secondary set of gear preserved for racing is a good strategy. This could mean purchasing or making your sailor a new set of racing sails, boards, rigging, and even spars that they only use for racing.

Any personally owned racing gear belongs to the sailor and is not used by other club members during practice or scrimmage. It can be kept at home and preserved in good condition. Accessories and gear can be augmented and improved by the sailor’s family, preserved in very good racing condition, and sold later to another sailor. All our invitational sailors are invited to have their own gear, but not required to do so.

Article References & Links

Windcheck Article

McGlaughlin

IODA Website

The 5 Best Sailboats For Beginners

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 27, 2023

Sailing is a fun activity for people of all experience levels. In fact, learning to sail a basic boat is relatively easy—in the right environment, you can start cruising with minimal experience.

However, the idea of a beginner commanding a 55-foot ketch in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is a bit ridiculous. Even though virtually everyone can sail, beginners should learn the basics in a controlled environment—and on the correct boat.

Boat size doesn’t necessarily affect its beginner-friendliness, because sailors need to take into account factors such as rig simplicity and handling characteristics.

Many beginners make the mistake of picking the wrong boat to begin with, which can lead to frustration and turn them off of sailing forever.

To mitigate these issues, this article will cover the best sailboats for beginners —so you can get on the water and start sailing safely and comfortably.

Table of contents

‍ Best Rigs for Beginners

There are many types of sailboat rigging , and some are more beginner-friendly than others. Unfortunately, some of the most aesthetically pleasing rigs are also the most complicated.

Eventually, sailors can acquire enough skill to master complex rigs, but it’s best to start simple.

Arguably, one of the simplest sailing rigs is the Lateen Rig. This rig consists of a mast, boom, and spar, along with a single halyard and mainsheet. With only two ropes in its simplest configuration, the Lateen Rig makes an excellent starter sailboat, and it will be featured on this list.

For larger boats, the Bermuda Sloop rig is an excellent choice. This rig is quite common and includes a jib for a larger sail plan.

For those who desire a slightly more robust (but single sail) layout, the gaff-rigged catboat is also an excellent choice. This versatile craft (and rig) has a large and relatively simple single sail, which is easier to handle than multiple sails.

Top Five Sailboats for Beginners

Now, we’ll go over the top five sailboats for beginners . These boats will descend in order from smallest to largest, but not by the level of experience needed.

Remember, just because you’re new to sailing doesn’t mean you have to settle for a boat that’s too small. Beginners can handle larger boats with some training, and some are easier to handle than their smaller counterparts. ‍

The following boats were chosen because of their handling characteristics, low cost-of-ownership, and simplicity, as all of these factors are important for choosing the best beginner sailboat.

5) Sailing Dinghy

The sailing dinghy is the quintessential starter sailboat. These tiny, lightweight, popular, and highly affordable little craft is easy to operate and relatively difficult to capsize. The popular Optimist Sailing Dinghy, while designed for children up to the age of about 15, can be used (sometimes hilariously) by adults as well. An Optimist-style dingy is a great option for beginners over the age of 15, as boats of this style can be found in a variety of sizes. The sailing dinghy is a very popular youth racing sailboat, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom. While it’s not particularly fast, this little boat has wonderful handling characteristics and is relatively difficult to capsize. This open-cockpit boat uses a centerboard and detachable tiller and can be beached or carried atop a car without much hassle. The mast is removable, and all parts are easily stowed. Overall, the Optimist and its copycats are a remarkable little craft, equally useful as a tender for a larger boat or a standalone beginner sailboat.

Dinghy rigs vary between builders, but many use the simple Spirit Rig. The rig consists of a single sail and mainsheet, along with one mast, boom, and spar. The leech is stiffened by battens, and ties along the luff secure it all to the mast. Hoisting and securing the rig is easy, and lines are secured to the boat by a cleat. This simple rig has plenty of sail area for most places, and sailors can secure the mainsheet to a block or simply hold it in their hands.

The price of sailing dinghies can vary widely depending on multiple factors. Professionally-made sailing dinghies start around $3,500 new, and plywood kits are available for around $1,000 to $2,000. Used dinghies (including Optimist sailing dinghies) can be found on Craigslist for as low as a few hundred dollars.

The Sunfish is a brilliant little sailboat, and a very fast boat indeed. This little racing dinghy, while only 13 feet in length, can be an enormous amount of fun for beginners and experienced sailors alike. The best way to describe the handling of a Sunfish is, ‘tender,’ though it’s not difficult to master this little boat. For its size, the Sunfish has a relatively large sail area and a very shallow draft. This boat has a small cockpit and can be controlled easily by a single person. The large sail plan of the Lateen-Rigged Sunfish makes for excellent performance in light winds and amazing speed on windy days. The Sunfish is a lightweight fiberglass boat with a simple rig and is a great step-up from a sailing dinghy. It’s possible to learn how to sail on this boat, but every sailor who’s spent time on a Sunfish will probably recommend bringing a towel. The boat is relatively easy to capsize for beginners and it heels aggressively, but these characteristics can teach sailors some important lessons. The heeling characteristics of the Sunfish can help beginners get accustomed to the feeling and help them understand the limits of a sailboat and how to avoid capsizing.

The Sunfish features a Lateen Rig, which has some shared characteristics with the simple Spirit Rig. The Lateen Rig has a single spar, mast, and boom, and is easy to set up and dismantle. The mast is removable as well, making stowing and transportation relatively easy. The large sail plan of the Sunfish makes it ideal for lakes and other areas where the wind is sporadic or very low, and the boat can be safely handled in many conditions. The boat is great for racing and learning and is also available in a Bermuda rig. The Sunfish is recognizable by the distinctive fish logo in the top corner of the sail, and the classic rainbow sails striping.

The Sunfish is still commercially manufactured. You can purchase one new from the factory for around $5,000 today, and options are available to make the boat your own. While the boat is designed to be sailed by a single person, two adults can purchase this boat and use it together comfortably. Used Sunfish prices vary, but a fully-outfitted boat in good condition can cost upwards of $1,000. They hold their value well, and they’re a great choice for beginners.

The Laser is considered by many to be the Sunfish’s main competitor. The two boats are the same length (13 feet 9 inches) and share many of the same handling characteristics. However, the boats do have some notable differences. Many people consider the Laser to be a step-up from the Sunfish in difficulty, as the boat handles much more like a racer. The Laser has been used in the Olympics for racing. The laser is small and simple enough for beginners but requires skill to operate. Beginners can learn a lot from sailing a Laser and have an enormous amount of fun in the process. This fast little boat is simple and easy to set up but handles like a racecar. If you’re a beginner on a laser, you’ll probably capsize at some point—which isn’t always a problem if you’re in a controlled environment, as the boat can be righted easily.

The laser is a Cat Rigged boat. This means it has only one mainsail and no headsails. The simple rig has a mast and a boom and is very easy to set up. The sail area of the laser is relatively large and designed for speed in high winds. The rig combined with the overall design of the sailboat makes it handle tenderly, which may be off-putting to some beginners. Regardless, it’s still a blast to sail for beginners with some experience.

New Laser sailboats start around $6,000 which is slightly more than the Sunfish. This simple centerboard cruiser is constructed as a race boat, which can explain some of the price increase. Used Laser sailboats are available on the market, though usually not as common as the Sunfish. Used Laser prices vary widely.

2) Gaff-Rigged Catboat

The gaff-rigged catboat isn’t a brand of boat—it’s a style of a sailboat that was once a popular workboat on the New England coast. This boat, which has only one mainsail and no headsails, is available in a wide range of designs. Catboats are famous for their handling and power and make a great sailboat for beginners. These vessels are available with centerboards, keels, cabins, and in open designs. Most catboats range from 15 to 19-feet long and can be built from wood or fiberglass. Catboats are easy to handle, and one who learns on a small catboat can easily transition to a larger one. Besides being one of the most easily recognizable sailboats, catboats are also some of the most versatile. A catboat can be just as suitable for lake cruising as it is for coastal waters.

The most common type of catboat rig is the Gaff Rig. This classic and robust rig is more complex than the simple Spirit and Lateen rig, but it’s more suitable for a ‘proper ship.’ The Gaff Rig can provide similar power as an equivalent Bermuda Rig, with much more elegance and a shorter mast. Many sailors prefer the classic Gaff Rig for its handling characteristics and durability.

It’s impossible to specify the price of catboats because they vary so much in design and size. New catboats (between 15 and 25-feet) can be purchased for less than $20,000, and used boats are numerous and varied. Cabin catboats tend to cost more, especially new—some run for more than $50,000 with a high level of amenities, including a head and galley. Numerous catboat plans are available online, and sailors report constructing them (usually of plywood) for just a few thousand dollars.

1) West Wight Potter 19

The West Wight Potter 19 is a fiberglass sailboat designed for safety, easy handling, and beginner-friendliness. This 19-foot trailer-sailor features a cabin with a vee-berth, a simple rig, and a retractable keel. The West Wight Potter 19 could potentially be the best cabin sailboat for beginners, and certainly one of the safest—the West Wight Potter 19, according to the manufacturer, is quite literally unsinkable. The hull is filled with buoyant materials, allowing the boat to be flooded and remain afloat. However, unsinkability isn’t the only characteristic of this boat that makes it ideal for beginners. The rig is simple and easy to set up, and the handling characteristics are excellent. The boat is not prone to aggressive heeling and handles confidently in a variety of conditions. While one generally wouldn’t consider it to be a blue-water cruiser, it’s still extremely capable—one sailor even sailed this vessel from California to Hawaii , which is over 2,000 nautical miles. The theoretical hull speed of this boat is around 5.4 knots, but it actually has a tendency to plane and achieve higher speeds. It’s a flat-bottomed cruiser, making it easy to beach and transport with its retractable keel and removable rudder. The West Wight Potter 19 is a great introduction to large sailboats and carries amenities normally reserved for boats at least 1/3 larger.

The West Wight Potter 19 is a Bermuda-Rigged sloop. The sail plan is sufficiently large to propel the boat in a variety of conditions, but not so large that it overpowers the boat. Sailors can single-hand the boat with ease, and set up and takedown are easy and require no special tools. The boat handles well in a variety of conditions and is well-known for its superior stability. The rig comes apart easily and can be stowed and trailered by one person.

The West Wight Potter 19 has been produced and sold commercially since the 1970s, and the used market has plenty of boats available, generally starting around $5,000. New West Wight Potter 19 sailboats are remarkably affordable compared to other boats with comparable characteristics. The West Wight Potter 19 is manufactured by International Marine in California. New sailboats start at just shy of $25,000. Owners can add an enormous range of extra features to their boats, including a hull-strengthening ‘blue water’ package, a stove, a head, electrical power, spare parts, and much more. The boats are highly customizable and can be outfitted for weekender sailing or long-term liveaboard cruising.

How to Pick a Sailboat

Picking a sailboat for beginners doesn’t have to be difficult. Before deciding on a boat, consider your experience level and location.

If you only have access to rough ocean, it may not be the best idea to get an open dinghy.

If you live near a lake, a Sunfish could be a great way to start.

Also, consider your budget. If you’re looking for a $50 sailboat, you can probably find one, but it won’t be ideal.

If you have just a few thousand dollars to spend, you can set yourself up nicely with a little research .

Also, consider what you want to do with the sailboat. Recreation, fishing , cruising , and exploration are options, and require different kinds of boats.

Whichever you end up choosing, make sure you try it out and can sail it comfortably.

How To Buy A Beginner Sailboat

Sail Maintenance For Beginners

Can a Novice Sail Around the World?

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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The Optimist: the most popular children's dinghy in the World

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Welcome to IOCA UK, the class association for the Optimist dinghy which organises events and training throughout the UK. Most of the world's best sailors started in the Optimist dinghy and went on through other classes all the way to the Olympics.

Whether you are interested in training, or racing at local or national events, or the chance to take part in european events, IOCA UK is here to help you get started and support you along the way.

Check our Racing and Training calendars to find all of our upcoming national and regional events.

The News section has details of previous events and a form to signup for class email announcements.

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Class Sponsors

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Our main goal was to design extremly fast and dry boat… the results surpassed our highest expectations.

The ultimate optimist boat, fighter dinghy.

Why is the boat so fast and dry at the same time?

This design embodies our deep understanding of the Optimist rule space. An aggressive approach to maximize the benefit of moving crew weight longitudinally both upwind and downwind helps the boat to pinch through waves and get in planing mode much faster.

The concept has already proven unrivaled performance across a broad range of conditions; able to perform well in light flat waters and windy high seas.

Fighter is a new line of products, which was born out of the passion for Optimist sailing.

Fighter Optimist Dinghy Boat Full Set

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Topic 1 - Race with World Sailing
Topic 2 - Resources and Climate Change
Topic 3 - Navigating Wildlife and Biodiversity
Topic 4 - Reducing Waste
Topic 5 - Oil & Fuel
Topic 6 - Boat Cleaning & Maintenance

Class info ABOUT IODA About IODA

IODA is the international body that groups national Optimist associations in charge of the regulation and development of the Optimist sailing in each country.

Why does IODA exist?

The object of the Class is to provide racing for young people at low cost.

The objects of the Association are:

a) To administer the International Optimist Dinghy Class in accordance with World Sailing requirements, and to see that the Class Rules are observed.

b) To promote the International Optimist Dinghy and the Class

c) To establish Conditions for the Optimist World and Continental Championships and determine where they are to be held.

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Injecting optimism and inspiration

"I know ME as an adult, would have helped ME as a kid, to believe in myself sooner, dream bigger and reach for more quicker. I believe I can do this for thousands of sick, needy and very average kids. Help the Little Optimist and I to inspire them!" Greg Bertish

Little people can do HUGE things!

Optimist (noun): definition = An optimist is a person who engages in positive thinking, or “looking on the bright side” of things. Optimism is the outlook that good things will happen, even if the situation may not appear totally positive at the moment.

An Optimist Dinghy: definition = The Optimist is a small (8 foot by 3.5 foot), single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by children up to the age of 15. The Optimist (Opi) is known as a small Childs sailing dinghy, a bit of toy rather than a yacht.

The Little Optimist was created to be a character, a metaphor and vehicle to connect with kids, to promote positive thinking and belief, and to create a passion and purpose to overcome obstacles in life. Through his humanitarian work with children, Greg saw that many marginalized and compromised kids (and everyday people) in South Africa, had very little to live for. They had a lack of hope, passion and desire to follow their dreams. As a child, he too lacked confidence, had bad acne, was a poor student and was bullied. He later endured 200 days in hospital and underwent 2 open heart surgeries due to an undiagnosed Tropical Bacteria that attacked his heart valves. Using his life-changing experiences and adventures, Greg created the story of The Little Optimist, a tiny boat with a huge heart. A little character that inspires kids to overcome their circumstances, to do good, to be optimistic and to never ever give up.

To boldly go where no Optimist has gone before!

Optimism is a potent health tonic and through our children’s books we inspire kids to be optimistic and do more good.

BUY A PRESENT OF PASSION, INSPIRATION AND HOPE

For Each book you buy, WE donate a book to a marginalised child.

Greg was a bullied child, who did not think he would amount to much. He had bad acne, was insecure and did not excel at school. Due to key mentors and moments in his life, he was able to overcome his insecurities and fears and has become a leader, role model and an inspiration to many. After a rare tropical bacteria attacked his heart valves, he underwent multiple surgeries and 200 days in hospital. Greg survived & thrives. The power of positive thought and the strength of the human spirit have helped him piece back his life and his lifestyle, and he now inspires many through his unique Optimist talks, books, movies and programs.

Sailing Therapy

As a bullied and insecure child, Greg found relief and self healing through sailing his little optimist dinghy. Through the Trust Greg has designed and helps run Sailing Therapy Programs. These Sailing Therapy experiences and programs play a key role in helping kids who are compromised either health or socio-economically wise, to overcome their physical and mental hardships.

Optimism is a potent health tonic. The documentary Optimist , has shown at film festivals around the world, and has inspire thousands of people to be optimistic and follow their dreams. Each time the movie is downloaded , a marginalised kid in Africa receives a donated Little Optimist book in their home language.

Greg Bertish, joint winner of the 2019 METS DAME awards in Amsterdam. Awarded in recognition of charity work carried out by The Little Optimist Trust in South Africa.

Optimism is a potent health tonic and through our programs, talks, books and documentary we inspire kids to be optimistic despite their present situation.

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The Optimist

Extracted from Sunday Magazine (Washington Star) 1914 Oct 10; pp. 3–5, 18–19. Accompanying illustration by C. D. Williams may be omitted.

"Being the first of a aeries of stories, founded on truth, of those who refused to surrender."

THE OPTIMIST

"Nobody's ever whipped or killed, or flat busted, or down and out, until he says so himself and believes it!"

Being the first of a aeries of stories, founded on truth, of those who refused to surrender.

"Not a chance in the world for his recovery," said the great diagnostician concisely, as he began drawing on his gloves.

The Peerless Parlows, stockily built men whose clothes appeared to fit them badly and failed to conceal overbulging muscles, stuck their hands into their pockets and stared hopelessly at the floor; but Mademoiselle Yvette declined to accept the ultimatum without question. Cheap and tawdry as was her apparel, blondined as was her hair, there was still something in her frank American eyes that made the great specialist suddenly doff his hat, as if he had abruptly discovered himself in the presence of a real woman.

"But, Doc," she insisted, looking up at him, "ain't nerve goin' to count at all? He's got the nerve of the devil, Ted Williams has, and—well, you see he's got a hunch that he won't croak, and also that if he does he's a goin' to do it at home."

"Yes, on the other side; America, you know. That's where we all come from. Oh, maybe you ain't wise! Ramori's his stage name. We're all of us artists. And Ted's got his mind set on it that—"

"Impossible!" declared the specialist. "Listen!"

He waved his hand indefinitely toward the interior of the dark, badly cleaned hallway, and through the warped door of the room he had just visited came the hollow, racking cough of a man in distress. The physician lifted his hands and dropped them eloquently.

"If they permitted him to take passage on a ship, which you may be sure they wouldn't, it is very doubtful, in my opinion, whether he would last to see land again. His time is too short. No, I'm sorry, but it is hopeless—quite hopeless!"

He replaced the shining silk hat on his head, took another step that brought him to a view of the squalid street where a crowd of dirty, unkempt children hovered about an impressive automobile, and beckoned to the chauffeur. The latter touched a switch, and a motor began to bark impatiently, as if annoyed by wasted time.

"But can't you do him any good?" desperately insisted the dancer, detaining the renowned physician. "We had to take up a collection among the profesh to get you here; but—they say you're great. Surely you can do somethin'! We can dig up more money, you know, Doc. We're all workin' regular, and on the bills all right. Can't you—"

"My dear Miss—"

"Kelly," assisted Mademoiselle Yvette.

"Miss Kelly, I can do nothing. You would merely waste your money. I have left a prescription with him. That is the best and all that I or any other man can do. It is intended solely to make it easier for your friend. I doubt if he will last a week. I am very sorry. Goodby."

T HEY stood with an air of helplessness and watched until the shining car had droned its way out of sight, as if daintily hurrying to get away from such an unsavory neighborhood, and then faced one another.

"What's doctors for, anyhow, if they can't cure a sick feller?" growled Bill, the largest of the Parlows.

"To get the money," cynically responded one of the pseudo-brothers. "He got a hundred bucks of hard-earned dough, and ain't done nothin' but say that poor old Ted's got to pass on. Humph!"

"Well," said the third, who had been staring out into the street with his hat pulled down over his eyes as if already watching a funeral, "w'at are we goin' to do about it? Shall we tip the old sport off and hand it to him straight?"

They had come to no decision in this latter regard when they returned to the room, outside whose door they stood and stared at one another with unusual gravity in their eyes until called upon to enter by a queer, croaking voice from within. They obeyed, and were peculiarly awkward now that they confronted the man who was doomed; but as for him, white, emaciated, rough-haired, he grinned at them with the utmost cheerfulness and directed his bright eyes from one to the other.

"Oh, it's that way, eh?" he croaked. "The medical guy gave me a pass-out check that ain't got no comeback on it! Just like leavin' the big show. No return checks issued. He! He! He!"

He leaned his head back on his pillow and laughed until a choking spell compelled him to desist, while his audience sat in highly embarrassed silence. For a half-minute he rested, with his eyes closed, and then opened them. His visitors were shocked by the twinkle in them. It seemed undue levity in a dying man, a jest with Providence.

"Told you I was goin' to kick off, eh? And you're afraid of hurtin' my feelin's by handin' out the news! That's a scream. Do you know why? Because I ain't dead yet, and ain't a goin' to die either, so long as there's any breath left in me. Can't tell. Maybe I won't ever die till I get good and ready."

The speech was long and exhausted him for another minute, during which interval his hearers tried to think of something cheerful to say, and Mary Kelly, the dancer, pretended to scold at the way the room was kept, and fussed to and fro on useless tasks.

"Nobody's ever whipped, or killed, or flat busted, or down and out, until he says so himself and believes it!" declared Williams, lifting himself on an elbow and staring at his visitors. "Ask me. I know!"

He appeared to challenge them; but no one answered: the politeness due a sick man silenced their tongues.

"I was dragged up on a farm out on the Colorado border line," explained the invalid, as if apologizing for courage in adversity. "Sometimes it didn't rain, and the crops went to the devil. Did we run? Not so's you could notice it! Just said, 'Wait till next year.' Sometimes we didn't have much to eat. No pork—no beef. Did we starve? Not just! We lived on parched corn, and got hog-fat on it too. A cyclone cleaned us out of every stick of timber, every spear of grain, everything but the ground and the dugout that saved us. Did we quit? Nope. Just built another house and planted another crop."

He stopped for breath, while the acrobats listened patiently.

"That's what I got to do—build another house," he mumbled. "And my crop of stage stuff's no good any more. Rope acts is done for. I'm goin' back to the farms—out where there's clean air—to get well again. Want to start right away. Ain't nothin' in puttin' off what has to be done."

"But the doctor," began Bill Parlow soothingly, and was interrupted by the patient, who said:

"The doctor be hanged! I'm a goin'."

"Sure you are, Teddy," agreed Mademoiselle, scowling at the acrobats, and with her back to the sick man. gesticulating an appeal to humor him. "Sure you are; but you'll have to rest and get strong before you do the stunt."

I N the cracked mirror over the combination wash-stand and dresser he saw it all, smiled satirically, and relapsed into silence. They left him alone with his problem; for theirs was a time schedule that knew neither excuses nor delays, and when the door closed after them he lay for a long time blinking up at the stucco ornament above the antiquated gas chandelier from which all humors save one had been removed by the thrifty landlady.

It was not a pleasant situation to review. First, he had not a penny, his savings having been dissipated through months of idleness and doctors' fees. Next, he was in a foreign land, separated by an ocean from his own soil, and a further long journey to make once he landed there. Probably too he owed the landlady. He devoted some thought to this as being the most urgent obstacle, and concluded that this obligation was impossible; otherwise, dying though he might be, she would have him thrown into the street. Then there were steamer fares, which would be expensive, and—what was that he overheard them saying out there in the hall? Oh, yes—he remembered now. The steamers would probably not accept a passenger who was likely to die before the voyage was completed, not even if he had the money; and he frowned when he recalled that he had parted with clothing, piece by piece, and sold his pocket knife for twopence some days before he had admitted to a professional friend that he was flat broke. He muttered angrily when it dawned on him that for sometime he must have been living on the charity of those who had not forgotten that in prosperous days no man in rough luck had ever applied to him in vain.

D ID you want me, Sir?" a voice interrupted his meditations, and the frowzy landlady poked her head, then her body, through the door.

"No," he said, wondering at this unusual attention.

"Ow! Thought 1 heard you speak," she said, closing the door behind her and, with arms akimbo, staring at him.

He surmised she would have something further to say and watched her, immovable, expectantly.

"You're very ill," she said, and then, under the steadiness of his eyes, looked at the floor as if disinclined to meet them till she had finished her speech. "And seeing as how you're so ill, maybe you ought to be taken to a 'orspital."

"What for?" he demanded bluntly.

"Well, you see I was listening to what they was saying of out in the 'all, Sir, and—and—"

"Don't want me to die here, eh?" he interrupted, with a grin. "Afraid it might hurt the reputation of your dump, I reckon. Think some folks might think it was you and the house between you that killed me, eh?"

Her lips shut firmly, and he noted the danger signals, and rallied his wits to meet this first setback to all his half-formulated plans. He shook his head and grinned and lifted a playful finger at her.

"Now listen!" he said, as if about to tell a fairy story—which he was, in truth. "I've thought of all that. I don't blame folks for not wantin' people to come around and die in their houses. Says I to myself. 'There's just one way I can pay that good woman if the worst comes to the worst, and that's to have my will made out and leave all my property to her.' Yes, Sir, that's what I figured. Hand me that little leather-covered book off the shelf up there."

The landlady, incredulous, skeptical, and yet greedily hopeful, obeyed. He opened it and displayed long rows of figures; which were all like Greek to her, but looked important.

"Mum's the word!" he whispered, putting a finger to his lips. "I don't want all them others that comes here to be jealous of you—see? Just you forget this hospital stuff, because if I see I'm gettin' worse. I'll go anyhow. Wouldn't do anything to make you feel sad over me for anything in the world—no, sir-ee!"

She became very solicitous for his comfort, and he did not permit himself to chuckle until after she had departed.

"That'll keep her guessin' for at least two or three days," he thought to himself, "and after that it won't matter."

An hour later his plans seemed to have received inspiration; for he slowly smiled at the broken stucco in the corner of the ceiling and murmured, "Oh, 'tain't so bad, after all. Goin' to beat the game yet!" and went serenely to sleep.

A SUSPICIOUS man might have surmised, from the influx of visitors who called on Williams within the next few days, that the news of his prospective demise had been bruited about the dressing rooms of the music halls where he, as Ramori the Great, was a familiar figure; but if the sick man had any such thoughts he carefully concealed all annoyance behind a mask of good will and carelessness. Each visitor, who talked bravely and smiled in his presence, shook a glum and sorrowful head as he or she emerged from the lodging house and thought of what Ramori had said when he expatiated on raffling his rope and meager stage outfit. "Just to leave somethin' behind that somebody may remember or use," he explained, with great regularity. "Besides, when I get ready to work again I'll want a new outfit."

No spider ever wove a web with more dexterity. He knew what they thought; namely, that the proceeds of the raffle would but buy him a casket and keep him from a Potter's Field. Sometimes when alone he smiled sadly at this effort of his, and then consoled himself by saying. "It ain't as if I was beatin' 'em out of anything, after all. It's a real raffle. It ain't as if I could get out to tend to things. I'm here on my back, and just got to win the fight as best I can. I can't beg, and it's the only way I can see to get the money I've just got to have."

Perhaps it was the sheer bravery of his assertions that made the raffle the tremendous success that it was; for it swelled to ridiculous, unheard-of proportions, while he, in his dimly lighted, poorly ventilated chamber, went calmly ahead formulating his plans. Not beaten yet! Neither poverty nor illness might blanket his optimism. Quite calmly too he decided that his greatest need was a confederate who could do certain things and make certain inquiries that were highly necessary, and for another two days he studied and measured each visitor that came. It was his conclusion that most of them, through blundering kindness, would lie to a man they regarded as on his deathbed. That would not answer his purpose at all; for he must have someone who would speak the blunt truth. His mental list of eliminations led to the choice of Bill Parlow.

"He's the man," said Williams to himself. "He don't talk much; but he don't know how to lie, and I sort of believe he ain't so dumb as most folks think. I got to get him here by himself and just naturally make him do what I want done. Got to do it, that's all!"

He was like a bedridden general marshaling his forces for the battle, and serenely confident that he would win against all odds. Through the services of Mary Kelly, to whom he explained that "a feller in my fix has some things he's got to tell to just one friend," he sent for Bill. "It ain't," he said to the little dancer, "that I don't trust you, Mary; but you see you ain't a man. I got to talk to a man; so I want Bill—alone. Get me? Try to keep the others away tomorrer mornin'."

A ND Big Bill Parlow, the strong man of the Peerless Parlows, appeared on time and sat on the extreme edge of a decrepit, slippery, old horsehair sofa, and twisted his hat in his hand, or ran his fingers over his cropped red head, while the invalid talked.

"Bill," he said, "I sent for you because I need someone to help me, who'll give it to me straight from the shoulder. All these others lie because they're afraid of makin' me feel bad. All of 'em think I'm goin' to croak, don't they?"

Bill's mouth hung open, and his eyes met those of the sick man as if fascinated.

"Come on! Speak out! This ain't no time to try to molly-muff feelin's," ordered the man on the bed.

"Since you want it so straight, they do," blurted the acrobat in desperation.

The sick man chuckled as if at a good joke, then lifted himself on his elbow and shook a bony finger. "Well, I ain't," he declared steadily. "And what's more, Bill, I'm goin' home. Get me? If I can get my eyes on the old girl in New York Harbor, and then last long enough to whiff the air off the Colorado hills once more, I'll live to tell you all about it when you play the Denver circuit again, Bill. It's a big job I've got before me, this thing of livin', and I've got to have a leetle bit of the right sort of help. That's why I sent for you. I ain't afraid to pass out, you know that; but I'm not ready just yet, and—by the Lord Almighty! if I do go, it will be remembered that I went fightin'! fightin' to the last!"

He noted the spark of admiration that glowed in the acrobat's eyes, while he recovered breath after his vehement speech.

"A well meanin' liar can't help me, Bill. Nurses ain't no good. Kind friends are all right; but I've got to have a man to play the game with me, and when one thing fails just shut his teeth and help me try another. You're the man, ain't you?"

The acrobat choked a little, and threatened to shove a brawny fist into the invalid's, but contented himself by saying, "To the limit, Ted."

"Then first I want you to find out how much the raffle brought in, or will bring. I want you to go to the steamship offices and find out, without lettin' 'em know more'n you have to, whether there's any chance of my gettin' aboard. Also I want a sailin' list of steamers, no matter what they say about takin' me. Now get a move, Bill, because Time's what I've got to whip most of all, and Time's my hardest fight. Also don't say nothin' to nobody."

O NCE more he was alone, retracing patterns on the soiled wall paper, and trying to find a resemblance to a new face that he had discovered on the previous day and had gloated over as being the fifth that could be distinguished. After a time, imbued with another resolution, he worked his legs over the side of the bed and went weakly through some simple gymnastic exercises, muttering to himself in time with his motion, "Got to learn to walk again, that's a cinch. It's keepin' at it that does a thing. I'll be all right pretty soon. Got to be!"

He was awake when, reluctantly, his door opened, and the acrobat entered with his pockets bulging with papers. His face, stolid usually, and immobile, betrayed bad news, and his eyes were troubled as they swept round the room.

"Don't want sick men, eh?" calmly inquired Ramori. "Well, that's all right. Don't blame 'em. Had an idea they wouldn't. I can't cross on a raft, nor swim, the way I'm feelin'; so it's got to be up to them. And I'll find a way, see if I don't!"

The spark again lighted in the acrobat's eyes. "I offered 'em any price they wanted," he said, "and told 'em they could have my last dollar; but it wouldn't go. Tried all the big companies and half a dozen little ones; but—"

"Little ones no good for me," interrupted Ramori emphatically. "Got no time to waste. Got to get across on a fast boat. I know that much. Got to see Miss Liberty as soon as possible, and after that lose not a minute gettin' out of New York."

"The raffle," said the acrobat, with a clumsy attempt at cheerfulness, "is a whirlwind. Most everybody in town seems to want that outfit of yours. Already up to two hundred dollars and—"

"Is, eh? How many chances did you take?"

The acrobat flushed and studied the crown of his hat.

"Thought you weren't goin' to lie to me!"

But Big Bill Parlow succeeded in doing it to the extent of one hundred dollars, and did it so convincingly that he left the great Ramori on the verge of tears for his fellow artists' liberality.

Out in the hallway Parlow scratched his red bristles and said to himself, "Humph! Wonder what he'll figure on next? That all the boats said they wa'n't no morgues didn't seem to faze him by a hair. When it comes to cheerfulness he makes the little god Billiken look like a first-class mourner."

W HAT Ramori did next was to work his resourceful brain until another visitor came, and this one was asked to go out and get a Bradshaw and a blank on which classified advertisements are written for the London daily newspapers. Also this visitor, departing, announced that the end was near because Ted Williams was wandering in his "noodle." But the same cheery Williams spent a pleasant evening scowling at timetables, composing an advertisement, and if he had been gifted with more lung power might have whistled a little ragtime before going to sleep.

He was in the same cheerful mood the following morning when he handed the advertisement to the big acrobat with the request that the latter attend to its insertion; but the acrobat read through it as if bewildered.

HELP WANTED. Good, strong, able-bodied, gray-haired Irishwoman, who wants to go to America second class can have her fare paid by helping man, who is a little ill, aboard steamer. Call at eleven o'clock this morning at 7B Waldingbroke and ask for Ramori.

"But I tell you, Ted, the' ain't no steamboat that'll let you go aboard," insisted the acrobat.

"Course they won't, if they know it! But the joke's on them because they ain't a goin' to know it," bravely retorted the sick man. "And that ain't all either. You see it's a heap harder to turn a decent woman with gray hair down than it is a man. Gray hairs and decency is a team most folks make way for."

Then, between wheezes, the optimist expounded his plan, capping his argument with an impatient sentence:

"Very well! You've got me doped out to die too. Let it go at that. S'pose I do? Then I ain't no good to anybody, am I? And it don't matter much where I'm put away, does it? If all that's true, you'll agree it's a lot better to die tryin' than to quit right here. If I win out on this scheme, I'll get aboard that boat. If I last across to old Miss Liberty, I'll be alive to land. If I'm alive when I land, I'll last to reach the country where I was born. If I get there, I'll get well. Plain, ain't it? No argyfyin' against all that, is there?"

I NUNDATED by words, the taciturn Parlow made no reply, and eventually inserted the advertisement, and reluctantly acted as reception agent for applicants the following day. He found the job almost as pleasant as being judge at a baby show; for the "able-bodied and strong" came singly, in couples, trios, and squads. They argued, wrangled, fought, and exhibited their muscles. They spoke singly, in duets, trios, and in concert at more than concert pitch, and some of the rejected ones volunteered to prove their strength by "licking" the strong man if he would but deign to step outside for the period of time covered by "the slight shake of a lamb's tail."

The one finally selected proved her prowess by jubilantly assisting Big Bill Parlow to throw the others out, and explained that she had learned how to do it by working against the police while in the ranks of the militant suffragettes; also that her name was Murphy, and that the Murphys could all go some when put to the test.

She was ushered in to meet her new employer, who grinned amiably, as if the preceding noise and tumult had met with his approval. He took a look at her plain, homely, round face as she stood with arms akimbo, then at her gray hair, her broad shoulders and hips, and at her big splay feet, and gave a sigh of great satisfaction.

"Perfect!" said Ramori the Great. "Couldn't have made her to order any better. She's cast for the part right now. Not a gink in the world would accuse me of kidnappin' her, or lurin' her from her innercent home. Might think I was contractin' for her to run a sawmill, or a steam roller, or somethin' like that."

"I've a brother Mike who do be runnin' wan in Americy now," said Mrs. Murphy, evincing great interest; "but about runnin' wan meself—"

Ramori explained that all he wished of her was to act as nurse for him and help him get aboard the steamer, incidentally explaining also that the lords of the ferries had flatly refused to carry him. Instantly she shook her head and told him she wasn't the kind of a lady to beat the steamships out of a passage. She had never been in jail; although she would admit that now and then a Murphy had so landed, but always for a gentleman's offense of beating heads instead of transportation companies. The sick man argued persuasively; but she, being a "dacent, clane, law-abidin' widdie," was obdurate. For but a minute or two Ramori's optimism wavered; then, undaunted, he returned to the attack.

"Too bad! Too bad!" he murmured, as if to himself. "It's not really breakin' any laws. It does no harm to anyone but the bunch of Orangemen that run that steamer and—"

"What's that?" demanded the widow, interested. "Say it again, Mister!"

Painstakingly the fertile Ramori laid stress on the harmlessness of worsting an Orangeman.

The widow took off her hat, thrust a few disarranged hairpins home, and said with great resolution, "I'm wid yet! Whin do we be after startin' for Liverpool?"

To the unqualified astonishment of both Mrs. Murphy and Bill Parlow, Ramori said, with a broad grin, "We don't start from there at all. We start from Queenstown, Ireland."

He was as pleased as a boy at the acrobat's open-mouthed amazement, and added brokenly, as fast as his breath would permit, "You see it's this way. They would nail me if I tried to go aboard at either Liverpool or Southampton. I can't take chances of losing any time in that way. If I go slowly to Queenstown, I'll get a full day or two of rest before I have to sail. Westbound ships put in there for mail, if the weather ain't too rough. They're always in a hurry. There's always a rush and bustle. I've watched 'em lots of times. They ain't got time to pay a lot of attention to every person that comes aboard, and I'll scrape through unless the ship's doctor's got eyes like an eagle. Mrs. Murphy's my interference, as they say in football. Can't tell exactly how it'll all work till we get up against it; but there's always a way opens up for a man who's game clean through to the last breath. That's me, Mrs. Murphy!"

B UT one day later, despite the angry protests of the landlady, who wanted to know about "that there will," the strong man carried the optimist down to a taxicab as if he were a child in weight, and supported him to the railway station. The optimist's parting words to the acrobat, after the latter had laid him out along one side of a compartment on the Irish Mail, were to "keep it quiet, Bill, as long as you can. Folks that's been so kind will blame you for lettin' me go if anything does happen. Maybe some of 'em'll be a little disappointed. I've noticed there's a heap of folks, particularly women, has a sneakin' fondness for funerals; but the' ain't goin' to be no funeral, and they'll feel all right when they get my cablegram that I'll send to you. Nothin' like never givin' up, Pal. Them that tries, always does! That's my motto. So long, Bill."

There was not a quiver in his voice, nor a tremor of an eye muscle, as he bade Bill Parlow goodby, and all the latter could say, as the train pulled out, was:

"Well, I'll be teetotally, good goldarned!"

It was Mrs. Murphy, worried, but competent, who hustled porters about and had him carried aboard the channel boat, where it seemed that even his iron nerve would at last prove unequal to his self-set task. He was too weak to speak; but whenever he opened his eyes there was the same smiling, fighting, light that refused to be quenched. By the time they boarded the train for Queenstown the widow idolized him; for in him, skeleton in body and giant in heart, was a flame of courage, flickering, but still alive, that commanded her admiration. At Queenstown she lied for him from her own resources; for he was too weak to interfere. This, said she to the curious, was her cousin: not ill, but a trifle indisposed.

"He's from me father's side of the house, a Kildare, an' thim Kildares, f'r the life o' thim, could niwer stand railway thrains. It's clane used up me cousin is, from the divilish shakin' on the way here. Him sick? He could whop the biggest man in Queenstown if he heard annywan sayin' it of him!"

And while she bought one first-class and one second-class ticket from the steamship agent in Queenstown, the "slightly indisposed" Ramori lay in his hotel, gasping as does a dying fish for air, motionless, supine, threatening each moment to make the brave project of recovery a dream.

"Just to see the old girl standing there at the head of the bay once more," he whispered faintly over and over as if to fortify his strained courage, and by shutting his eyes he could fancy the lift of her torch, the smell of the earth after the voyage, the distant hum of the land that he claimed as his own, which he hungered for as for his own, and in whose healing he believed as he did in God Almighty. The breath of the sea air for forty-eight hours, as he waited, seemed like wine to his broken lungs; but the barometer troubled him, and the widow, tired of trotting below to consult it, finally purloined it and hung it on the foot of his bed. It fascinated him, it tormented him. Once, fantastically, it drove him to despair.

"If it's too rough," he muttered wearily, when it crawled to "Change," "the boat won't put in. And I ain't exactly admittin' it, but a week might whip me."

He got his thin, white fingers together on the counterpane, closed his eyes, and prayed as best he knew how:

"Lord, make it smooth—just for me. Can't you see I ain't givin' up, and am doin' my best? I'm most at the end of my string, Big Friend, and if you don't make it smooth tomorrow, I'm afraid I'll be mighty discouraged, and 'll have hard work to ever get home again. You've stopped the waves before, and I'm prayin' you to do it again, just to help a poor, tough-luck cuss like me from losin' his biggest fight!"

And thus ne prayed and gathered strength, this man who refused to surrender and die.

"I've got that interference ye tried to explain to me fixed up," announced a triumphant, hearty voice as the door opened, and the widow Murphy appeared by his bedside. "I met a man I knew in Dublin be the name of Hogan. Hogan's goin' to walk ahead of yez. He hands out his ticket; thin, just as you've handed yours, Hogan turns back, and says he, 'Don't I get a receipt, Misther?' That sta-arts an argyment, and while it's on ye moves aboard. 'There goes me Cousin,' says I to the officer, and 'Phwat for do you be after palaverin' so much?' to Hogan. And bechune us we makes so much of a ruction that yez will be out of the way before we're done."

She said more, much more, being proud of her conspiracy, but discovered at the end of fifteen minutes that her charge was peacefully sleeping.

H IS sleep was scarcely less peaceful than the sleep of the sea when, clinging to the widow's arm on one side, and the merciful Hogan's on the other, he boarded the mail tender the next morning. It seemed to him that it had taken almost his last ounce of strength to descend from the cab on the pier and walk such a short distance; but now he sat on the bench on the upper deck and watched the land slip backward. The white old watch towers looked down from above, and he whispered to himself, "Got to be just like them—front face, no shakin', no flinchin'. It's your life you're gamblin' for today, Teddy. Play the man! Don't give in!"

Anxiously he looked upward at the lofty rail of the liner and at the open port door into which men were swinging the gangplank. Already the mails were shooting upward in frantic haste, and venders of lace, blackthorns, carved gewgaws, and pipes were scurrying aboard the great ship to sell their wares to those who wanted a souvenir, or what they conceived to be a bargain. Here and there a homesick emigrant shouted a parting word. Excited persons pushed to and fro. The rail above was lined with faces and shoulders as the passengers from Liverpool leaned over to stare at the scene below.

Everyone on the tender seemed intent on being the first to board the outgoing ship, and for a moment Ramori debated whether his strength in this last rally was equal to being pushed and jammed from behind and ahead. Was it not better to wait until the crowd thinned out? No, he decided, that would scarcely do, because coming singly he must necessarily invite closer inspection. Hogan, the sympathetic, helped him to solve the question, by holding a newspaper in front of his face and thrusting a pocket flask against his lips.

"Now for it, me la-ad!" he muttered. "Take a big shwig, grit the teeth of yez—and oop we air!"

With his last possible strength, desperately intent on walking up that gangplank like a well man, his jaws set until the muscles bunched under his shrunken cheeks, Ramori got to his feet. Already Hogan had muttered a profane and fine oath of encouragement and admiration; already the widow was behind him.

"Keep close to me," Ramori said to her; "but put no hand out unless you see me fall. Got to walk aboard alone, because that man at the top, the one with the beard, is the ship's doctor. The minute I'm past him pay no more attention to me. Go below to the second class and stay there, because—because I'll be all right!"

It was almost like an afterthought when they were started on their formidable journey that he turned and looked at her with gentle eyes and said, "And in case I don't see you again, God bless you!"

H E looked away when he saw that her eyes suddenly filled with tears, and he tried not to hear her prayers as he tottered slowly upward, clutching the rails on both sides so tightly that the bones showed white through his bloodless skin, and by sheer mental effort driving his trembling knees to their task.

His head roared with giddiness and he fixed his eyes on the center of Hogan's broad back to make certain that something in his world was secure. It seemed to him that the gangplank beneath his feet was reeling and twisting, the great ship swaying dizzily to and fro, and the lighter behind leaping like a cork. Once he thought he must fall, and fought a wild desire to throw himself to his knees for a rest and recovery. The still sea was to him in a tempest, and the fleckless sky whirling and doubling as if storm tossed. He fell to counting his steps, "One, two, three—"

Would that interminable journey never end? Ah, here he was at the head! There stood the doctor! Now or never! This the end of the gantlet! He dared to release his handholds and stand erect. He succeeded in passing out his ticket, standing while the doctor began examining it, and then Hogan came shoving back with questions, and the doctor impatiently passed the sick man that he might rid himself of this big Irish pest. The widow raised a loud, protesting voice, much to the amusement of all within hearing. A bit of repartee brought a laugh; but under cover of this timely diversion no one heeded a bent, staggering figure that desperately made its way along the rail by the cabins, clinging hand over hand, fighting every inch of the way, and intent only on escaping from sight. A stateroom door stood open; but piled on the berth was baggage. He slid farther along the white wall, still dreading a collapse, until he came in contact with a brass handle to which he clung, which was to him as a beacon to a storm-tossed mariner. He clutched it desperately, twisted it in frantic haste, swung open a stateroom door, and looked inside. It was empty. He swung blindly to the door, got across that formidable brass threshold, pulled the door shut after him, gathered himself for the greatest effort of all, swayed across the narrow cabin, which had suddenly become dark and unreal, and pitched forward into a berth, crumpled, unconscious, and with a thin spray of red flecking his lips.

I T seemed but a moment later that he was aroused by the sounds of voices and the flaring of a light. It took him a long time to reorganize and collect his faculties, and even his indomitable will was broken by the fear that they had discovered and were about to send him back to land, rejected; but slowly he became aware of a muffled, regular, throbbing sound, and he looked at the curtains, his heart leaping exultantly as he recognized that nothing save a deep sea swell could thus sway them. That man with the beard—who was he? Oh, yes, the ship's doctor. And that voluble woman behind him, who, with arms familiarly akimbo, declared that her cousin was far from being a sick man, but that "Thim Kildares niwer could stand travelin'"? Oh, yes, the widow, faithful, alarmed, who had doubtless instigated the search and was now bending over and calling on the saints to preserve and protect so brave a gentleman! Ramori looked weakly up at the doctor, who had to lean far forward to hear his words, and gave the signal of his unquenchable spirit.

"They said I couldn't come, he whispered; "but I did. And here I am! Too late to turn me back. I'm goin' to see the big lady that stands at the foot of the bay. Then I'm goin'—goin' to smell the wind that comes clean off the big Rockies and up through the sagebrush." He twisted his head and said, "Gosh! but this is growin' weather for corn! That forty— No man's ever whipped till he gives up. I'm goin' to win yet, I am!"

And so his whisper trailed on, and his feverish eyes, unquenched, valiant, rested on the surgeon, who shook his head doubtfully, then turned to Mrs. Murphy with a puzzled question.

"What I want to know," snapped the doctor, "is how the deuce he ever got here?"

And the widow, on being assured that it was too late to put her charge off the ship, confessed to the conspiracy, while the surgeon repeated over and over, "Grit! Sheer grit! Maybe he will live. Hard to kill fellows like that."

T HERE is a beacon held aloft in New York Harbor, a colossal statue of hope for those who understand it. There is a ship's crew, still sailing the seas, who still speak at intervals of the fight made by the optimist, who has, somehow, become for them an example for those who waver weak heartedly. They tell the story to the discouraged as proof that all things, even Death, must yield to those who do not capitulate. A prosperous old Irishwoman who runs a boarding house at Atlantic City, never tires of recounting the tale, and Bill Parlow, dumb in words, but faithful in friendship, hangs every night on his dressing room wall as a mascot a message received some years ago that reads:

I've won out. Thank them all for me, and don't ever forget that it's them that tries that does.

But last of all does Ted Williams, forgotten as Ramori the Great, appreciate that of such humble stuff as he is made the beacon of life to lend hope and courage to those who, distressed, sometimes falter when the way ahead appears dark, and perilous, and blind!

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1942, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 81 years or less . This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works .

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CAPE TOWN FOR CAPETONIANS

Cape Town Property for sale or rent on capetownetc.com

SA’s Little Optimist Trust honoured by International Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that The Little Optimist Trust, a South African NPO, has been awarded a grant worth €26 000, Cape {town} Etc reports.

The Little Optimist Sailing Academy and Trust teach sailing skills to disadvantaged, sick and marginalised children, giving them much-needed confidence and joy.

Based in Cape Town, the NPO has been chosen as a ‘Laureate for the prestigious Sustained insight and Impact Initiative’.

Also read: Meet the first all-adaptive team set to tackle Great Optimist Race

The programme was launched in collaboration with the IOC to sustain and scale the social impact legacy of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Para-Olympic games.

The Trust’s sailing therapy programme has been identified as a ‘project with great potential’ to help build a better world through sport.

For the past three years, The Little Optimist Sailing Therapy Academy has used sailing as a ‘positive mental-health intervention’.

Over 1 000 young participants have had access, opportunity, education and therapeutic intervention via this programme.

Experts from the African sport ecosystem, La Guilde and students at Amsterdam University have researched the impact of The Little Optimist’s work.

In 2021, The Little Optimist Trust won one of only nine grants offered by IMPACT 2024 Paris Olympics, the only South African NPO to ‘be declared a winner’.

The new award and funding will help to sustain the organisation’s programmes and scale the Sailing Therapy Academy.

‘The news is a huge honour and will allow us to expand our reach as it will enable the set up of multiple sites in South Africa, and will allow for the development and piloting of further multi-day programmes,’ said Greg Bertish, The Little Optimist Trust founder.

The Little Optimist Trust raises a staggering R130K for charity

Picture: Supplied

Article written by Jan-Hendrik De Villiers

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'Big airplane yoga': Getting Martin Mars out of water a slow, deliberate procedure

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Hawaii Martin Mars was moved from the waters of Patricia Bay onto land on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. COLDWATER DIVERS

Moving the Hawaii Martin Mars water bomber out of the water at Patricia Bay and on to dry land was like threading a needle.

The massive plane had to be twisted and turned between two breakwaters at the Canadian Coast Guard facility using a series of ropes and cables that involved several boats and about 20 workers all in constant radio communication.

The 5 1/2-hour operation on Thursday was led by Coldwater Divers and Nickel Brothers Movers with assistance from contractors and volunteers.

“It was like big airplane yoga, but very slow and an inch at a time,” said Richard Mosdell, who headed the project to bring the Martin Mars to the B.C. Aviation Museum where it will be put on display as an exhibit.

The 120-foot-long Hawaii Martin Mars, which has a 200-foot wingspan, couldn’t be hauled straight out at the boat ramp.The wings are too long, the pontoons on the wings too low to clear the breakwaters.

“It was a lot of work and very challenging,” said Adam Coolidge, chief executive of Coldwater Divers and a 17-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy. “But it was very satisfying to get it done.”

Coolidge installed 12 connections on the big airplane to attach cables and heavy ropes so a towing vessel could turn the airplane through the breakwaters.

Through a series of pulls from different connection points, Coolidge and Nickel Brothers Movers were able to “walk it through sideways” using constant communication from crews on two sides.

There was never more than just a few feet of clearance, he said, “so it was very slow work.”

The plane’s nose was anchored to the breakwaters at three points at any give time during the move to ensure turns were made gradually and slowly. Movable airbag bumpers were installed at some areas to prevent any potential rough contact,and guiding boats were used to push and align the Martin Mars as it cleared the breakwaters, Coolidge said.

Mosdell said the Martin Mars does not have a keel and is meant to move straight ahead, so all the sideways moves were done at a snail’s pace.

At one point, some steel lampposts on the breakwaters had to be removed so the wings and pontoons could clear them.

Slight changes in wind speeds also required adjustments to the lines to keep the plane from drifting or moving from its route, Coolidge said.

Mosdell said the moves were “literally inches at a time … Bow, then stern. Bow, then stern. I held a line for two hours and just did what I was told.”

He said he’s never seen such skill and professionalism as he did watching Coolidge and Nickel Brothers principals Jeremy Nickel and Tim Nickel.

“These guys are the very best at what they do,” Mosdell said. “They plan in inches.”

The Hawaii Martin Mars was eventually brought up to the ramp and winched out of the water by the tail end, with not a scratch on it.

The timing of the operation was critical because of the narrow high-tide window in Patricia Bay and because prolonged exposure to salt water wouldn’t be good for the plane’s fuselage.

The plane was being rinsed on the shore on Thursday.

The Hawaii Martin Mars landed in Patricia Bay on Sunday evening after a historic last flight from Sproat Lake that was witnessed by tens of thousands of people along the east side of the Island and Greater Victoria.

The plane is headed to the B.C. Aviation Museum as a new exhibit.

Contractor Villamar Construction was also at the site to widen the boat ramp and assist with clearing other obstacles.

Beaching gear wheels to allow it to manoeuvre onto land were attached to the aircraft.

At 18 feet, three inches wide, the gear left only six inches to spare on the ramp.

Villamar Construction was given permission to remove several concrete block walls to widen the ramp by 18 inches.

“Normally that would have taken days, but Villamar did it five hours,” said Mosdell.

In a social media post, managing partner Michael Edwardson said when the company got the call from the B.C. Aviation Museum, it was a “drop everything and make it happen moment.”

“Our collaboration with Nickel Brothers, who led the charge with expertise, was seamless,” he said, adding: “Those guys know how to make things happen.”

B.C. Aviation Museum President Steve Nichol said the process “was incredible to watch, just amazing how good these guys are. They did what a lot of people thought was impossible.”

After the de-watering process, Nickel Brothers will lift the plane onto a 360-degree movable heavy-haul trailer and tow the water bomber from the bay.

The journey to the aviation museum will happen next week, with Nickel Brothers moving the plane across West SaanichRoad and over airport lands during the night to minimize disruption at Victoria International Airport.

Mosdell said the move will take place Between Monday and Friday. The exact date isn’t being announced publicly because security fences are being taken down at the both the Institute for Ocean Sciences where the coast guard ramp is located and the airport lands.

The museum is hosting its open house this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with admission by donation.

There will be exhibitors, visiting aircraft and helicopters, skydivers as well as food trucks.

Although the Hawaii Martin Mars won’t be on the site, there will be a range of original Mars merchandise on sale, a major fundraising effort for the museum to help finance a new hangar for the Martin Mars.

More than 40 other aircraft will be available for the public to view.

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The beast has landed: Here's what's next for Hawaii Martin Mars

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