opti sailboat pictures

Forgot Password?

Thumbnail Filmstrip of McLaughlin Optimist Images

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

Browse by Category

• Coach of the Year
• High School Sailing Team of the Year
• Optimist Sailor of the Year
• Sailing Fitness
• Regatta News/Results
• Boat Speed/Tuning/Sailtrim Articles
• General Sailing News
• Coaches Locker Room
• From the Experts
• Profiles in Pro Sailing
• Featured Jobs
• Marketplace Ads
• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Sail1Design

First Name*

Email Address*

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

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

By submitting this form, you accept the Mollom privacy policy .

One Design Classes

Browse the airwaves.

• Sailing News Articles
• High School & College News Articles
• One-Design Class Profiles
• Tactics & Strategy
• Sailing & Education
• ICSA Rankings
• Sailing/Yacht Club Profiles
• Youth Sailor of the Year
• Sail1Design Annual Awards

Helpful Links

• Join the S1D Team
• Accessibility Help
• Privacy Policy
• Entries feed
• Comments feed
• WordPress.org

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

• Sailboat Guide

Optimist Dinghy (Int)

Optimist Dinghy (Int) is a 7 ′ 8 ″ / 2.3 m monohull sailboat designed by Clark Mills and built by Hartley Boats, Phileas Boats, La Prairie, Winner Boats S. L., Johnson Boat Works, SIBMA Navale Italiana, Performance Sailcraft, Far East Boat Co., Xtreme Sailing Products, McConaghy Boats, LaserPerformance, Nautivela, and Zim Sailing starting in 1947.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Immensely popular youth trainer, designed for and built by a large number of home builders. The list shown here can only represent a small fraction of past and current professional builders.

U.S. Optimist Dinghy Assn. P.O. Box 150127 222 E. Westmonte Dr. #101 Almonte Springs, FL 21401 407-774-7880 Fax: 407-774-6440

Embed this page on your own website by copying and pasting this code.

Discover Related Sailboats

United States Sailboat Show 2019

The sailboat show in Annapolis runs Oct 10—14, 2019, and features over 130 sailboats, including the premiere of 30 models over 30 feet.

• About Sailboat Guide

©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• O’pen Skiff Purchase Page
• ILCA – Element 6
• RS Sailboats
• Sunfish – Recreational
• Sunfish – Race Version
• Sunfish Sails
• LaserPerformance Sunfish Parts Price List
• 420 – Zim Sailing
• Finding the Right Laser Rig: Formula
• Racks by Dynamic Dollies and Racks
• Load Rite Trailers
• Load Rite Sunfish Trailer
• **NEW** LoadRite for Sailboats
• Sunfish Dolly by Dynamic
• Optimist Dolly by Dynamic
• How to Apply Laser Sail Numbers
• Applying Laser Sail Numbers
• North Sails for LaserPerformance Dinghies
• About/Contact

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:

Share this:.

• Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

THE MELGES 15!

THE ROCKET! Built in the USA

SUNFISH – SAIL A CLASSIC!

Recent Posts

Hours & Info

Search products.

Contact us:

Any questions about the sailboats we sell, or the services we provide? We’re always eager to talk sailing and would enjoy helping you with any of your sailing needs. Contact Us

Designed by WPZOOM

Saturday, April 9, 2022

Optimist class sailboats.

Optimist Class sailboats, known more affectionately as "Optis," are small starter boats for children and teens learning to sail.  They allow new sailors to develop many of the skills needed to handle larger boats in more competitive settings, including how to bail. 

The Optimist was designed in 1947 by Boatbuilder Clark Mills as a low cost option for young people. It was the answer to the challenge issue by Maj. Clifford Anderson McKay, Sr., speaking at Florida's Clearwater Optimist Club:

"I believe we can adapt the structure of the Soap Box Derby to create a plan for a boy-sized sailboat,” he told the Optimists. “We’re short on hills here, but long on water. The boat should be safe for youngsters, stable in the water, with lightweight booms that wouldn’t harm a small noggin." ( https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2015/06/10/optimist-how-it-all-began/ )

Mills would say of his design, "Ugliest boat I ever made. Looks like a floating hog trough. I called it the Optimist pram, and the name stuck."

Today, millions of boys and girls have learned the skills and joys of sailing [on] this little boat." ( https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2017/08/30/origin-optimist-pram/ ) 

Optis can easily be put on top of cars for transport, and boats can be readied in less than an hour.   

While collective nouns for sail boats include fleet and flotilla , for Optis I would suggest flock or waddling for the children's and brood for the teens'.

7 comments:

What wonderful photos! Brings back such great memories! Thank you so very much!⛵

Growing up, there was a "rental" fleet of Optimist dinghies at a waterfront park in Stockholm where I first got my feet wet. Realizing this is it, my dad and I built an Opti in our basement and I enjoyed my own "yacht" for many years. That intro led to years of cruising in the Baltic, three weeks on a sail training ship, several years as a sailing instructor, racing Cowes week in England and eventually, coming to the US as a professional, racing the ill fated 1972 Newport-Bermuda race through hurricane 'Agnes'... all because of that first Optimist dinghy...

Opti Worlds / Bodrum Turkey in June

Such wonderful memories--can't wait until my little one is old enough to start sailing Optis!

Cottage Point Sailing Club in Winthrop, Mass. uses these. The kids sing together while they sail formations - it's Disney-level adorable.

You see dozens of these little boats in the cove at Chesil Beach outside Weymouth, Dorset from May through October. I had no idea they had a particular name.

My very own first sailboat was a wood Optimist pram in 1959. A fleet was ordered all at the same time that summer for a number of junior sailors at the Wianno Yacht Club in Osterville on Cape Cod. We drew lots for the boats when they were delivered. Mine leaked like a sieve. I named it 'The Tea Bag'. But the water was warm and shallow and we loved them. Nothing like being your own skipper and crew.

Comments are moderated.

Recent Comments

Search this blog.

Product Suppliers Include:

Our one design photo galleries are arranged by boat classes.  Many galleries include photos of original and upgraded rigging options on different sailboats. We’ve taken photos from multiple angles and perspectives to share rigging options, and make your next boat project easier to plan.   Visit West Coast Sailing for all your sailing needs.

The Worldwide Leader in Sailmaking

• Sail Care & Repair
• Sailing Gear
• Find A Loft
• Sail Finder
• Custom Sails
• One Design Sails
• Flying Sails
• New Sail Quote
• 3Di Technology
• Helix Technology
• Sail Design
• NPL RENEW Sustainable Sailcloth
• Sailcloth & Material Guide
• Polo Shirts
• Sweaters & Cardigans
• Sweatshirts & Hoodies
• Accessories
• Summer Sale
• Shop the look
• Mid & Baselayers
• Deckwear & Footwear
• Luggage & Accessories
• Spring Summer '24
• North Sails x 37th America's Cup
• Sailor Jackets
• SALT X North Sails
• NS x Slowear
• T-shirts & Tops
• Sailor Jacket
• Sustainability
• North Sails Blog
• Sail Like A Girl
• 37th America's Cup
• Icon Sailor Jacket
• Our Locations
• Certified B Corporation
• North SUP Boards
• North Foils
• North Kiteboarding
• North Windsurfing

SAIL FINDER

SAILING GEAR

COLLECTIONS & COLLAB

WE ARE NORTH SAILS

ACTION SPORTS

Popular Search Terms

Organic cotton

Scuba fleece

Drawstring hood

Utility pocket

Stand collar

Sorry, no results for ""

Subscription

Welcome aboard.

We want to make our emails as relevant as possible for you.

Interests saved

Something went wrong, please try again

Welcome to North Sails

Stay up to date with the latest North Sails news.

Receive a 10% discount code for your first apparel order. Excludes sails and SUP’s. See our Terms and Conditions .

Yes, I agree to the terms of use and privacy policy.

OPTIMIST DINGHY SPEED GUIDE

North Sails class leaders Zeke Horowitz and Juan Carlos Romero answer your International Optimist Dinghy speed and boathandling questions.

Who sails an Optimist Dinghy?

The pram-style Optimist is a great starter boat for learning to sail and later learning to race, and youth sailors can literally take their Optimist Dinghy to whatever level they want. Any motivated young Optimist sailor will develop both confidence and dinghy sailing skills, from boathandling techniques to big-fleet strategy and tactics; some will go on to race at the highest levels. The sailors who do best in the class are those who spend the most time sailing their boats, usually with a good coach, strong sailing program, and ample resources. The International Optimist Dinghy Association is the biggest one-design class in the world.

Top young Optimist sailors line up on the starting line at a clinic held on Miami's Biscayne Bay.

Who is the ideal Optimist sailor physically?

Sailors should be fit and agile, able to move gracefully and hike out for extended periods. Those who do best are usually 12 to 14 years old and weigh up to 110 pounds. Regionally, top sailors can still compete at 115 or even 120 pounds. Girls sail equally with boys, and it’s common to see three or four girls in the top 10 at any regatta.

What are three top Optimist speed tips?

• Find a good coach and team.
• Focus hard while you’re on the water.
• Do well in school so you can miss days while off sailing.

What should buyers know when choosing an Optimist Dinghy?

Any sailor’s first boat is typically a used boat, to allow for collisions due to inexperience with dock landings and being in close quarters with other boats. Competitive sailors will normally move up to new boats as they reach higher levels. Older boats can remain competitive, but heavy travel and racing schedules put a fair amount of wear and tear on the boats. As a result, used boats may need gelcoat dings and scratches repaired. A fully outfitted new boat may run $5,500, while a good used boat costs 30 to 40 percent less. Keep in mind that you can purchase different sizes of boom section with different stiffness, although most sailors stick with a mid-range version. As a sailor grows, a stiffer boom may be preferred. If your mast is extremely bendy, it may also help to replace it with a stiffer one as experience and size merit.

How do you move an Optimist Dinghy around?

An Optimist weighs only 35 kilograms (77 pounds), which makes it easy to put on top of a car. There are also many trailering options; some teams own trailers that carry up to 18 boats, plus a coach boat!

How long does it take to rig an Optimist Dinghy?

Rigging time depends on how focused the sailor is on the task, but it’s not hard to have a boat ready in 40 minutes. What’s most time-consuming is attaching the sail to the spars, which in the Optimist requires tying knots in a way that’s carefully prescribed by the rules (see the North Sails Optimist Tuning Guide ). The goal is to match the luff curve with how much the mast will bend in a given condition, which varies depending on a sailor’s weight.

How many sails are allowed?

Top sailors will take two sails to a regatta, but just one sail is allowed for the duration of the event; the other is a backup in case of a breakdown. There is some nuance to selecting Optimist sails, but North presents a good choice of radial or crosscut sails of different size depending on the sailor’s weight. Read more about what North offers , from a crossover sail for beginners, to two crosscut and four radial-cut racing sails.

International Optimist Dinghy Tuning

What are the keys to rig set-up.

Properly eased outhaul tension shows wrinkles at each sail tie giving ample power to the lower part of the sail.

What control systems are unique to the Optimist?

A modest wrinkle from the top of the mast extending toward the end of the boom indicates correct sprit tension.

Optimist Dinghy Upwind Sailing

How do you trim the sail upwind in light air.

Shown sailing in a clinic (without sail numbers), these Optimist Dinghies show off the design’s distinct profile with sprit rig and squared off bow and stern.

When sailing in medium winds, how should the sail be trimmed upwind?

Move the mast rake back to your base setting when you move to the rail, and in choppy conditions, pull the outhaul tight enough so the vertical creases at the boom sail ties extend only up to the first seam. Smooth out the wrinkles in the luff by removing one twist in your boom preventer, so you achieve a round, deep nice shape for the entry. You want moderate luff tension, but you don’t want it tight. Trim the sprit so the sail is very smooth, and trim the mainsheet so the boom is right over the corner or just inside the corner of the transom.

In hiking mode or heavy air upwind, how do you trim the sail?

When hiking, rake the mast a bit forward from your base setting to compensate for how the mast will bend. Have your outhaul tight enough that a crease shows in the foot, until you fill the sail with wind. Take another twist off the boom preventer to get good tension on the luff. Sprit pole tension should still be tight and the sail, smooth. When trimming, ease the boom to the corner of the boat and sometimes just outside the corner.

When the Optimist is sailing upwind, overpowered, how should the sail be trimmed?

Demonstrating good upwind sail trim, this Optimist sailor is flying her leech telltales and has the boom trimmed at or near the transom corner.

What are the key gear changes in an Optimist when sailing upwind?

The Optimist sailor’s focus when sailing upwind is primarily on body movement, mainsheet trim, and steering the boat. None of the sail controls are adjusted. When there are choppy conditions or a big wave, bear off and ease the sail to stay powered up. In a flat spot, trim harder to improve your pointing. Because the Optimist is a hard-chine boat, keeping the boat flat is critical—the boat makes leeway and the rudder works like a brake when you allow heel.

What else is important upwind?

One important technique to learn is “sailing and bailing.” Two buckets are attached to the boat with bungee cords, and the technique is to scoot aft and squeeze the bailer bucket between your front leg and the bulkhead, rocking the boat to windward to fill the bailer by feathering the boat up and hiking at the right time. Move your mainsheet and tiller extension to the same hand and use your free hand to toss the water in the bailer overboard. Don't forget that a full bailer of water weighs 8 pounds, which is quite a bit of weight working against you when it’s sloshing around the floor of your boat.

Optimist Dinghy Downwind Sailing

Where do you sit when sailing the optimist downwind.

Heading downwind, you always sit on the rail, heeling a little to windward to lift the leeward chine out of the water and to tilt the sail a little higher. In light air and until you’re surfing, stay forward, with your shins against the bulkhead. Effectively, you’re staying in the middle of the boat. In surf and big waves, move aft quite a bit to avoid submarining the bow under a wave and then move forward again. The amount of fore-and-aft body movement is greater in an Optimist than in some other singlehanders because the bow is blunt, so in waves you need to work hard to keep it above water.

How do you trim downwind?

This sailor’s downwind trim shows slight windward heel, mainsheet eased to 90 degrees, and daggerboard fully raised.

How much pumping of the main is fast downwind?

Pumping the main is fast any time there’s good wind and waves. Top sailors grab the sheet at the ratchet block and pump it by extending their hand up over their heads. You are allowed one pump per wave, and at major regattas there are on-water judges keeping count.

How do you shift gears when sailing an Optimist downwind?

Think about how far in or out you have the boom, and think about how much you should be moving fore and aft. In max light air, the daggerboard is up, the boom is out past 90 degrees, and you’re focused on keeping the boat as quiet and at as steady an angle of heel as possible. In 20 knots, it’s completely different—the board is only two-thirds of the way up, you are pumping on every wave, and you are moving all over the place.

Optimist Dinghy Boathandling

What are the keys to starting well in an optimist.

It’s important to get into the front row and hold your position on the line in advance of the start. It’s also key not to get flagged for sculling with your rudder. This takes practice, always keeping the boat moving but at the slowest speed possible. You want just enough flow across the leech of your main to hold your spot. The boats tack quickly, so we recommend that you learn to do a quick double-tack; sometimes when there’s space to windward, you can tack twice and gain valuable room on your lee side for acceleration.

What are the keys to tacking an Optimist well?

Steering from behind your back, move what was your forward, mainsheet hand aft to hold the tiller extension as well, then bring your other hand around and take the mainsheet. In all conditions, over-trim the mainsheet when you start your tack until head to wind so you maintain flow on your sail, then ease it through rest of the process and finally trim the sheet afterwards, usually after the boat has been flattened. In medium air, you make the same move, but it happens faster and you’re moving from rail to rail. The main trim is the same. When it’s windy, you hardly roll the boat and simply move quickly across, grabbing the rail with one hand to get there. Ease the main during the tack once you pass head to wind and then trim when fully hiked.

What are the worst mistakes in tacking an Optimist?

Over-rolling the boat and filling it with water is easily the worst mistake. In light air, be sure not to use too much rudder. That’s slow, and so is not getting enough roll. We have one word to describe finding the right amount of roll for each condition—practice!

What are the keys to jibing an Optimist well?

In light air, keep it smooth. Have the boat rocked to weather already, then just lean in and grab the parts of the mainsheet, lean out, and pull the sail over. Stand up and walk across the boat to avoid a big splash, then transition to heel the boat again to windward. In medium winds, your roll jibe is the same but involves a quick hop across the boat (as you would in a tack). In heavy air, the jibe is different. Your main goal is “Don’t flip over.” Try to pull the boom across while surfing a big wave because your sail will be less loaded and you’ll be more in control; however, you’ll often find the boom still has enough load on it to require a strong pull. A common mistake is to get stuck—you’ve turned the boat part way, but the main is too loaded to come across. When you are ready to jibe, jibe with confidence by making a decisive turn at the same time that you pull the main over. As the sail comes over, cross the boat quickly to the rail and steer back to leeward on the new jibe. Make sure the main doesn’t get eased beyond 90 degrees as you jibe, or you’ll surely flip.

Do you have any other suggestions for jibing in heavy air?

The chicken jibe (also known as “tacking”) is popular when it’s blowing. If you’re a less-experienced heavy-air sailor and not sailing in the top 20, this is a great way to be sure you’ll stay in the race.

Can you recover on your own from capsizing an Optimist?

An Optimist sailor can “self-rescue” because the boat has three air bags. Make sure they are fully inflated so less water gets in the boat. If you flip, right the boat from the windward side and spend at least one minute standing in the boat and bailing hard with both bailers, which are attached to the boat with bungee cords. At that point you can start sailing and bail out the rest as you go.

What boathandling drills do you recommend?

The board is down and the main is powered up for the turn at the leeward mark. A bit of leeward heel would reduce the amount of rudder required.

What are the most common Optimist boathandling mistakes?

Let’s start with not capsizing. It takes practice to learn where the edge is in heavy air. Other mistakes we see include using too much rudder instead of doing smooth roll tacks and roll jibes. This applies to sailing in a straight line, too. For example, avoid using too much rudder downwind. If you start heeling to weather too much, the boat wants to head down. Instead of pushing the tiller to compensate, shift your body weight to leeward and trim the main.

What’s the coolest thing about the International Optimist Dinghy class?

The Opti class is by far the largest and most dynamic one-design class, in part because it has the most variables on the planet. Parents, coaches, and thousand of young sailors, growing up through a super-sensitive time of their lives. The basic strategies and tactics the class requires are a great outlet and an excellent way to learn the values of discipline and conservative decision-making. Whether you travel and learn about getting through airports and how to make friends in other countries, or you simply learn to take care of your own boat and sail on your own, Optimist sailing is a chance for you to learn a whole lot about yourself in a supportive, fun, rewarding environment. The Optimist is sailed all over the world and has a half dozen continental championships. After sailors age out, some go on to contend for Laser Radial and 4.7 world titles, and many become leading competitors in doublehanded classes such as the 420 and 29er. A final testament to the class: the great majority of skippers at the 2016 Olympics got their start in the Optimist class.

GET IN TOUCH

REQUEST A QUOTE

BROWSE ALL SAILS

FIND YOUR SAIL

Featured stories, meet the fresh faces of america's cup design, the long life of a north sail, ntg adds best-in-class sailmakers to its roster of brands.

• Refresh page

United States Optimist Dinghy Association

Class contact information.

Click below

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)

Back to One-Design Central

Copyright ©2018-2024 United States Sailing Association. All rights reserved. US Sailing is a 501(c)3 organization. Website designed & developed by Design Principles, Inc. -->

• About Our Program
• What's a day like?
• PARENT HANDBOOK: Guidelines & Rules
• Beginner Optimist
• Intermediate Optimist
• Advanced Optimist
• Laser Radial
• more about boat classes

Optimist Dinghy

Laser radial / ilca 6, big boat program.

• Turnkey Program
• Registration
• Admission Requirements
• Fee Schedule
• Tina Doufekias Junior Sailing Scholarship
• Reciprocal Clubs
• 2024 Lunch Menu
• 2023-2024 Winter Seminars
• 2024 Spring Sailing
• 2024 Fall Sailing
• HUGO Feva-Opti-Radial-4.7-420 Regatta
• JSA LIS Regatta Calendar
• Regatta FAQ's
• HYC FOR-4-4 Regatta
• CIYC - New York City Championship
• 2022-2023 HYC-Lasers Frostbite (Juniors)
• 2022 Summer and Fall
• 2020 FOR Meet-Up Series
• 2019 FOR JSA Regatta
• 2018 FOR JSA Regatta
• 2014 Session II Regatta
• 2014 Session I Regatta
• 2014 from Video
• 2013 Session II Regatta
• 2012 from Video
• 2007 from Video
• 2006 from Video
• User Submitted Photos
• Opti Learning
• Upload Photos & Documents
• Small Boat Sailing
• SBS Reference Page – 1
• SBS Reference Page – 2
• SBS Reference Page – 3

We offer a limited number of Optis for charter and help put you in touch with third parties offering private charters and local sales dealers.  All privately owned and chartered boats must be checked-in and inspected before use.  

Beginner and younger sailors typically start in an Optimist dinghy, the largest youth sailing class globally. The "Opti” is safe, stable, and easy to rig. Each child will sail his or her own boat. Intermediate and advanced Opti sailors can compete in regattas at HYC and other yacht clubs if they wish.  More details below. 

The  Optimist  is the largest junior racing fleet in the world and the international standard in junior instruction. The boat’s simplicity and stability make it ideal for teaching young beginners, while the Optimist class's popularity makes the boat extremely challenging for pre-teen racers. HYC owns a fleet of 16 Optimists to use for the summer program. Most racers who travel bring privately owned boats for practice and racing.

A skipper can race Optimists until December 31st in the year they turn 15. On December 31st of that year, they age out of Optimists and can no longer race the boat. Optimist racing events are typically divided into fleets to promote participation across a wide range of skill levels and ages.

Green fleet is a special fleet for beginners. Green fleeters can be any age up to 15. A green fleet might have skippers who are as young as 6 and as old as 15, but sooner or later, they’ll move into either the red, white, or blue fleet, depending on their age. Green fleet typically sails relatively close to shore and on short courses. Sailors may be coached at any time, including during a race.

Skippers who are 10 or under sail in the white fleet . Skippers who are 11 and 12 sail in the blue fleet . Skippers who are 13, 14, or 15 sail in the red fleet . In all fleets, the determining date is the skipper’s age on the regatta's first day. Skippers move up to blue fleet on their 11th birthday and red fleet on their 13th birthday. At most regattas, the red, blue, and white fleets all start simultaneously and race on the same course. Coaching for the red/white/blue fleets is permissible before and after, but not during individual races. Coaches can observe the racing from designated areas and provide feedback to the sailors after observing the race(s).

For more info, visit the class website,  www.USODA.org .

Boats in Our Program

A more detailed description of the Opti.

A more detailed description of the RS Feva

A bit more detailed information about the Laser Radial / ILCA 6

A bit more detailed information about the Club 420

A brief description of the Sonar in our program.

A brief description of the big boat program in our club.

To Our Junior Sailing Families

Jr Sailing Parents and Sailors

HYC Jr Sailing Committee appreciates all the hard work and perseverance of the sailors, parents, and coaches through the Summer of 2023; This Summer we hope to " accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, spread joy up to the maximum, and bring gloom down to the minimum. " -- same as last year ????

The first Open House for registration will be Sunday, January 28 th , 2024, from 1 pm to 4 pm.  There will be discounts for all who register by Monday. 

The second Open House for registration will be Sunday, March 3 th , 2024, from 1 pm to 4 pm.  There will be somewhat   smaller discounts for all who register by Monday.. 

We look forward to seeing you all again this Summer.

Safe Sailing,

HYC Jr. Sail Committee

Huguenot Yacht Club

© HYC - JuniorSailingClubhouse Login

• Regatta Schedule

Optimist Sailboat Build

Introduction: Optimist Sailboat Build

Attachments

The jig produced on the ShopBot retains the correct shape and supports the boat, while it is being built, to retain the exact design measurements.   The plans for the boat can be found from many sources for free on the internet.   Plans are available in many languages, as well.  One such source is http://www.optiworld.org/Woodguide05.pdf Another guide to building an optimist is http://www.burcotboats.co.uk/howToBuild.pdf , as well as half a dozen other well written articles on the internet.   But none provide CAD quality drawings or files to work with modern computer controlled machine tooling.   Well, here they are:  The jig as well as the major parts of the boat.     The jig sides , mast step, rudder, dagger board , dagger board case ends and doubler pieces are made from 18mm or 3/4" ACX or marine grade plywood; (1219.2mm x 2438.4mm) 48" x 96".    

Now to get started, the jig we have designed is the exact dimensions of a finished hull shape.   Both ends of the jig have interlocking pieces to allow for inserting and removing as needed during the building of the boat.   The cross members are standard 2" x 4" cut to 44" long and with a 3/4" dado 8" to each side of center to fit into the grooves of the forms.   These should be cut so as to be flush with the top of the form and screwed into place to prevent movement.   The bottom boards provide a stable platform for the jig to sit on.   The jig should be placed on a flat surface for the build, as distortion to the jig will transfer to the boat being built.    Save the scraps for blocking.

Recommendations

Microcontrollers Contest

Outdoor Life Contest

Woodworking Contest

Hatteras Sailing

encouraging youth sailing and competitive opportunities

Opti Boat Parts and Terminology

For our youth to understand anything the coaches are saying on the water, they need to understand what the parts of the boat are named. Sailing has its own language and terminology for really good reasons… so instead of our coaches blasting on the megaphone across the water on a windy day, “Pull the string thingy under the horizontal metal thing”, it is much more succinct for them to instruct, “Sheet In”. Our basic learning boat is the Optimist. Please study the parts of the boat and their names or labels…. for fun this diagram is multilingual!

• Hull Sides – Bow, Stern, Starboard and Port Sides
• Mast, Boom and Sprit are all Spars
• Rudder, Tiller and Tiller Extension Steer the Boat. The rudder can also be used to slow down the boat. The person steering is called the helmsman.
• Centerboard of Daggerboard helps the hull not slip sideways over the water
• Sails power the sailboat and make it move forward. The better the sails are trimmed, the faster your boat can sail, so understanding how the sail controls work and what to look for in your sail shape is extremely important on sailboats.

Here is a link to a video of an instructor explaining the parts of the Optimist Sailboat! – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHhXD5jKL3w

Another good video on how to rig the Optimist Sail, Mast and Boom. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOPTCXSuevY