McLaughlin Opti
It has been said that the International Optimist Dinghy (IOD), or Opti, is the “most important sailboat in the world,” because no other boat has had the impact of introducing the sport of sailing to so many people. The Opti was designed in 1947 as an easy, safe, and stable boat specifically to teach children the sport of sailing. Since then it has become the world standard as an introductory junior trainer, as well as a premier one design racing class. Many world class sailors, including Olympians and America’s Cup champions, got their start in an Optimist.
The Opti Experience
They say sailing takes a day to learn and a lifetime to master. This is true of the Opti as well as the controls can be as simple as trimming the mainsheet and controlling the tiller, or as complicated as adjusting all the control lines, sprit halyard tension, and so much more. At no point does the boat have to be overwhelming to a young sailor, but rather will respond to their skill level, and give them opportunities for improvement.
The stability of the Optimist comes from its hard chine design, flat bottom, and small sail area. The boat is designed so that the skipper sits on the floor and thus below the waterline, further countering the tipping forces of the sail.
Because of this it is just about guaranteed that a young sailor’s first experience in an Optimist will be a positive one, and this builds in young sailors the life skills of self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-discipline, as well as sailing skills that are transferable to any other boat.
Racing
The Opti is one of the biggest and fastest growing racing classes in the world, with over 400 Opti regattas in the U.S. each year alone. The United States Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA) and the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) oversee events at the club, regional, national, and international level. Because of the large number of competitors the class offers multiple levels of competition in several categories:
* Novice sailors
* Sailors 10 and under
* Sailors 11-12
* Sailors 13-15
Optinews!
The class magazine, Optinews, is published eight times per year and holds over l00 pages filled with great articles, tips from the best sailors in the sport and parents, drawings and stories from current Opti sailors, racing advice, regatta results, and tons of photographs of Opti's sailing, racing, and having a fantastic time.
