Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

OKs at the Dinghy Show - Join Team 2022 now!

by Karen Robertson 28 Feb 2019 23:47 AEDT 2-3 March 2019
2019 Symonite OK World Championship © Robert Deaves

Fresh from the hugely successful World Championship in New Zealand, the resurgent OK Dinghy class will be exhibiting at this weekend's RYA Dinghy Show and invites all sailors to drop by for a chat to find out why the OK is the perfect boat for both the aspiring international sailor and the domestic club sailor.

Join Team 2022

With all the major championships in recent years regularly attracting over 100 boats from multiple countries and continents and an influx of ex-Olympians and champions from other classes, the OK Dinghy can rightfully claim to be one of the premier international non-Olympic adult classes. With the World Championship coming to the UK in 2022, now is the perfect time to join the class and show the world what you can do on home waters against the best in the World. As the Kiwi's have shown with their domination of the results at the 2019 Worlds in NZ, when a nation comes together and builds towards a major event, the results can be astounding and the GBR Team 2022 campaign to put on the best event ever and be the best team in 2022 starts now!

If you think this could be for you, you could be looking forward to enjoying world class competition at the World Championships in Marstrand in 2020, Garda in 2021, or even further ahead at Brisbane in 2023, along with the annual European Championships at venues such as Kiel this year along with other regular European international events from Scandinavia down to the Mediterranean. And if the prospect of truly world class competition isn't enough for you, the amazing camaraderie and social energy of the class worldwide at all events is legendary. So, if this sounds appealing perhaps now is the time to expand your horizons from your domestic class or move across from your Olympic class into something a bit less serious but still as competitive and join the British OK fleet and be part of Team 2022.

Sail Club Class In comfort and in style

While the OK is attracting top sailors worldwide it is also one of the most underrated boats in the UK dinghy scene and perfect for many club sailors. While many will remember the OK as it was 'back in the day' with wooden or metal masts, the advent of the modern OK rig with carbon mast and radial sail has transformed the boat into an absolute dream to sail. Despite the apparently low boom, the deep cockpit, almost completely free of obstructions gives plenty of room for tacks and gybes and that cockpit depth means kneeling on the downwind legs will be a thing of the past. The centreboard makes launching and recovery easy and should you capsize it is in easy reach from the water, making recovery straight forward. Along with these excellent characteristics is the exceptionally long competitive life of the equipment.

The third place boat at the recent World Championship was a 35 year old GRP hull fitted with an up-to-date rig and sailed by a talented sailor. If that wasn't shocking enough, two boats in the top ten were home built wood hulls from CNC kit sets. Furthermore the class has consciously avoided the fashion for laminate sails and stayed with Dacron to avoid the short competitive life and sometimes severe shrinkage found in laminate sails in similar classes. Putting these characteristics together, an OK with a modern rig offers phenomenal long-term value and a classy, comfortable ride for the club sailor.

Broadening the Appeal

The UK class association is also leading the way in diversifying the fleet by developing, with the aid of a leading OK sail manufacturer, a smaller 80% sail for ladies and smaller youths and have a growing group of 'young guns' who have realised the OK offers them the high level of world class competition they crave, without following the full Olympic pathway in the hope of glory. The OK Dinghy gives these 'young guns' the chance to both rub competitive shoulders with legends like Freddy Loof and Rod Davis and have a beer on the beach with them afterwards. There are not many classes that can offer that for the reasonable cost and easy access of the OK Dinghy.

So, whether you are interested in expanding your racing horizons, are just looking for a boat to give a rewarding, comfortable and long-lasting boat or just want to see an amazingly well finished OK in the flesh, do drop past our stand at the Dinghy Show. We're sure you'll find the chat intriguing, we can set you up with a trial sail or loan of our demo boat and if you time it right, 5 time OK World Champion, Nick Craig will be on hand to tell you how to do it in 2022 (if you ask nicely!).

If you can't make the Dinghy Show, do come to one of our Open events and we'll do what the OK fleet is famous for worldwide and buy you a beer.

Related Articles

Countdown to the OK Nationals at Dabchicks
It's expected that the fleet will enjoy come close and competitive sailing The OK class are just ten days away from their 2025 National Championships, which are this year being hosted by Dabchicks Sailing Club. Posted on 1 Jul
OK Dinghy class at Kieler Woche Overall
Niklas Edler retains the title after strongest winds of the week on the final day Niklas Edler, from Sweden has won the 2025 Kieler Wiche for OK Dinghies after the final two races on Sunday, which brought the strongest winds of the week. Posted on 30 Jun
OK Dinghy Open at Overy Staithe
Two days of contrasting weather challenged the sailors Two days of contrasting weather challenged the eight OK sailors competing for the Overy Staithe SC annual open meeting, which was first held in 1971. Posted on 29 Jun
OK Dinghy class at Kieler Woche Day 3
Niklas Edler extends OK Dinghy lead at Kieler Woche with one day to go. Niklas Eder, from Sweden, extended his lead at Kieler Woche after two more races on Saturday in again, quite windy and shifty offshore winds. Posted on 28 Jun
OK Dinghy class at Kieler Woche Day 2
Niklas Edler maintains narrow lead after four races Sweden's Niklas Edler has maintained his lead in the 49 strong OK Dinghy fleet at Kieler Woche on Friday with a 2,1 in fairly breezy conditions and holds a 2-point lead over Canada's Ben Flower who scored 1,2. Posted on 27 Jun
2025 International Classes Regatta preview
The ICR has earned a stellar reputation as an outstanding lead-up regatta for competitors The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) is proud to announce that the 2025 International Classes Regatta (ICR)—the Club's premier annual dinghy event—will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November 2025. Posted on 27 Jun
OK Dinghy class at Kieler Woche Day 1
Niklas Edler leads the fleet after two races On the first day of Kieler Woche for the OK Dinghy class, Sweden's Niklas Edler began his defence for the OK Dinghy with a solid 2, 1 on the day that started with light winds and which increased through the second race. Posted on 26 Jun
OK Scottish Championship at East Lothian
Attracting sailors from the far corners of the UK On the weekend of 7th & 8th of June, East Lothian YC based out of the beautiful harbour of North Berwick hosted the OK Scottish Championship. The event was also part of the Grand Slam OK circuit and attracted sailors from the far corners of the UK. Posted on 11 Jun
OK class in Daffodil Regatta at Ullswater
Fleets of 12 for part 1 of the Border Trophy A dozen OKs turned up at Ullswater for the annual Daffodil Regatta, this year sponsored by Magic Marine and also being run as part of the SailRacer Summer challenge. It was especially encouraging to see several new faces join the fleet. Posted on 28 Apr
OK Border Trophy Preview
The first half takes place at Ullswater YC's Daffodil Regatta next weekend This coming weekend sees the first half of the OK Border Trophy being sailed at the Ullswater YC Daffodil Regatta. The Border Trophy started in 2023 as an initiative to help grow the fleet in the North of England and Scotland. Posted on 21 Apr
Allen Dynamic 40 FooterX-Yachts X4.3Sea Sure 2025