Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

Individualistic choice of OK Dinghy Equipment at World Championship

by Robert Deaves 22 Mar 2019 00:54 AEDT
The OK Dinghy fleet at the 2019 World Championship © Robert Deaves

One of the key factors behind the astonishing worldwide growth and development of the OK Dinghy over the past 62 years was the intent that boats could be built by anyone, anywhere.

This was one of the overriding concepts from the man who created the class, Axel Damgaard Olsen. That, along with the simplistic beauty of the design from Knud Olsen, enabled sailors throughout the world to build a competitive boat in their backyard. It is what started the global spread and interest in the class and allowed it to thrive through the 1960s and 1970s.

The recent Symonite World Championship in Auckland was a great indication that this trend has not only continued, but is also growing again, with around 20 per cent of fleet either home built, or built as one-offs using techniques meant for home building.

Within the 111 boat fleet there were hulls from 32 builders in seven countries. This, of course, included a range of production boats, and these are of a higher quality than the class has ever before experienced, but there were also an increasing number of home built boats once again, with two of these also making it into the top ten.

In fact only four of the top ten were production boats, the rest being either home built, or built using Dan Leech's CNC kitset plans by professional builders. Throughout the fleet there were 13 Leech designed boats, as well as eight other home built boats. Many others were part completed or finished by the owners.

A certain individualistic element is always present within the OK Dinghy fleet and a brief look around any dinghy park will tell you that OK Dinghy sailors like to be different. Innovations and new ideas are never far away, though in all aspects concerning speed, the boats have to follow a strict and refined set of measurement rules.

This was readily apparent in that the third placed boat in Auckland was a 35-year-old Icebreaker. The boats have moved on a long way since the 1980s, but can still race together. Granted it was kept in good condition, but given the slant these days for ensuring sustainable boat build practices and long lasting boats, it is a great advert for the class within the environment of the modern crash and burn boats.

Within the top 10 there were four different hull shapes, five different sailmakers, three mast builders, two boom types, and five different foil makers. This diverse range of equipment is pretty much prevalent throughout the whole fleet.

There were 32 boat builders from seven countries recorded. Of course not all are current, some boats were 40 years old, but there is a good mix of production boats alongside home builds. With the event in New Zealand it is no surprise to see Icebreaker and Mackay hulls (using the Icebreaker shape) top the numbers, while Ovington's relatively recent design is not far behind.

Aside from builders having more than one boat present in the table, the following builders were recorded: Comfort and Taylor, Aqua Magic, Atkinson, McDowell, Tony Thresher, Sel Pedersen, Max Carter, Hakes Marine, Mikael Delfs, Rob Coutts, Peter West, Stechman, Alan Mitchell, Greg Salthouse, Phil Salthouse, Bob Foster and Unitec.

Around 45 per cent of the fleet used the Kiwi designed Icebreaker shape dating from the 1970s, while the now double world championship winning Dan Leech shape was the second most popular. The four most popular hull shapes are all quite different, but provide surprisingly equal competition on the water.

There has clearly been a lot of investment in the class over the past 2-3 years with half the boats being three years old or less. However, 11 were more than 20 years old, with two even dating back to the 1960s.

C-Tech continues to dominate the mast market, not really surprising given the number of sailors from New Zealand and Australia taking part. This table would look quite different in Europe, with Ceilidh, which also makes the popular HIT masts for the Finn fleet, now making most of the masts for the fleet.

As expected, North and Turtle sails dominated the numbers in New Zealand, however Turtle had the most sails from a single loft, with the North sails coming from lofts in both Britain and New Zealand. Green sails are also very popular in Europe and had a lower than usual showing. However it was pleasing to see some new lofts making sails, especially long-time OK Dinghy sailor, Dan Bush, whose sails are growing in popularity and even made the top 10.

Booms are often an afterthought but the domination of well-thought-out Art of Racing booms continues, as it holds the second largest segment of any equipment at the worlds (behind C-Tech's masts) with 60 per cent of the fleet using them.

Related Articles

OK Nationals at Dabchicks overall
Oli Davenport wins on West Mersea island Thirty OKs gathered at Dabchicks SC on West Mersea island from 12th-15th July for the 2025 OK Dinghy National Championships. With the European Championships having been held just a week or so earlier some notable sailors were absent. Posted today at 12:36 pm
OK Dinghy World Ranking July 2025
Patric Mure is the new World No.1 Patric Mure has become only the 11th person to reach the top of the OK Dinghy World Ranking list as he takes over the No.1 spot from Australia's Roger Blasse, who drops to fourth. Britain's Andy Davis and Nick Craig move up to second and third. Posted on 16 Jul
OK Nationals at Dabchicks day 3
Efficient use of WhatsApp ensures fleet are aware of the change to SIs The third day of the OK National Championships was kindly sponsored by Ovington Boats, who are the headline sponsors for our 2026 Nationals, to be held at Tynemouth Sailing Club from 4 to 7 September 2026. Posted on 14 Jul
OK Nationals at Dabchicks Day 2
Oliver Davenport put his OCS from day one behind him After a fantastic first night social run by the host club, Dabchicks SC, the fleet took to the water for day two, with today's sponsorship by HD Sails. Posted on 13 Jul
OK Nationals at Dabchicks Day 1
Glorious sunshine greeted the competitors at West Mersea The OK class are holding their 2025 National Championships at West Mersea, with the event hosted by Dabchicks SC. Glorious sunshine greeted the competitors for day one of the event, with racing taking place in the afternoon. Posted on 12 Jul
OK Dinghy Europeans at Warnemünde overall
Charlie Cumbley wins after no racing on final day Britain's Charlie Cumbley has won the 2025 OK Dinghy European Championship, in Warnemünde, Germany, after all racing was cancelled on the last day with strong winds and passing storms. Posted on 10 Jul
OK Dinghy Europeans at Warnemünde day 3
Nick Craig fights back Canada's Ben Flower and Britain's Charlie Cumbley will go into Wednesday's final day at the 2025 OK Dinghy European Championship in Warnemünde, Germany, on equal points with two more races to sail. Posted on 8 Jul
OK Dinghy Europeans at Warnemünde day 2
Charlie Cumbley leads at the half-way stage Britain's Charlie Cumbley holds a two-point lead at the half-way stage of the 2025 OK Dinghy European Championship in Warnemünde, Germany, after two more races were held on Monday. Posted on 8 Jul
OK Dinghy Europeans at Warnemünde day 1
Race wins for Daniel Björndahl, Andy Davis, Charlie Cumbley and Steen Christensen The 2025 OK Dinghy Europeans got under way in Warnemunde, Germany, on Sunday with race wins for Sweden's Daniel Björndahl, Britain's Andy Davis and Charlie Cumbley and Denmark's Steen Christensen. Posted on 7 Jul
OK Dinghy Europeans at Warnemünde preview
118 sailors from 14 nations on the entry list The 2025 OK Dinghy European Championship opens in Warnemünde this weekend with 118 sailors from 14 nations on the entry list. It will take place in the first half of Warnemünder Woche. Posted on 3 Jul
Switch One DesignRolly Tasker Sails 2023 FOOTERHenri-Lloyd Dynamic Range