The Optimist dinghy is a small, single-handed sailing boat designed specifically for young sailors up to the age of 15. Known for its stability and responsiveness, the Optimist is one of the most popular and widely recognized junior sailing dinghies in the world.
Originally designed in 1947 as a low-cost sailing dinghy for young people, the Optimist was created to be built from just two 4' x 8' sheets of plywood. The design was standardized in 1960, and in 1995 it became a strict one-design boat, referred to as the IOD95. This standardized design ensures that every Optimist is identical, providing a fair and competitive platform for young sailors, however the class rules allow for some variation to the fittings to suit sailor preferences and budgets.
At TridentUK we have either sailed an Optimist, have children in or they have grown up with the class as well as being involved with the class ourselves we have an understanding of the specific requirements of the Optimist dinghy so if you have any queries please feel free to ask us and one of our experts will look after you.
You can see our Optimist catalogue by clicking the below link then use the menu to shorten your search.
Below we list the ropes and dimensions we recommend for the Optimist Dinghy.
| Use | Length | Rope | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainsheet Using Extender | 6m | ||
| Mainsheet With No Extender | 7m | ||
| Mainsheet Extender | 0.3m | ||
| Sprit Halyard 2:1 Sprit End | 0.72m | ||
| Sprit Halyard 2:1 Cleat End | 1m | ||
| Outhaul | 1.1m | ||
| Tapered Outhaul | 1.1m | ||
| Kicker Control | 1m | ||
| Painter | 8m | ||
| Sail Lacing Ties | 0.42m | ||
| Sail Corner ties | 0.55m | ||
| Sail Tie Pack | |||
| Boom Bridle | 1.5m |
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.