OK (dinghy)

OK

Class symbol
Current specifications
Crew 1
LOA 4.00 m (13.12 ft)
Beam 1.42 m (4 ft 8 in)
Hull weight 72 kg (159 lb)
Mainsail area 8.95 m2 (96.3 sq ft)
D-PN 96.5[1]
RYA PN 1100[2]

The OK Dinghy is an international class sailing dinghy, designed by Knud Olsen in 1956.

History

In 1957 Axel Dangaard Olsen of Seattle, U.S.A., asked the Danish yacht designer Knud Olsen to prepare drawings for a light and fast single-handed sailing dinghy based on conventional plywood construction. The resulting design was named the O.K., using Knud Olsen's initials in reverse.

The O.K. was intended as a preparation class for the Olympic Finn and it has followed its technical evolution ever since. The rig is identical to a Finn comprising a single sail set on a rotating, un-stayed, bending mast.

OKs are built in plywood, G.R.P and composite construction and all forms enjoy equal racing success. Freedom of choice in hull materials is replicated in choice of rig. The choice of mast, sail and fitting must fit within the class rules but enables the sailor to have a combination suited to his/her requirements. Consequently, every OK develops to suit the owner's style of sailing, while the shape of the hull is defined by a comprehensive set of strict one-design rules ensuring a long competitive life span. Old boats often only need a rig up-date and minor constructional modifications to make them competitive, provided they meet modern buoyancy requirements.

In the 60s and 70s, the OK class enjoyed an explosive success, with the total number of boats exceeding 10,000, and large racing fleets building up. In the 80s, the success of the popular one-design single-handed Laser affected the success of OK.

In the eastern European countries, the OK was the official youth single hander and after the breakdown of the socialist system, many 'old' sailors came back to the class of their youth, now with their own boats instead of club-owned.

The OK was elected as single hander for the Asian Games 1998.

In 2003 carbon masts were introduced to the class.

In 2005, There was a revival of the OK class with many older boats being restored and updated, new boats are being built and participation in club races is on the rise.

The 50th anniversary of the design of the OK dinghy was marked by the largest ever OK Dinghy World Championships held at Łeba on the Polish coast in July 2007.[3]

World Championships

Year Gold Silver Bronze
1963 Maubuisson  Sven Jakobsen (DEN)  Bert de Bock (BEL)  Guy Lachapelle (BEL)
1964 Roskilde  Henning Schnachtschnabel (DEN)  Bent Jørgensen (DEN)  Christen Tang Koch (DEN)
1965 Hayling Island  Göran Andersson (SWE)  Bent Jørgensen (DEN)  Roy Martyn (GBR)
1966 Veerse Meer  Göran Andersson (SWE)  Björn Arnesson (SWE)  Ib Ussing Andersen (DEN)
1967 Lake Saint-Louis  Björn Arnesson (SWE)  Erik Fromell (SWE)  Göran Andersson (SWE)
1968 Tønsberg  Erik Fromell (SWE)  Leif Enarsson (SWE)  Per Westlund (SWE)
1969 Bendor  Kent Carlsson (SWE)  Ib Ussing Andersen (DEN)  Erik Fromell (SWE)
1970 Takapuna  Kent Carlsson (SWE)  Thomas Jungblut (FRG)  Jonty Farmer (NZL)
1971 Kiel  Thomas Jungblut (FRG)  Peter Due (DEN)  Steen Kjølhede (DEN)
1972 Marstrand  Kjell Axerot (SWE)  Graeme Woodroffe (NZL)  Per Wennersten (SWE)
1973 Falmouth  Clive Roberts (NZL)  Kjell Axerot (SWE)  John Dawson-Edwards (GBR)
1974 Adelaide  Torben Andrup (DEN)  Jørgen Lindhardsten (DEN)  Graeme Woodroffe (NZL)
1975 Helsinki  Poul Kirketerp (DEN)  Peter Lester (NZL)  Hans-Peter Hylander (SWE)
1976 Nyköping  Poul Kirketerp (DEN)  Johan Ling-Vannerus (SWE)  Michael Nissen (FRG)
1977 Takapuna  Peter Lester (NZL)  Barry Thom (NZL)  Michael Nissen (FRG)
1978 Medemblik  Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN)  Leith Armit (NZL)  Alexander Hagen (FRG)
1979 Tønsberg  Richard Dodson (NZL)  Christer Berndtsson (SWE)  Clive Evison (GBR)
1980 Varberg  Poul Kirketerp (DEN)  Jens Peter Wrede (FRG)  Stefan Järudd (SWE)
1981 Hyères  Peter Gale (AUS)  Stefan Järudd (SWE)  Earl Berry (NZL)
1982 Melbourne  Richard Dodson (NZL)  Stefan Järudd (SWE)  Peter Takle (AUS)
1983 Torquay  Leith Armit (NZL)  Stig Westergaard (DEN)  Trevor Gore (GBR)
1984 Sønderborg  Glen Collings (AUS)  Stig Westergaard (DEN)  John Derbyshire (GBR)
1985 Medemblik  Leith Armit (NZL)  Reemt Reemtsma (FRG)  Mark Fisher (AUS)
1986 Takapuna  Mark Fisher (AUS)  P. Meo (NZL)  Leith Armit (NZL)
1987 Luleå  Mats Caap (SWE)  Bo-Steffan Andersson (SWE)  Dennis Josefsson (SWE)
1988 Travemünde  Bo-Steffan Andersson (SWE)  Bjørn Westergaard (DEN)  Dennis Josefsson (SWE)
1989 Weymouth  Per Hægglund (SWE)  Bo-Steffan Andersson (SWE)  Peter Josefsson (SWE)
1990 Melbourne  Leith Armit (NZL)  Per Hægglund (SWE)  Mark Fisher (AUS)
1991 Vallensbæk  Bo-Steffan Andersson (SWE)  Ulf Brandt (DEN)  Hedley Fletcher (GBR)
1992 Vitrolles  Bo-Steffan Andersson (SWE)  Anders Adersen (DEN)  Ulf Brand (DEN)
1993 Puck  Bo-Steffan Andersson (SWE)  Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL)  Hedley Fletcher (GBR)
1994 Napier  Leith Armit (NZL)  Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL)  Roger Blasse (AUS)
1995 Felixstowe  Björn Førslund (SWE)  Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN)  Ulf Brandt (DEN)
1996 Varberg  Christian Carlson (SWE)  Hedley Fletcher (GBR)  Martin von Zimmermann (GER)
1997 Sonderborg  Björn Førslund (SWE)  Karsten Hitz (GER)  Hedley Fletcher (GBR)
1998 Glenelg  Roger Blasse (AUS)  Carl Schmidt (AUS)  Karsten Hitz (GER)
1999 Neustadt in Holstein  Peter Milne (AUS)  Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN)  Nick Craig (GBR)
2000 Łeba  Karste Hitz (GER)  Nick Craig (GBR)  Bart Bomans (BEL)
2001 Båstad  Karste Hitz (GER)  Bart Bomans (BEL)  Thomas Hansson-Mild (SWE)
2002 Napier  Greg Wilcox (NZL)  Paul Rhodes (NZL)  Alistair Gair (NZL)
2003 Goa  Nintin Mongia (IND)  Ben Morisson (NZL)  Nick Craig (GBR)
2004 Poole  Jim Hunt (GBR)  Nick Craig (GBR)  Nintin Mongia (IND)
2005 Skælskør  Nick Craig (GBR)  Jonas Quist (SWE)  Greg Wilcox (NZL)
2006 Belmont  Nick Craig (GBR)  Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN)  Greg Wilcox (NZL)
2007 Łeba  Nick Craig (GBR)  Mark Perrow (NZL)  Karl Purdie (NZL)
2008 Warnemünde  Karl Purdie (NZL)  Nick Craig (GBR)  Andre Blasse (AUS)
2009 Kalmar  Thomas Hansson-Mild (SWE)   ()   ()
2010 Wellington  Karl Purdie (NZL)   ()   ()
2011 Largs  Nick Craig (GBR)   ()   ()
2012 Vallensbæk  André Budzien (GER)   ()   ()
2013 Pattaya  Roger Blasse (AUS)   ()   ()
2014 Melbourne  Matt Stechmann (NZL)   ()   ()
2015 Puck  André Budzien (GER)   ()   ()

See also

Knud Olsen

References

  1. "Centerboard Classes". US Sailing. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  2. "Portsmouth Number List 2012". Royal Yachting Association. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  3. "Largest ever OK Dinghy World Championships". Sail World. 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-10-14.

External links

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