OK (dinghy)
The OK Dinghy is an international class sailing dinghy, designed by Knud Olsen in 1956.
 Class symbol | |
 | |
| Boat | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
| Hull | |
| Hull weight | 72 kg (159 lb) |
| LOA | 4.00 m (13.12 ft) |
| Beam | 1.42 m (4 ft 8 in) |
| Sails | |
| Mainsail area | 8.95 m2 (96.3 sq ft) |
| Racing | |
| D-PN | 96.5[1] |
| RYA PN | 1100[2] |
History
In 1956 Axel Damgaard Olsen of Vordingborg, 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 "OK", using Knud Olsen's initials in reverse.
The OK 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; all forms enjoy equal racing success. Freedom of choice in hull materials is replicated in choice of rig. The choice of mast, sail and fittings must fit within the class rules but enables all sailors to have a combination suited to their own 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 update 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 the 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 Dinghy was selected as the Open class single hander for the Asian Games 1998.
In 2003 carbon fibre 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 being built and participation in club races rising.
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]
Events
World Championships
Year |
Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 Maubuisson |  Sven Jakobsen (DEN) |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} 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 Lindhardsen (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 Lindhardsen (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 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} 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 Hägglund (SWE) |
Bo-Steffan Andersson (SWE) |
Peter Josefsson (SWE) |
| 1990 Melbourne | Leith Armit (NZL) |
Per H'gglund (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 Forslund (SWE) |
Jørgen Lindhardsen (DEN) |
Ulf Brandt (DEN) |
| 1996 Varberg | Christian Carlson (SWE) |
Hedley Fletcher (GBR) |
Martin von Zimmermann (GER) |
| 1997 Sonderborg | Björn Forslund (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 Lindhardsen (DEN) |
Nick Craig (GBR) |
| 2000 Łeba | Karsten Hitz (GER) |
Nick Craig (GBR) |
Bart Bomans (BEL) |
| 2001 Båstad | Karsten 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 Lindhardsen (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) |
Roger Blasse (AUS) | |
| 2015 Puck | André Budzien (GER) |
||
| 2016 Saint-Pierre-Quiberon[4] | Jim Hunt (GBR) |
Jørgen Svendsen (DEN) |
Charlie Cumbley (GBR) |
| 2017 Barbados | Nick Craig (GBR) |
Jim Hunt (GBR) |
Luke O'Connell (NZL) |
| 2018 Warnemünde[5] | Andrè Budzien (GER) |
Fredrik Lööf (SWE) |
Jan Kurfeld (GER) |
| 2019 Auckland[6] | Dan Slater (NZL) |
Fredrik Lööf (SWE) |
Josh Armit (NZL) |
See also
References
- "Centerboard Classes". US Sailing. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- "Portsmouth Number List 2012". Royal Yachting Association. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- "Largest ever OK Dinghy World Championships". Sail World. 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
- http://2016.okworlds.org/category/results/
- "2018 OK Worlds". Retrieved 10 February 2019.
- "2019 OK Worlds". Retrieved 10 February 2019.
