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McLaughlin Optimist

Relaunching Fall 2023...

May 12, 2023  

US One-Design, Inc , a leading importer and reseller of performance one-design dinghies, gear and accessories has acquired North American’s only manufacturer of Optimist Dinghies, McLaughlin Boat Works.

Having pioneered much of the performance technology used on today’s Optimists, McLaughlin Boat Works has been the leading producer of Optimists for over 25 years. Built right here in the United States, McLaughlin Boat Works has earned a worldwide reputation for craftsmanship, speed, and excellence. American made strength, speed, and durability have been the cornerstones of their manufacturing process, and it shows… McLaughlin has produced more championship sailors than any other boat.  Their commitment to US Optimist sailors and the broader youth sailing community has been unparalleled. “The Sherman family is eager to begin working closely with Trisha Leaver and her team of highly qualified individuals to produce the same consistent, high quality and the only “Made In The USA” McLaughlin Optimists that the sailing community has come to love.” Steve and Mike Sherman will be overseeing the new production line ensuring North America has the highest quality Optimist manufactured in the World.

US One-Design and McLaughlin Boat Works share a common mission of “giving service beyond anyone’s expectations.” US One-Design is committed to supporting competitive youth sailing and will continue McLaughlin’s legacy of supporting US Optimist sailors on-the-ground with charters, education, and regatta support.  Equally important to US One-Design owner, Trisha Leaver, is supporting club and community sailing programs.  Often known for saying “every sailor starts in the green fleet,” Leaver’s passion for getting … and keeping … sailors of all ages and abilities out on the water is the foundation upon which US One-Design was built.

McLaughlin Boat Works, in partnership with US One-Design, is open for business and committed to providing the same exceptional sales, service, and support that have made them the top choice for individual Optimist sailors, clubs and community sailing programs across the country for over 25 years.  Current inventory coupled with start-up production will assure an adequate supply of Mclaughlin Optimist for 2023 and beyond.

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• Sailboat Reviews

Practical Sailor Reviews Seven Performance-Sailing Dinghies

Agile, fun boats like the classic sunfish and new hobie bravo keep the smile in summer sailing..

Photos by Ralph Naranjo

Messing around in small boats is a global theme-one thats embraced by pond-bound pram sailors, river riders, lake voyagers, and all of us who call salt water home. The purpose of this sailing dinghy profile is to highlight seven very interesting little sailboats. Some are new designs, and others have stood the test of time, but all are currently being manufactured, and each drives home just how much fun sailing close to the water can be.

This isn’t a shootout among anorexic speedsters or a report on the best tender that doubles as a sailing dinghy. Its a look at perennials like the Optimist, Sunfish, and Laser-legendary competitors that have helped spawn some of the best sailors in the world. But its also a look at three of the newest entries in the dinghy-sailing circle: Bics Open, Hobies Bravo, and Laser Performances Bug. These agile, new sailing dinghies are chock full of fun and boat-handling features to inspire kids of all ages to go sailing.

Well also take a look at Chesapeake Light Crafts kit approach to getting started-one that offers meaningful lessons and tangible rewards well before the boat ever hits the water.

Scale down an Open 60, add sail technology long favored by windsurfers, and put it into play in a tough thermo-formed hull, and you have the makings for a new kind of watercraft. The result is a very interesting blend of performance and reliability that targets adolescent interest. When all is said and done, Bics boat is more akin to a sit-down windsurfer than a traditional Blue Jay. And like all good boats, its vying for attention not just based on performance, construction quality, and style, but just as importantly, on the price tag stuck to the hull.

The Open Bics light weight and wide, flat stern section means that even small chop can be surfed; and bursts of planing on a reach add a zing factor to dinghy sailing. The Open Bic is already an International Sailing Federation (ISAF)-sanctioned class, and fleets are developing around the US. Another bonus: Its an easily portable boat that can be carried like a windsurfer, adding excitement to a Sunday picnic at the beach.

The thermo-formed polyethylene hull is a modified hard-chine design with lots of beam aft. Sailed flat, the boat is agile enough to surf wavelets, and with a shape thats ergonomically friendly to hiking, the ensuing heel on the upwind leg puts just the right amount of chine into the water. In light air, careful control of heel can significantly reduce wetted surface.

The design team that developed the Open Bic saw it as a transition bridge from Optimist sailing to a more performance-oriented dinghy. An interesting innovation is that the Open Bic can be sailed with an Optimists rig and blades. This buy the hull only approach can be a significant incentive for parents with children outgrowing their Opti as fast as their boat shoes. However it wont be long before the kids want the fully turbo-charged feel delivered with the Open Bics well-shaped 4.5-square-meters rig, sail, and nicely foiled blades.

Bottom line: The Open Bic is fast, agile, and buckets of fun for kids uninspired by sailing in the slow lane.

Just when you think that Hobie Cat Co. has covered whats possible in beach-cat innovation, their design/engineering crew comes up with a new twist that reinvents the wheel. The Hobie Bravo is a good case in point.

In a recent visit to Backyard Boats ( www.backyardboats.com ) in Annapolis, Md., we got a good look at the Bravo. Nearly as narrow as a monohull but still quite stable, this quick-to-launch beach cat packs plenty of get-up-and-go. Its a simple to sail, entry-level boat that fast tracks learning the steer, sheet, and hike trilogy. The boat features a single, midline rudder and roto-molded hulls. The shape of the hulls provides enough lateral plane to allow a crew to make headway to windward.

The narrow (4 feet), 12-foot Bravo uses crew weight and hiking straps to add to the righting moment once the breeze is up. Whats done with webbing on larger cats has been converted to a shallow, rigid deck well on the Bravo. It does raise the weight of the boat to 195 pounds, but it offers comfortable seating plus room for cushions and a cooler. Kids or grown ups can have a Tom Sawyer-Huck Finn type of adventure aboard this fun little sailing machine. Or the family on a beach picnic can set it up and take turns speed reaching along a sandy shoreline.

The furling mast supports a roachy sail with slightly slanted vertical battens, helping to shape the boomless mainsail. The result is convenient sail handling, decent performance, and superior safety. Theres no boom to clobber the crew, and the roller-furled sail and mast are easily stepped in the tripod-like receiver. This interesting set of struts raises the top bearing point of the mast step and spreads rig loads out to the hulls. The furling mainsail offers the ability to reef, a big plus in a building breeze or when teaching children to sail.

Like all of the boats in the Hobie lineup, theres a wide range of specialty parts and fittings that make the boats fast to rig and easy to handle. The kick-up rudder is hung on gudgeons mounted in the center of stern, and just as rig loads have been effectively spread via the tripod step, the energy radiating from the large rudder is spread athwartships via a contoured deck element.

Bottom line: The boat is quick to rig, easy to launch, and responsive to beginners-more experienced sailors will have just as much fun power reaching when the breeze is up.

A pocket-sized club trainer, the Bug is an evolution of the kids trainer/club racer that leverages lessons learned in Optis, Dyers, and Sabots. It pulls together the logic of a stable hull shape and simple-to-sail rig, and puts it all in a cost-effective package.

Lending to its success is designer Jo Richardss ergonomic, roto-molded hull, a fabrication that is as close to zero maintenance as a boat can get. The straight out-of-the-mold polyethylene skin gets a few decals, and theres no wood to refinish or gelcoat to wax. These tough, abrasion-resistant hulls have a bumper boat tolerance thats a big plus when it comes to kids learning to sail. Best of all, owners can start with a learn-to-sail rig and upgrade to a more performance-oriented mast and sail package (41 or 56 square feet) that kicks performance into the fast lane.

Oars and an outboard motor bracket can be added to turn the little sailboat into a dual-purpose dinghy. Even the bow painters means of attachment makes sense-no projecting hardware ready to knick the topsides of unintended contacts. Instead, theres a recessed hole in the stem allowing a line to be lead through and a knot used to keep the painter in place.

Bottom line: Aimed at club programs and families look for boats that can be transported on the car top, the Bug is easy to rig and definitely kid friendly. The fact that its manufacturer, Laser Performance, is an international interest and a major player in the performance dinghy industry means that this boat and its parts will be around for a while.

Photo courtesy of Hobie Cat Co.

Eastport Pram

Chesapeake Light Craft expedites boatbuilding for do-it-yourselfers looking to take their garage-built boats for a sail. The company pre-cuts parts, packs kits with all the materials, epoxy, and paint youll need, and leads homebuilders through a thoroughly detailed stitch-and-glue approach to assembly. Kits are available in various stages of completeness, ranging from plans only to the full package, including sail, hardware, running rigging, and paint.

The Eastport Pram is just shy of 8 feet, and the marine plywood and epoxy construction delivers a boat that weighs in, sans sailing rig, at just 62 pounds. Lighter than the comparatively sized Bug, this stiff, durable dinghy, rows like a real boat and sails comfortably with one or two aboard. In keeping with other good tender attributes, the Pram behaves under tow and is equally amicable when propelled by a small outboard or tacked up an estuary under sail.

Kit boatbuilding continues to have a niche following. Theres also an added-value feature worth noting: On one hand, the builder receives a box of pieces and the result of his or her endeavor leads to an aesthetic and utilitarian dinghy. In addition, the DIY skills the builder develops will be useful in other epoxy bonding, brightwork, or mono-urethane application projects. Such talents will benefit many other boat maintenance endeavors.

Whats hard to quantify is the sense of accomplishment derived from sailing a boat that you have built yourself. When the project is tackled in tandem with a child, spouse, or friend, the memories and the boat will last.

Bottom line: With neither sidedecks or a sealed hull, this is not a boat thats easy to recover from a capsize. So once the kids favor on-the-edge sailing in a building breeze, a non swamping, easier-righting boat is probably a better option. The Pram can then be put to use by their appreciative parents or grandparents.

Never in their wildest dreams did Bruce Kirby and Ian Bruce imagine that the Weekender (the Lasers original name) was destined to become an Olympic class sailboat and one of the most popular springboards for top-tier sailors in the world today. Originally envisioned as a car-topper for weekend campers, the cat-rigged, low freeboard sailing dinghy morphed from its original roots into a boat favored by college competitors and revered by generations of agile sailors of all ages. Even frostbiting winter sailors have locked onto the Laser.

Designed in 1969, the Lasers first few years were anything but smooth sailing. Popularity grew quickly, but along with the limelight came plenty of consternation. Dubbed a surfboard not a sailboat by a growing cross-section of the yachting elite-many parents warned junior sailors to steer as clear of Lasers as they did sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. The campaign failed, and junior sailors in yacht club programs around the country fell into the grip of the new one-design dinghy-discovering the sailboats proclivity to plane.

Dyer Dhows languished in boat sheds across the country as a new theme in sailing took hold. Dubbed fast is fun by sailor/engineer Bill Lee, the young Merlin of Santa Cruz, Calif., took the theme to big-boat sailing, merging California culture with the Laser logic of light displacement and planing hull shapes.

Best of all, the Laser embraced the ideal of a tightly controlled one-design class that put people on the water in identical boats and left winning and losing races up to sailing skill and tactics rather than a boats performance edge. For decades, the boat has been the single-handed sailors choice among junior sailing programs, and with the addition of the Radial, 4.7 and M rigs, smaller competitors have also found the boat to be a great sailing platform. Today, theres some lawyer saber-rattling over the sale of the design rights, but the boat remains more popular than ever.

The sleeved sail, two-part spar, daggerboard, and kick-up rudder make the boat a quick-to-rig and fast-to-get underway dinghy. Light-air efficiency is good for a one-design sailboat, but this means that as the breeze builds, the non-reefable sail can become a handful in a hurry. In fact, the boats Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde demeanor is what builds talent among Laser practitioners. The big boys block the mainsail and blast off for the layline, while lighter sailors heavy-weather tactics include more nuanced de-powering and feathering. In light air, the tables turn, and the winner is often the sailor who planes quickest on the reaches. The old guards surfboard slam may have held some credence after all.

Bottom line: The Laser is a timeless classic thats easily transported and is built for performance. Its well suited to adrenaline-seeking teens as well as the more fit adult crowd.

Designed in 1947 by Floridian Clark Mills, the utilitarian Optimist could be made out of two sheets of plywood-and from its inception, the Optimist was meant to link kids with the water. Slipping into obscurity in the U.S., the little pram found fertile ground to grow in northern Europe. With just a few tweaks, the Scandinavians took Millss lines and parlayed them into whats become the favored junior sailing trainer for kids from Detroit to Timbuktu. Statistics show that there are about 30 builders worldwide putting out approximately 4,000 boats each year. With about 130,000 boats class registered and an estimated 300,000 total hulls built (amateur and pro), theres plenty of reasons to get excited about an Opti.

The example weve chosen is the USA-built McLaughlin boat, both a demonstration of high-quality FRP construction and modern manufacturing techniques. Its also a boat that can be purchased in a range of performance-inducing iterations-upgrades designated as club, intermediate, advanced, and professional versions. Like all performance sailboats, stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio is important. But class rules include a minimum weight, so the most competitive hulls meet the mandatory lower limit but use good engineering and building technique to reinforce the daggerboard slot and mast step and produce overall stiffness.

The low mast height and high aspect ratio sprit sail is very versatile, affording young (and small, 65 to 130 pounds) sailors a wide window of decent performance. The flat bottom, slab-sided hull is responsive to crew weight-driven trim changes, and the better the sailor, the more agile they become. Light-air performance is all about minimizing wetted surface and maximizing sail area projection. When the breeze starts to kick up, the sailor becomes the ballast, and the art of hiking, sheet handling, and tiller wiggling come into play.

Under careful adult supervision, two 6- to 8-year-olds can double-hand the friendly little dinghy, or one more-confident child can solo sail it. In fact, introducing kids to sailing with similar proportioned small prams has been a right of passage around for decades. A set of oarlock gudgeons can turn the pram into a functional dinghy thats also adaptable to the smaller Torqeedo outboard (www.torqeedo.com).

McLaughlin also markets a Roto-molded polyethylene version of the Opti and sells DIY kits for those who want to create their own wood version.

Bottom line: The Opti is like a first bicycle without the need for training wheels. The fact that at the last Olympics, over 80 percent of the winning sailors had gotten their start in an Optimist speaks well to the value of messing around in this particular dinghy.

Designed in 1951 by ice boaters Alexander Bryan and Cortland Heyniger, the hard chine Sunfish was the prototype board boat. In 1959, it made the transition into fiberglass, and over the following half-century, more than a quarter-million hulls would hit the water. Simplicity and decent sailing attributes combined with an attractive price to make the Sunfish the most popular one-design dinghy ever raced.

Far more than a platform for racers, these boats are an excellent training tool for sailors of all ages. Also built by Laser Performance, they reflect the fun of summer and put sailors in close contact with the water on which they sail. Its no surprise that the larger fleets coincide with warm water and many see going for a swim to be part and parcel of the low-freeboard experience.

The lateen rig is in keeping with the overall design concept and simplifies rigging. A short stub of a mast is stepped and a single halyard hoists the sail along with tilting V-shaped upper and lower booms.

The total sail area is nearly the same as the Laser, but the halyard hoist versatility of the lateen rig make it a handy beach boat and a little less daunting when the wind begins to build. The clean sail shape on one tack and deformation caused by the mast on the other tack are a slight drawback. The Laser rig is more efficient, but when caught out in a squall, its nice to be able to ease the halyard and dump the sail. Its also handy to be able to leave the boat tethered to a mooring, and the doused sail and short mast make it possible.

Multiple generations of sailors are often found sailing Sunfish, and the boat represents one of the best bargains to be found in the used boat market. When considering a pre owned boat, the potential buyer needs to take a close look at the daggerboard-to-hull junction and mast step, points where previous damage can create hard-to-fix leaks.

Bottom line: The Sunfish is a great beach boat that can turn a hot afternoon into a fun-filled water experience.

There were no losers in this group, and picking winners and runners-up proved a difficult task. The outcome had to be based on assumptions about how these boats would be used. For example, parents with a competitive 9-year-old who swims like a fish, always sprints for the head of the lunch line, and likes to steal bases in Little League probably have an Opti racer in the making. Less competitive junior sailors-future cruisers in the making-will do better learning aboard a Bug. Many newly formed sailing clubs target the boat as their trainer of choice.

The Bravo holds plenty of appeal for those with a lakeside cottage or a favored campground destination. Whether its a solo sail just before sunset or a fun race on Sunday, the quick to set up and put away features are a plus, and for those who feel that two hulls are better-the Bravo will hold plenty of appeal.

Serious competitors can campaign a Laser for life, and whether youre headed for a local district regatta or getting ready for the Olympic trials, the hull, rig, and sail remains identical-sort of like the Monaco Grand Prix being raced in a street legal Mustang.

Bic Opens new little speedster tickled our fancy, and as a trainer/performance boat crossover, it drew a strong nod of approval. Watching the junior sailors smiles as they sailed their Open Bics endorsed our opinion.

And if there is any boat that defines the essence of summer, the Sunfish takes the prize.

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• Sailboat Guide

Optimist Dinghy (Int)

Optimist Dinghy (Int) is a 7 ′ 8 ″ / 2.3 m monohull sailboat designed by Clark Mills and built by Hartley Boats, Phileas Boats, La Prairie, Winner Boats S. L., Johnson Boat Works, SIBMA Navale Italiana, Performance Sailcraft, Far East Boat Co., Xtreme Sailing Products, McConaghy Boats, LaserPerformance, Nautivela, and Zim Sailing starting in 1947.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Immensely popular youth trainer, designed for and built by a large number of home builders. The list shown here can only represent a small fraction of past and current professional builders.

U.S. Optimist Dinghy Assn. P.O. Box 150127 222 E. Westmonte Dr. #101 Almonte Springs, FL 21401 407-774-7880 Fax: 407-774-6440

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The 5 Best Sailboats For Beginners

Sailing is a fun activity for people of all experience levels. In fact, learning to sail a basic boat is relatively easy—in the right environment, you can start cruising with minimal experience.

However, the idea of a beginner commanding a 55-foot ketch in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is a bit ridiculous. Even though virtually everyone can sail, beginners should learn the basics in a controlled environment—and on the correct boat.

Boat size doesn’t necessarily affect its beginner-friendliness, because sailors need to take into account factors such as rig simplicity and handling characteristics. 

Many beginners make the mistake of picking the wrong boat to begin with, which can lead to frustration and turn them off of sailing forever.

To mitigate these issues, this article will cover the best sailboats for beginners —so you can get on the water and start sailing safely and comfortably.

Table of contents

‍ Best Rigs for Beginners 

There are many types of sailboat rigging , and some are more beginner-friendly than others. Unfortunately, some of the most aesthetically pleasing rigs are also the most complicated. 

Eventually, sailors can acquire enough skill to master complex rigs, but it’s best to start simple. 

Arguably, one of the simplest sailing rigs is the Lateen Rig. This rig consists of a mast, boom, and spar, along with a single halyard and mainsheet. With only two ropes in its simplest configuration, the Lateen Rig makes an excellent starter sailboat, and it will be featured on this list. 

For larger boats, the Bermuda Sloop rig is an excellent choice. This rig is quite common and includes a jib for a larger sail plan.

For those who desire a slightly more robust (but single sail) layout, the gaff-rigged catboat is also an excellent choice. This versatile craft (and rig) has a large and relatively simple single sail, which is easier to handle than multiple sails.

Top Five Sailboats for Beginners 

Now, we’ll go over the top five sailboats for beginners . These boats will descend in order from smallest to largest, but not by the level of experience needed.  

Remember, just because you’re new to sailing doesn’t mean you have to settle for a boat that’s too small. Beginners can handle larger boats with some training, and some are easier to handle than their smaller counterparts.  ‍

The following boats were chosen because of their handling characteristics, low cost-of-ownership, and simplicity, as all of these factors are important for choosing the best beginner sailboat.

5) Sailing Dinghy

The sailing dinghy is the quintessential starter sailboat. These tiny, lightweight, popular, and highly affordable little craft is easy to operate and relatively difficult to capsize. The popular Optimist Sailing Dinghy, while designed for children up to the age of about 15, can be used (sometimes hilariously) by adults as well. An Optimist-style dingy is a great option for beginners over the age of 15, as boats of this style can be found in a variety of sizes. The sailing dinghy is a very popular youth racing sailboat, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom. While it’s not particularly fast, this little boat has wonderful handling characteristics and is relatively difficult to capsize. This open-cockpit boat uses a centerboard and detachable tiller and can be beached or carried atop a car without much hassle. The mast is removable, and all parts are easily stowed. Overall, the Optimist and its copycats are a remarkable little craft, equally useful as a tender for a larger boat or a standalone beginner sailboat.

Dinghy rigs vary between builders, but many use the simple Spirit Rig. The rig consists of a single sail and mainsheet, along with one mast, boom, and spar. The leech is stiffened by battens, and ties along the luff secure it all to the mast. Hoisting and securing the rig is easy, and lines are secured to the boat by a cleat. This simple rig has plenty of sail area for most places, and sailors can secure the mainsheet to a block or simply hold it in their hands.

The price of sailing dinghies can vary widely depending on multiple factors. Professionally-made sailing dinghies start around $3,500 new, and plywood kits are available for around $1,000 to $2,000. Used dinghies (including Optimist sailing dinghies) can be found on Craigslist for as low as a few hundred dollars. 

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The Sunfish is a brilliant little sailboat, and a very fast boat indeed. This little racing dinghy, while only 13 feet in length, can be an enormous amount of fun for beginners and experienced sailors alike. The best way to describe the handling of a Sunfish is, ‘tender,’ though it’s not difficult to master this little boat. For its size, the Sunfish has a relatively large sail area and a very shallow draft. This boat has a small cockpit and can be controlled easily by a single person. The large sail plan of the Lateen-Rigged Sunfish makes for excellent performance in light winds and amazing speed on windy days. The Sunfish is a lightweight fiberglass boat with a simple rig and is a great step-up from a sailing dinghy. It’s possible to learn how to sail on this boat, but every sailor who’s spent time on a Sunfish will probably recommend bringing a towel. The boat is relatively easy to capsize for beginners and it heels aggressively, but these characteristics can teach sailors some important lessons. The heeling characteristics of the Sunfish can help beginners get accustomed to the feeling and help them understand the limits of a sailboat and how to avoid capsizing.

The Sunfish features a Lateen Rig, which has some shared characteristics with the simple Spirit Rig. The Lateen Rig has a single spar, mast, and boom, and is easy to set up and dismantle. The mast is removable as well, making stowing and transportation relatively easy. The large sail plan of the Sunfish makes it ideal for lakes and other areas where the wind is sporadic or very low, and the boat can be safely handled in many conditions. The boat is great for racing and learning and is also available in a Bermuda rig. The Sunfish is recognizable by the distinctive fish logo in the top corner of the sail, and the classic rainbow sails striping.

The Sunfish is still commercially manufactured. You can purchase one new from the factory for around $5,000 today, and options are available to make the boat your own. While the boat is designed to be sailed by a single person, two adults can purchase this boat and use it together comfortably. Used Sunfish prices vary, but a fully-outfitted boat in good condition can cost upwards of $1,000. They hold their value well, and they’re a great choice for beginners. 

{{boat-info="/boats/vanguard-laser"}}

The Laser is considered by many to be the Sunfish’s main competitor. The two boats are the same length (13 feet 9 inches) and share many of the same handling characteristics. However, the boats do have some notable differences. Many people consider the Laser to be a step-up from the Sunfish in difficulty, as the boat handles much more like a racer. The Laser has been used in the Olympics for racing. The laser is small and simple enough for beginners but requires skill to operate. Beginners can learn a lot from sailing a Laser and have an enormous amount of fun in the process. This fast little boat is simple and easy to set up but handles like a racecar.  If you’re a beginner on a laser, you’ll probably capsize at some point—which isn’t always a problem if you’re in a controlled environment, as the boat can be righted easily.

The laser is a Cat Rigged boat. This means it has only one mainsail and no headsails. The simple rig has a mast and a boom and is very easy to set up. The sail area of the laser is relatively large and designed for speed in high winds. The rig combined with the overall design of the sailboat makes it handle tenderly, which may be off-putting to some beginners. Regardless, it’s still a blast to sail for beginners with some experience.

New Laser sailboats start around $6,000 which is slightly more than the Sunfish. This simple centerboard cruiser is constructed as a race boat, which can explain some of the price increase. Used Laser sailboats are available on the market, though usually not as common as the Sunfish. Used Laser prices vary widely.

2) Gaff-Rigged Catboat

The gaff-rigged catboat isn’t a brand of boat—it’s a style of a sailboat that was once a popular workboat on the New England coast. This boat, which has only one mainsail and no headsails, is available in a wide range of designs. Catboats are famous for their handling and power and make a great sailboat for beginners. These vessels are available with centerboards, keels, cabins, and in open designs. Most catboats range from 15 to 19-feet long and can be built from wood or fiberglass. Catboats are easy to handle, and one who learns on a small catboat can easily transition to a larger one. Besides being one of the most easily recognizable sailboats, catboats are also some of the most versatile. A catboat can be just as suitable for lake cruising as it is for coastal waters.

The most common type of catboat rig is the Gaff Rig. This classic and robust rig is more complex than the simple Spirit and Lateen rig, but it’s more suitable for a ‘proper ship.’ The Gaff Rig can provide similar power as an equivalent Bermuda Rig, with much more elegance and a shorter mast. Many sailors prefer the classic Gaff Rig for its handling characteristics and durability.

It’s impossible to specify the price of catboats because they vary so much in design and size. New catboats (between 15 and 25-feet) can be purchased for less than $20,000, and used boats are numerous and varied. Cabin catboats tend to cost more, especially new—some run for more than $50,000 with a high level of amenities, including a head and galley. Numerous catboat plans are available online, and sailors report constructing them (usually of plywood) for just a few thousand dollars.

1) West Wight Potter 19

{{boat-info="/boats/west-wight-potter-19"}}

The West Wight Potter 19 is a fiberglass sailboat designed for safety, easy handling, and beginner-friendliness. This 19-foot trailer-sailor features a cabin with a vee-berth, a simple rig, and a retractable keel. The West Wight Potter 19 could potentially be the best cabin sailboat for beginners, and certainly one of the safest—the West Wight Potter 19, according to the manufacturer, is quite literally unsinkable. The hull is filled with buoyant materials, allowing the boat to be flooded and remain afloat. However, unsinkability isn’t the only characteristic of this boat that makes it ideal for beginners. The rig is simple and easy to set up, and the handling characteristics are excellent. The boat is not prone to aggressive heeling and handles confidently in a variety of conditions. While one generally wouldn’t consider it to be a blue-water cruiser, it’s still extremely capable—one sailor even sailed this vessel from California to Hawaii , which is over 2,000 nautical miles. The theoretical hull speed of this boat is around 5.4 knots, but it actually has a tendency to plane and achieve higher speeds. It’s a flat-bottomed cruiser, making it easy to beach and transport with its retractable keel and removable rudder. The West Wight Potter 19 is a great introduction to large sailboats and carries amenities normally reserved for boats at least 1/3 larger.

The West Wight Potter 19 is a Bermuda-Rigged sloop. The sail plan is sufficiently large to propel the boat in a variety of conditions, but not so large that it overpowers the boat. Sailors can single-hand the boat with ease, and set up and takedown are easy and require no special tools. The boat handles well in a variety of conditions and is well-known for its superior stability. The rig comes apart easily and can be stowed and trailered by one person.

The West Wight Potter 19 has been produced and sold commercially since the 1970s, and the used market has plenty of boats available, generally starting around $5,000. New West Wight Potter 19 sailboats are remarkably affordable compared to other boats with comparable characteristics. The West Wight Potter 19 is manufactured by International Marine in California. New sailboats start at just shy of $25,000. Owners can add an enormous range of extra features to their boats, including a hull-strengthening ‘blue water’ package, a stove, a head, electrical power, spare parts, and much more. The boats are highly customizable and can be outfitted for weekender sailing or long-term liveaboard cruising.

How to Pick a Sailboat

Picking a sailboat for beginners doesn’t have to be difficult.  Before deciding on a boat, consider your experience level and location.

If you only have access to rough ocean, it may not be the best idea to get an open dinghy.

If you live near a lake, a Sunfish could be a great way to start.

Also, consider your budget. If you’re looking for a $50 sailboat, you can probably find one, but it won’t be ideal.

If you have just a few thousand dollars to spend, you can set yourself up nicely with a little research .

Also, consider what you want to do with the sailboat. Recreation, fishing , cruising , and exploration are options, and require different kinds of boats.

Whichever you end up choosing, make sure you try it out and can sail it comfortably.

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Fighter Optimist

We are thrilled to announce that Zim Sailing is now the exclusive importer of Fighter Optimists for North America! This top-of-the-line Optimist is brought to you by Slawomir Baranowski, the builder behind the original BlueBlue, BlueMagic, and Blue2 boats. The Fighter is his latest evolution of the racing Optimist, and is taking the European market by storm! The Fighter has been selected as the boat of choice for the Polish National Team, and was sailed by Team Ukraine to 2nd place at Team Racing Worlds last year (losing out to Team USA's raw talent). We have spent several months researching the best Optimist builders in the market, discussed options with the top coaches in the game, traveled to Poland to see the factory, and have determined that the Fighter will be a fantastic racing Optimist for our customers that are ready to compete at the top of the class.

Key Features

• Laser-Aligned Foils
• Sharpened Edges
• Handcrafted with biaxial cloth to produce a superior, stiff hull
• 48L Airbags
• 4:1 Mainsheet System
• Double tapered sheet
• Spliced top blocks from West Coast Sailing Rig Shop
• Soft-attach forward hull-mounted block to allow for easy maintenance
• Swivel base with Harken 57mm Ratchet Block
• Athlete's choice of MK3 / MK4 / BlackGold Spars
• Athlete's choice of J Sail / OneSail
• Customized nonskid pattern to allow for smooth bailing while retaining grip when screaming downwind

Fighter Foils

• Flex Daggerboard (under 40kg) or Medium Daggerboard (over 40kg)
• Fighter Rudder + Tiller and Extension

Press Release

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In addition to crafting the world's best Optimists, Fighter is producing championship-level foils with two levels of daggerboard available. These are extremely high quality blades, handcrafted to a glossy finish level, fine trailing edge, and optimized bottom corners.  The Flex daggerboard is designed for athletes less than 40kg, and the Medium for those above.  The Fighter Rudder includes Optiparts fittings, tiller, and extension.

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Hatteras Sailing

encouraging youth sailing and competitive opportunities

Optimist Class Sailboats

Why does Hatteras Sailing sail the Optimist Class?

The Optimist Class sailboat has been the standard for youth and junior sailing programs for decades. The class was launched in 1947, and has a long history as the training boat on which the world’s best sailors learn the basics. The boat was designed and first built in Clearwater, Florida but quickly traveled to Europe and throughout the world. The International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) was formed in 1965 and remains one of the most active racing classes in sailing. There are many reasons for a juniors program to adopt the Optimist Class as the training boat for young first time sailors.

Optimist is a deceivingly humble class. An uninformed observer may look at an optimist and see a little kids pram, but an optimist is a fairly high performance little dinghy, and the rigging is cleverly adjustable. From that angle, the Optimist is the unsung hero of junior sailing, and just skirts the line between safety, simplicity, and performance.

Hatteras Sailing chooses to sail the optimist for the same reasons thousands of other sailing and yacht clubs worldwide:

Availability of boats, gear, and competition

Sailboats are expensive. They are expensive to own and expensive to maintain. For a community sailing program, like Hatteras Sailing, it is a prudent decision to choose a boat that is very popular with a long history. This means there is a larger market of used gear and boats which is more affordable for a community supported program.

Many opportunities for racing locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally

Because the Optimist Class has such a long and well established class association (IODA), there are many more opportunities to sail against other competitive sailors in an Opti versus other training dinghy designs. Optimist is just the standard worldwide. If any of our sailors show exceptional talent, more opportunities for more competitive racing helps our club develop that talent.

It is ideal for a sailor to remain in the Opti class as long as physically possible.

The IODA allows sailors to remain in the optimist class up to 15 years of age. The relative simplicity of the Opti class allows sailors to focus on understanding the fundamentals of sailing – wind, current, physics, weather, and the physical and mental multitasking required to make expert sailors. The competition is intense, worldwide sailing opportunities are prevalent, and the sailors learn and practice racing tactics and strategies becoming experts at very young ages. By the time a sailor is ready to graduate Opti class, these fundamental skills should be well developed allowing the sailor to transition into team sailing and more boat complexity on a strong foundation of more fundamental skills.

What gear and equipment does an Optimist Class sailboat need to be competitive?

There is a fair amount of gear an Optimist sailor needs for his/her boat to be legal for racing, but also to be competitive. In this article, we are going to outline the rigging and gear. There many other accessories such as watches, wind instruments, etc which are legal in racing that are not particularly unique to Opti sailing and, while nice to have, those will not be covered here.

Optimist Boat & Gear

• Tiller and tiller extension
• Daggerboard
• Spars: mast and boom
• Mainsheet blocks and rigging
• Bow line /Painter
• Daggerboard securing bungee & rigging

Personal Gear

• Dinghy Sailing booties
• Good watch with timer

Hatteras Sailing currently only has one dolly which we share among all 8 of our boats. Within this fall season, it is our goal to raise enough funds to have a dolly for each boat. Our team also needs a travel trailer which will hold all of our competition Optis, gear, dollies, and rigs.

How much does it cost to buy and equip a new Optimist Class sailboat to perform at the highest level?

A brand new Pro Level Opti equipped for international level racing with a full set of gear and accessories can be purchased new for around $5000. Club level boats can be found for less and the largest manufacturer also sells re-certified refurbished hulls in good as new condition.

A sailboat “class” is a written specification agreed and maintained by the sailors of the class. Most sailboat class associations will allow any builder to manufacture to the class standard, and provide certification services to builders who wish to produce sailboats for the racing class. This is true of the Opti Sailboat Class.

There are many manufacturers for the Optimist class, and the competitive differences between boats are fairly minimal. However, the gear, sails, and rigging can be a significant difference to a sailor’s performance. Currently, our club has a set of 7 borrowed optimists that belong to the Colington Yacht Club and most were built by McGlaughlin.

Many clubs build their own Optis and request a certification of their boats. There are advantages to a ‘build your own program’. Clubs may choose to build because it offers a significant bonding and educational experience for both the parents and sailors. An Opti can be built in wood or in fiberglass. If you build an Opti from fiberglass, it is helpful to have a certified mold and then each boat is racing class. The builder of the mold gets a manufacturer’s certificate and issued a builder number, etc.

Owning your gear and accessories

Our club has a set of 8 hulls (7 borrowed, 1 owned) in pretty good condition and well maintained. Our club eventually does need to purchase its own boats.

Currently, sailors in the Hatteras Sailing program do not need to buy a boat to participate or to be competitive. However, as our sailors improve and succeed in regional racing, having a really great boat that belongs to you is something that every competitive sailor eventually wants. Sailboats like Optis resell for pretty good value. A great Opti purchased for $5000 may sell in 7 years for $2500 – $3000.

When a sailor makes it onto the Hatteras Sailing Invitational Team, they earn the right to choose a club hull and label that hull with their own name. In essence, for as long as they remain on the team, that boat is assigned to the sailor, and that sailor should race, equip, and maintain that the boat as their own.

Equipping your boat

There is considerable wear and tear on gear that is used during practice, etc, and keeping a secondary set of gear preserved for racing is a good strategy. This could mean purchasing or making your sailor a new set of racing sails, boards, rigging, and even spars that they only use for racing.

Any personally owned racing gear belongs to the sailor and is not used by other club members during practice or scrimmage. It can be kept at home and preserved in good condition. Accessories and gear can be augmented and improved by the sailor’s family, preserved in very good racing condition, and sold later to another sailor. All our invitational sailors are invited to have their own gear, but not required to do so.

Article References & Links

Windcheck Article

McGlaughlin

IODA Website

- TRUE GAME CHANGER

Our main goal was to design extremly fast and dry boat… the results surpassed our highest expectations.

The ultimate optimist boat, fighter dinghy.

Why is the boat so fast and dry at the same time?

This design embodies our deep understanding of the Optimist rule space. An aggressive approach to maximize the benefit of moving crew weight longitudinally both upwind and downwind helps the boat to pinch through waves and get in planing mode much faster. 

The concept has already proven unrivaled performance across a broad range of conditions; able to perform well in light flat waters and windy high seas.  

Fighter is a new line of products, which was born out of the passion for Optimist sailing.

Fighter Optimist Dinghy Boat Full Set

Kit: Fighter Foils Pro Rudderblade + Tiller + Extension

Kit: Fighter Foils Pro Rudderblade + Daggerboard + Tiller + Extension

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WE SHIP WORLDWIDE! We charge the actual cost of shipping. You may email us for a shipping cost estimate. intensitysails(at sign)gmail.com US$10 MINIMUM ORDER 493 COMMENTS SKU: MC1 McLaughlin Optimist SKU: MC1 McLaughlin Optimist. McLaughlin Optimist. The only Optimist hand built in the United States by experts for over 25 years. McLaughlin has built World Champion hulls for years and have put in the hard work to come out on top. With the stiffest hulls available, minimum weight guaranteed, and best rigging options available, these boats are ... Optimist Buying Guide New complete Opti packages start at around $2700 while used Optis range from $500 on up depending on age, condition, and accessories. A third option is called a "chartered" or "event" Optimist. Think of these as demos, typically used at a few regattas by good sailors. Optimist (dinghy) Optimist (dinghy) The Optimist is a small, single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by young people up to the age of 15. The Optimist is one of the two most popular sailing dinghies in the world, with over 150,000 boats officially registered with the class and many more built but never registered. It is sailed in over 120 countries [1] and ... Optimist Boats for sale The Optimist dinghy is the most popular type of racing sailboat for juniors up to 15 years of age. The Optimist has been designed to be safe, durable and competitive. The skills that the Optimist fosters can be directly translated into other classes later on. Pricing includes boat, sails, mast, rigging, tiller, dagger board, etc (new boat package). Optimist Call for more info 954 235 2674. This Boat is ready to sail . This product DO NOT qualify for FREE SHIPPING. Call us if need more info. Sku: Proopti. Sorry! This product is currently out of stock. Tags : Optimist Optimist Sailboat Pro Racer Optimist. $5,299.00. OPTIMIST DINGHY (INT) U.S. Optimist Dinghy Assn. P.O. Box 150127 222 E. Westmonte Dr. #101 Almonte Springs, FL 21401 407-774-7880 Fax: 407-774-6440 ... 1997), states that a boat with a BN of less than 1.3 will be slow in light winds. A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising ... OPTIMIST DINGHY SPEED GUIDE The pram-style Optimist is a great starter boat for learning to sail and later learning to race, and youth sailors can literally take their Optimist Di. The Worldwide Leader in Sailmaking . Skip to text ... used boats may need gelcoat dings and scratches repaired. A fully outfitted new boat may run $5,500, while a good used boat costs 30 to 40 ... Zim Club Optimist Zim Optimist sailboats come with a USODA registration, sail number, and one year membership for new members. A great option for fleet purchases! Specifications. Click Here to Request a Quote. You can also reach us at [email protected] or by calling 503-285-5536 ext2. Resources. Why West Coast Sailing. Optimist Class The Optimist dinghy is the world's most popular sailboat for children. North Sails offers multiple sail designs to match your sailor's weight and wind conditions. North has two styles of optimist sails. The Crossover Mainsail is an entry-level sail designed for beginners. This mainsail will carry beginners from their first days on the water ... Optimist Sailboat Resources The Optimist sailboat, affectionately known as the Opti, is a popular and iconic single-handed dinghy designed specifically for young sailors. Renowned for its simplicity, stability, and ease of use, the Optimist has become a staple in youth sailing programs worldwide. With a distinctive pram-like hull and a single, sprit-rigged sail, this ... Optimist Sailboats The Optimist dinghy (Opti) is one of the world's most popular sailboats for youth training and racing, with an active regatta circuit and great competition from green fleet to the most competitive world class regattas. Zim Sailing offers race ready Optimist sailboats in a variety of options, including Club and Race spec boats and the regatta winning Pro Opti by Fighter. Opti sailboats for sale by owner. Opti preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Opti used sailboats for sale by owner. McLaughlin Optimist May 12, 2023. US One-Design, Inc, a leading importer and reseller of performance one-design dinghies, gear and accessories has acquired North American's only manufacturer of Optimist Dinghies, McLaughlin Boat Works. Having pioneered much of the performance technology used on today's Optimists, McLaughlin Boat Works has been the leading ... Practical Sailor Reviews Seven Performance-Sailing Dinghies With about 130,000 boats class registered and an estimated 300,000 total hulls built (amateur and pro), theres plenty of reasons to get excited about an Opti. The example weve chosen is the USA-built McLaughlin boat, both a demonstration of high-quality FRP construction and modern manufacturing techniques. Optimist Dinghy (Int) The higher a boat's D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more. Formula. D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³ D: Displacement of the boat in pounds. LWL: Waterline length in feet Why choose a McLaughlin Optimist Sailboat? SAVE & ACCEPT. Every McLaughlin Optimist sailboat is built for durability. We constantly refine our processes to ensure the highest results and quality for our sailors. The 5 Best Sailboats For Beginners The following best sailboats for beginners were chosen because of their handling characteristics, low cost-of-ownership, and simplicity. ... An Optimist-style dingy is a great option for beginners over the age of 15, as boats of this style can be found in a variety of sizes. The sailing dinghy is a very popular youth racing sailboat, especially ... Fighter Opti We are thrilled to announce that Zim Sailing is now the exclusive importer of Fighter Optimists for North America! This top-of-the-line Optimist is brought to you by Slawomir Baranowski, the builder behind the original BlueBlue, BlueMagic, and Blue2 boats. The Fighter is his latest evolution of the racing Optimist, and is taking the European ... Optimist Class Sailboats The Optimist Class sailboat has been the standard for youth and junior sailing programs for decades. The class was launched in 1947, and has a long history as the training boat on which the world's best sailors learn the basics. The boat was designed and first built in Clearwater, Florida but quickly traveled to Europe and throughout the world. Optimist Club Optimist. The Zim Club Opti utilizes the same hull as our Pro Optimist. Our spar and blade package make this an affordable and high quality entry-level Optimist dinghy for beginners, yacht clubs, and other learn to sail programs. Zim Optimist sailboats come with a USODA registration, sail number, and one year membership for new members. Fighter This design embodies our deep understanding of the Optimist rule space. An aggressive approach to maximize the benefit of moving crew weight longitudinally both upwind and downwind helps the boat to pinch through waves and get in planing mode much faster. The concept has already proven unrivaled performance across a broad range of conditions ... Parts & Sails for Optimist Intensity Sails Bow Bumper for the Optimist Dinghy Price: $40.00 Sale price: $29.99: Gription Hiking Strap for the Optimist Price: $39.99 Sale price: $25.99: 3 pack of Flotation Bags for the Opti ... You may email us for a shipping cost estimate. Send us email intensitysails(at sign)gmail.com Guide to Optimist Racing Spars SAVE & ACCEPT. McLaughlin Boat Works is the world's largest Optimist charter provider, and we see all the major Optimist racing spars sets in action. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht