Everything OK Dinghy Racing Since 1959
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A Brief History of the OKd
In 1957, Axel Dangaard Olsen of Seattle, U.S.A. [and Denmark], approached the Danish yacht designer Knud Olsen to create drawings for a light and fast single-handed sailing dinghy using conventional plywood construction. The resulting design was named the OK Dinghy, derived from Knud Olsen’s initials in reverse (KO would have sent the wrong message).
The OK Dinghy was originally intended as a preparation class for the Olympic Finn and has continuously evolved technically ever since. At times, the OK Dinghy even sets new standards in dinghy racing for single-handers.
Initially, the OK Dinghy sparked something of a revolution, with some national sailing authorities attempting to prohibit it for being ‘not sailable’. However, it soon became clear that it was the sailor who needed to improve, not the boat.
OK Dinghies are constructed from plywood, G.R.P, and composite materials, with all forms enjoying equal success in racing. This freedom of choice extends to rigging, with options for mast, sail, and fittings being entirely open. Consequently, every OK Dinghy can be tailored to suit the owner’s sailing style, while the hull shape adheres to a comprehensive set of rules that ensure a long competitive lifespan. Older boats often only require a rig update and minor modifications to remain competitive, as long as they meet modern buoyancy requirements.
During the 60s and 70s, the OK class experienced explosive success, with the total number of boats exceeding 10,000 and large racing fleets forming. In the 80s, the rise of the popular one-design single-handed Laser affected the success of the OK Dinghy. In Eastern countries, the OK Dinghy served as the official youth single-hander, and following the breakdown of the socialist system, many ‘old’ sailors returned to this class from their youth, now owning their own boats instead of sailing club-owned ones.
Today, we are witnessing a remarkable revival of the OK class. Many older boats are being restored and updated, new boats are being built, and participation in club races is on the rise. The OK Dinghy was selected as the single-hander for the Asian Games in 1998.
This strong comeback can be attributed to the unique characteristics of the International OK Dinghy: a light, responsive sailing dinghy that can be raced in fair and equal competition worldwide, without the pressures of cut-throat Olympic competition, while still appealing to the individual spirit within each sailor. There have also been some quasi-professional business individuals actively involved in developing and executing ambitious marketing plans, effectively bootstrapping the class into the future.
Carbon masts were introduced to the OK Dinghy class in 2003, and the class actively utilizes racing feedback to adjust hull dimensions for a custom fit to each sailor, much like a bespoke suit.
With a strong history behind it, the International OK class is poised for a bright future in the world of dinghy racing.