Inner-city kids building Optis

There is a great account of a non-profit in New York City called Brooklyn Boatworks that teaches inner-city kids how to loft, build, and sail Optis here in the Winter issue of CY.  What a fine idea!

 

GCB

Couldn't they teach them to make decent boats?

And with the added material comes extra cost, plus the amount of time making it and the skill needed to sail it is enormous!

Dont forget they are "Non Profit" so whatever they make has to be able to pay for itself, or cost very little ... £8000 ish ( If I am remembering correct ) is a LOT for a non profit organisation for inner city kids to pay out.

When you first sailed, were you singlehanded, with the trapeze, in that much boat?

I know you are meant to take people just out of their "comfort zone" when teaching them ... But that would be extreme!

Indeed oppies would be great if they'd stayed what they were supposed to be:

cheap, simple, easy to sail, easy to make, basic boats for tots - to be quickly passed over in favour of a real boat once they'd learnt to sail.

They were never supposed to be any good, just cheap and cheerful.  Instead of which, due to the endless inpouring of lifeblood by various RYA type organisations, instead of having died a natural in favour of something better, the class is alive and well and a "competitive" new oppie costs £1700 (or more with the trimmings).

Like em or not: under 14, want to race or get any training, ; gotta get an oppie.

Don't want to knock these folk - but won't it be sad when they go out to race in their homemade boats and get beat by highly trained, 14yr old, richly parented brats sailing carbon.

Swift solo ... erm evidently not.    But something with a point at the front must surely be possible.

To be fair the optimist association recognise that things have gotten silly (http://www.optiworld.org/ioda-technical.html#ccheap), but RS are still selling £1700 oppies!

Here is a quote from page 39 of the winter '07 issue of Classic Yacht magazine online: "Interestingly, the original hulls were built in plywood, so we have official class plans, allowing these hulls to be measured and actively raced in the future."

source: www.classicyachtmag.com

NickA, it looks like these are original, and built by kids as intended.

 

GCB