OK Nationals Gear Guide
by Nick Craig 23 Oct 2003 10:10 BST
With the introduction of carbon masts there has been renewed interest in developments in the OK class. However, the class has done everything possible to keep costs down as this is one of the great features of an OK - you can buy a competitive boat for £1000 and race in high quality international fleets (in fact so high quality a Brit has never won the Worlds!)
Proctor & Superspars have both developed fast carbon masts for around £700 which is very reasonable considering the life of a OK mast is 10 years+ because the unstayed rig means it is not under major loads. These masts have already shown their international competitiveness with Jim Hunt finishing 4th at the Europeans with a Proctor mast and Terry Curtis 8th with a Superspar.
Also great news is that home built carbon masts are competitive, with JP Williams producing masts for £650 giving Tony Thresher excellent boatspeed. Tony also showed that 20 year old hulls can be competitive, fantastic news for anyone wanting quality racing on a budget!
There was a good mix of fibreglass and beautiful wooden boats in the fleet you can choose so whether you want low maintenance or something to make your dinghy park neighbours go green with envy!
This year the weight range at the Nationals makes it look like the OK is an exclusively 85-90kg club. However, with flexibility in mast bend & sail shape the OK does not have a narrrow weight range like the Laser. Reigning World Champion Nitin Mongia is 100kg and European Champion Bart Bomans is a lean 80kg - should prove an interesting battle at next years Worlds at Parkstone in the UK!
For further information on the OK class, get in touch with class secretary Andy Turner on andy.turner@essexcc.gov.uk
2003 Nationals Gear:
| Pos | Helm | Weight (kg) | Hull | Age hull | Mast | Boom | Sail | Foils |
|---|
| 1 | Craig | 85 | Rushworth | 1 year | Proctor | Holt | North | Milanes |
| 2 | Hunt | 90 | Rushworth | 1 | Proctor | Holt | North | Milanes |
| 3 | Carroll | 90 | Skipper Rose | 1 | Proctor | | North | |
| 4 | Deaves | 80 | Rushworth | 6 | Needlespar | Needlespar | North NZ | Milanes |
| 5 | Curtis | 84 | Nysted | 6 | Superspar | Needlespar | P&B | Nysted/Curtis |
| 6 | Turner | 80 | Hein | 10 | Proctor | Boyce | North | Milanes |
| 7 | Thresher | 95 | | 20 | Williams | | | |
| 8 | Ball | 90 | | 6 | Proctor | | North | |
| 9 | Rushworth | 90 | Rushworth | 3 | Needlespar | Holt | Gale | Milanes |
| 10 | Goodhead | 80 | Rushworth | 1 | Proctor | | North | Milanes |