The OK Dinghy class at the RYA Dinghy Show
by Karen Robertson 21 Feb 14:14 GMT
Dave Bourne's home-built OK dinghy © Dave Bourne
After a year of increased interest in the class, with record numbers of new boats being built in the UK and lots of new faces buying boats ahead of the 2021 World championships coming to the UK, the OK class are looking forward to the 2020 Dinghy Show.
There will be three OK Dinghies on show with Dave Bourne's home-built gorgeous green racing machine being the centrepiece on the OK Class stand (H18), the latest development of the Worlds winning Synergy Marine hull fresh out of their new CNC machine mould on their stand (D22) and the massively popular Ovington boat on their stand (B56). The new builder in the class, JJ Boats, will not be exhibiting but James Jarvey will be on the OK Class stand for a couple of hours between 12:00 and 2:00 on the Saturday to talk about the new boats he is building to the 2019 World Championship-winning Dan Leech design.
The current No. 1 sailor in the OK dinghy world rankings, Thomas Hanssen-Mild from Sweden, will also be at the show as part of a Swedish group coming to see the largest dedicated Dinghy Exhibition in the world. He will be on the stand occasionally and if you are lucky enough to catch him he will be happy to discuss his winning ways and the upcoming 2020 World Championships which is being held in his home waters at Marstrand, Sweden. With entries pouring in from all around the world it promises to be yet another classic OK event with an ever increasing depth of fleet taking part.
The end of the Dinghy Show is also the cut-off date for entries to the early bird prize draw to be held at the 2020 UK National Championships being held at Weymouth Sailing club 25-28 June. To be included in the draw you have to get your paid entry to the National championship in by Sunday 1st March. Online entry is at International OK UK Nationals 2020 | Weymouth Sailing Club
If you are interested in trying out the OK or taking part in the Nationals please come to the OK stand at H18 and ask about the availability of the class demo boat or possible loan boats.