Thomas Yacht Club fairly roiled this summer with the 70-plus sailors on hand. This was in 1947 and the dinghy, which was made of plywood, was (ready for sailing) not allowed to cost more than US$50." In that way I hoped, that the dinghy would be available for all children, even those who could usually not afford it. I donated the construction to the organization. It appeared that the children learned to sail very quickly in this little dinghy because they felt safe in it. It was seaworthy and sailed extremely well even with heavy cargo. Mills explained his role in the Opti's genesis in an earlier quote: "I got the idea for the shape of the dinghy from the Sharpie, a flat-bottomed boat that had been used for a long time in coastal areas. According to a written tribute printed after his death in December 2001 in Optinews, the official publication of the US Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA), the Clearwater, FL, boatbuilder constructed the kid-friendly dinghy after being given the job by the charitable Optimist Club of America. Where in most other sectors the sport of sailing is experiencing decline in participation, these little square boats appear to be thriving nationally and internationally.Ĭlark Mills first constructed the seven-foot, six-inch flat-bottomed, pram-bowed, 77-pound Optimist dinghy back in 1947. This tropical trend towards Opti expansion is not isolated. Once Optimists are active in one country or region, neighbors see them and think 'why not us too'," says Robert Wilkes, the Ireland-based secretariat for the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA), who visited the event this year to help develop the class in the Caribbean. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), has grown four-fold in participation, sparking Optimist dinghy sailing on several other Caribbean islands. Since its inception a decade ago, this annual junior regatta, hosted by the St. Maarten, Curacao, Martinique, and the British Virgin Islands, which really wasn't a surprise to anyone familiar with the event. ![]() The Netherlands, France, and Great Britain were represented by sailors from St. The 76-boat starting line at the Scotiabank Caribbean International Optimist Regatta (SCIOR) boasted the sail insignias of almost a dozen countries ranging from Bermuda to Venezuela. Coaches leading international teams will also coach at specific USNT practices identified as preparation events for the international regattas.Eager Optimist sailors enjoy a downwind ride at this year's Scotiabank Caribbean Optimist Regatta.The Coach Council creates stronger ties between various programs and teams throughout the U.S. where the Optimist class has a strong presence. It is an advisory board, comprised of coaches who have worked with the USNT over the years and who represent the geographical areas in the U.S. USNT Coach Council - This group was formed in 2015. ![]() USNT Performance Director – The USNT Performance Director is responsible for the overall professional leadership of the USNT and creates curricula for the USNT practices that will challenge sailors of all levels.The team will maintain favorable coach to sailor ratios to ensure that every sailor gets individual attention and meaningful, ongoing feedback. circuit as possible and to integrate international team coaches with the national team program. The USNT Committee works hard to involve as many of the great coaches active in the U.S. The USNT Performance Director designs a comprehensive curriculum for the practices to push the top sailors to the next level of their competitive sailing capabilities.Īmong the core elements of a successful USNT program is world-class coaching. The USNT Committee also works closely with the International Committee to ensure that two practices per year complement the IODA traveling teams and prepare them for their events.Įach season there is a full practice schedule, typically with 4 – 5 practices planned in different regions of the country, often tied to a major USODA or other optimist regatta. ![]() Because sailors can progress dramatically in a six-month period, the USNT entry process includes the addition of sailors following the Spring Team Qualifier event. Overall team size is limited to 36 sailors, not including seniors, to provide opportunities for the top-level sailors to attend high-level, national practices. The USNT season kicks off each year with team selection at Team Trials in late April or early May and runs through Team Trials of the next year.
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