The one with the best skipper!

All new Optimists have the same speed potential.

Every parent wants the best for his children and almost every boatbuilder wants to beleive that his boats are faster. But the Optimist Class is dedicated to making sure that all Optimists are the same speed and that its championships are a test of the driver not the vehicle.

Some years ago a tremendous effort went into restoring the Optimist to being a true one-design, as described here. This work continues: IODA has a team of eight volunteer ISAF qualified International Measurers who work at every major IODA event checking not only for Class Rule infringements and safety factors but also monitoring the output of each builder.

Equally every year championship results are analysed for any sign that some makes of boats are faster than others. All the evidence are that there is no such sign.

Looks at these statistics:
2007: Top ten at the Worlds
2006:Top 20 boys and girls at the Europeans
2006: North Americans (and 2004 Worlds)
2005: Top twenty at Worlds and boys' and girls' Europeans

This was achieved despite the efforts of builders to ensure that the best sailors use their make of boat. And why, when charter boats are allocated, the sailor does not get the "choice" of which make he/she sails.

So you may buy a boat:

• because it is cheaper
• because you believe it will last longer (only time will tell)
• because it is built in your country
• because it is prettier

But you should not buy it because it is claimed to be faster.