In Memoriam - Viggo Jacobsen

Viggo Jacobsen, the founder of the International Optimist Dinghy Association, has died aged 102 in his home town of Aarhus, Denmark.

The 'History' records that: "The International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) was founded at the fourth Regatta in 1965 in Turku in Finland. The first members were Austria, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden and USA, followed shortly by Germany and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).  The new association brought together the work of Viggo Jacobsen, who was elected president, and that of Nigel Ringrose as Vice President.  These two men were to remain in those positions for over 15 years with Viggo's English-born wife Edith as honorary secretary.

Viggo was an ideal president. He had been trained in woodworking and had even owned a small boat-building company before the war.  He had then joined the family paper-merchant business.  As a Dragon sailor – like many of the most influential yachtsman of his generation – he knew one-design sailing. Among other activates he organized the Aarhus Boat Show, the profits of which were used to fund junior sailing (after a loss in the first year).  Bent Lymans comment that he was a 'foreign minister' acquired a wider meaning as he worked tirelessly with the various national groups as the Optimist spread."

When founded, IODA had just seven member countries on two continents: by the time Viggo retired in 1982 it had 44 on all six continents and 30 nations at its Worlds!

In that period, he had overseen such daring innovations as the introduction of tow-straps, metal spars and, critical for the Class, competitive fiberglass hulls. 

"The present Optimist sailors, and all those who sailed in our boat during the last decades, from all around the world, are indebted to Viggo Jacobsen," comments IODA President, Peter Barclay.  "The Optimist Class would not be the class it is today without his early work and dedication as the first President. He lived long enough to see the Class grow, and I am sure he was very proud."

The International Optimist Dinghy Association sends their condolences to his family. Viggo will be remembered fondly for many generations of sailors to come as the founding father of our class association. 

History Courtesy of Robert Wilkes