Optimist Sails

Red: For Sailors under 80 pounds.

Light Blue: For Sailors from 80 to 95 pounds.

Blue: For Sailors over 95 pounds.

Olimipic Sails have come to dominate the national and world stage in the last two years. If you travel around to various regattas, you'll notice that the Olimpic is the choice for most of the top competiors. Unlike North and Tio, Olimpic has, I believe, abandoned the "big boat" approach to building Optimist sails. Where as I believe that North and Tio have set out to build the fastest Optimist sail possible, I believe Olimpic has built the fastest companion to the Optimist sailor. Confused? Olimpic has abandoned the idea that perfect shape and very low stretch will yield the fastest sail, the "big boat" approach. They have passed on super low stretch cloth and patented a cloth that does stretch slightly. The idea is that Optimist sailors aren't always going to anticipate a puff, ease an inch, hike, and trim an inch, then repeat the cycle 50 times on the beat. An Olimpic sail, in the same puff, stretches ever so slightly along the vertical axis, opening the leach, mimicking the act of easing and trimming. The active leach results in a sail that is easier to trim, and astonishingly fast.

VA 9: For Sailors under 75 pounds.

VA 10: For Sailors from 75 to 110 pounds.

VA 11:  For Sailors over 110 pounds.

North Sails is a world leader in one design sails, a sail making monster of the 1st degree. Their reputation for fast, quality sails is a given in the sailing world. In the past, their various Optimist sails have met with varying degrees of success, ranging from good to excellent. The North VA has not yet met with massive success in the US but, it has only been available as the "VA" for about a year. This sail is best for sailors with superior trimming and helming skills.

Light:  For Sailors under 75 pounds.

Medium: For Sailors from 75 to 110 pounds

Heavy: For Sailors over 110 pounds

Toni Tio has been, and I think shall remain, the benchmark for Optimist sails. This is a loft committed to supplying Optimist sailors with the fastest possible sails. The Tio and the North VA are very similar. I have found that both the cut and the fabric are similar, giving roughly equal performance characteristics. Tio sails have proven themselves with wins at several World Championships, and have performed very well in the US as well, winning many major events. Like the North VA, the Tio is very fast in the hands of a skilled helmsman.

Light: For Sailors less than 100 pounds.

Medium: For Sailors from 100 to 120 pounds.

Heavy: For Sailors more than 120 pounds.

Omega is the newest competitor in the Optimist game. Conceived with the premise that fast sails can and will be built in the United States, the idea was to cut international shipping charges, customs duties, and continental importers out of the retail price of Optimist sails. Teaming the most successful Optimist builder in North America, a respected custom sail loft, and the best of domestic and foreign sail design, Omega is taking the Optimist world by storm. Make no mistake, this in not a "knock off" sail, it is not mass produced in East Asia, and it does not use substandard materials. Omega's winning sail shape comes from years of development by Peruvian sailmaker Steve Wagner. Omega racing sails are sewn, one at a time, in a custom loft with the same Contender Sail Cloth used by Toni Tio. With only 2 sails competing at the 187 boat Valentine's Day Regatta, an Omega sail won both the Red Fleet and the Overall Championship.

Thanks to McLaughlin Boat Works for helping to make this page a success!

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