Opti TV

 Although the Optimist class is comprised of children, the fact of the matter is that serious racing happens in the Optimist class and that carries with it needs for equipment and replacement parts. Any sailor or coach worth their salt will tell you that you need a ditty bag or tackle box to carry spare parts and tools in order to keep your Opti up or in case of technicals - breakage - out on the race course.  The historical example of a ditty bag, complete with marlinspike So what should you keep in your ditty bag? At the bare minimum, your ditty bag needs to have tools to repair or adjust parts of your boat. A good set of screwdrivers, of medium length, pliers, and a crescent wrench are absolute musts Example contents of a ditty bag. Note the ample variety of tape, tools and spare line Next, you'd want to add a roll of sail tape, the thick kind, to patch up tears or holes that might happen. I cannot stress the importance of dealing with that sooner rather than later, because a sm

Best Practices And Tips One of the downsides of the Optimist class having such a high level competition is that Optis get worn down through the use that they get relatively quickly. They have quite a few fiddly bits for a children's boat that require looking after and some preventative maintenance, like any boat. We've put together some basic tips that you can use to keep your Opti in racing shape, from keeping your boat clean to spots of wear to look out for. As always if you have questions or want some more tips, feel free to DM us or post a comment below!

 Sail Into The Top Regatta In The Caribbean Last June we went to St Thomas to check out the International Optimist Regatta hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club to see why it has such a legendary status in the Caribbean and USA. Since 1995 it has hosted sailors from the entirety of North America in the summers and as it turns out, put the Caribbean on the sailing map. A top ocean venue in the Caribbean, there's a lot to gain by sailing in the USVI. Check out the reasons why you should attend the 2022 St. Thomas International Optimist Regatta in Episode 7 of OPTI TV. 4 Registration is open below! Register Here Where To Stay: VIP Rentals St Thomas Air BnB Cowpet Bay VRBO Cowpet Bay Charter An Opti McLaughlin Charters

 How To Charter An Optimist For A Regatta We recently linked up with our friend Brian Holloway from McLaughlin Boat Works to find out exactly how to charter an Optimist for a Regatta, and we talk about some things to look for when chartering or buying chartered boats. 

Hello OPTI TV Readers,  It's been awhile! Too Long! And there has been so much happening since our last article. We sincerely hope you are all well and getting to sail as often as time and circumstances allows, I have been very busy since our hiatus in January-June. Those months were tough as there was so much going on in my personal life, however OPTI TV is back to producing quality content for you guys! I just wanted to take the time to write to you all and thank you for supporting the project, it really means a lot to myself and the OPTI TV Team. Stay tuned to the channel and this blog, as we are going to be pushing out our first bits of merchandise and some other cool things we have in the works.  Fair Winds, -Alberto OPTI TV

Whatta Regatta  The Orange Bowl is a unique event in the US Optimist circuit. It is not a class-sanctioned regatta, but attracts top talent from all around the world every year. In 2020 there were obviously big changes made because of Covid-19, but the organizers at Coral Reef Yacht Club and the Orange Bowl committee did amazing work making the regatta as safe as possible together with the cooperation of local clubs.  Long regarded as the pinnacle of the season for the Green Fleet, the Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta is the first time many sailors get exposed to sailors from other countries. It is also a big first step into the rest of your sailing career for the more competitive sailors since placing in Orange Bowl is regarded as a big achievement for junior sailors. Lester Johnson introduced the idea of a youth regatta on Biscayne Bay in Miami through the established name of the Orange Bowl Regatta in 1978. The purpose of the youth regatta was to organize a youth sporting eve