The Royal Varuna Yacht Club and the Thai OK Dinghy Society have recently completed two successful events – the Varuna Masters, and the Open Thailand OK Nationals. In the events, the foreign participants included two former world champions, although only one of them won an event.
By Apple, Matt and Morten/ the main OA team.
Looking forward, the Organisers now have the Worlds webpage up and running thanks to Apple, see: https://2027.okworlds.org/. The update includes answers to the typical questions we have received from participants, in particular shipping and accommodation queries.
The web page also includes an expression of interest list with 100+ participants to date, which is very satisfying a full year in advance of the event. See https://2027.okworlds.org/#expression. The organisers are aware that many more sailors are looking at transport to the event, and would like to encourage all to fill in the expression of interest form. We believe it will help sailors to hook up to get full containers loads together for the worlds, to help keep transport costs down to the benefit of all.
The host, Royal Varuna YC, has also finalised the schedule for the events leading up to the world championship in 2027. These events are held at the Worlds venue in Thailand, and are well suited for sailors trying to escape a cold winter or just want the pleasure of sailing in water which typically is 28 degrees centigrade. We hear from Varuna that they would love to see participants in the YC for the full month of February.
The dates to bear in mind when booking flights and boat transport are:
February 5-7: Varuna masters (for sailors 35+ years of age and for OK Dinghy and Ilcas)
February 13-15: Pre-worlds / Thailand Open OK Dinghy nationals
And of course: February 19-26 International OK Dinghy World Championship 2027
We are of course also preparing travels to the 2026 worlds in Skovshoved, Denmark, where three of the main organisers and our Principal Race Officer will attend.
In addition, the Thai organisers are being strongly encouraged to put on a training camp in early December 2026. Every single foreigner who sailed in the two events in January has requested this. When detailed plans have been completed for the training camp, further information will be available on the OK worlds webpage.
Finally, the Thai OK Dinghy Sailors Society ask for equipment donations. We would kindly ask participants to check their storage areas and see if they should have any older alu or early carbon masts or booms available which could be donated to help us grow the fleet in Thailand. If you do, please bring them along in the containers going to Thailand. We specifically have 5 hulls in need of rigs and would love to see those boats on the water at the worlds, if at all possible. There is also a general shortage of OK masts in Thailand and we would like to keep the older boats going.