Epoxy brand sponsors dinghy class world championships

Epoxy brand Pro-Set has announced its sponsorship of the International OK Dinghy 2023 World Championships, to be held at Lyme Regis Sailing Club, UK, 22-30 June 2023.

The event – consisting of ten races – is expected to attract over 100 competitors from New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Demark, Holland, Sweden, France and Norway among other nations.

Pro-Set is a title sponsor alongside Ovington Boats. The North Shields based boatbuilder has made Ovington OK Dinghies since 2017 and used Pro-Set formulations in each one since 2020.

The OK Dinghy has a growing international fleet and boats are currently sailed in more than 21 countries. The class attracts many of the most talented and elite sailors to compete in an extensive annual calendar of national and international events.

It’s thought that hosting the world championships in the UK will benefit the class as a whole as there’s a high level of interest in the sailing community about the dinghies which are enjoying a strong resurgence, both competitively and recreationally.

“This is set to be an excellent championship,” says Ian Oliver, MD Wessex Resins and Adhesives (the company which makes Pro-Set products under license from Gougeon Brothers Inc). “We’re delighted to be joint title sponsors alongside Ovington Boats, one of our hugely respected customers.

“Pro-Set resin – hardener combinations have played an integral part in the making of so many of the competitors’ boats. There’s something undeniably special about watching top sailors showcase their talent, tenacity and boats while knowing you’ve helped them to get there.”

Chris Turner, MD Ovington Boats, Comments: “It’s fantastic to have the championships in the UK. It’s a breath of fresh air. Hosting the championships in the UK has also had the benefit of invigorating the British fleet. There have been loads more boat sales and interest.”

The Ovington OK Dinghy is built from CNC hull, deck, centreboard and rudder moulds, said to allow the best finish possible with the most accurate, consistent build. Ovington offers a complete, ready to sail OK with masts sourced from Ceilidh in the Netherlands, booms from Allen Brothers (UK) or Art of Racing (New Zealand) and sails from North Sails or HD, among others.

Turner says the company has built over 160 OK Dinghies since he first discovered the joy of sailing them in New Zealand in 2017. He moved Ovington to use products made by Wessex Resins (also West System and Entropy Resins) as he’d used them previously before joining Ovington and had not experienced any issues.

“Essentially it’s in the entire product, the complete boat is made using Pro-Set epoxy. The level of quality control over the last couple of years allows us to have consistently well-built products. We are indebted to Wessex Resins and in particular David Johnson for the time spent with them in their lab working with the Pro-Set products.”

Ovington Boats has built boats for a number of top OK sailors including Olympic gold medallist Freddy Loof (SWE), Thomas Hanson Mild (SWE – no. 1 in OK World ranking) Jim Hunt (GBR), Nick Craig (GBR), Andre Budzein (GER) & Charlie Cumbley (GBR). This group of sailors has won 11 of the last 16 World Championships.
 
Recent recruits to the International OK Dinghy 2023 World Championship fleet include Olympians, Sweden’s Fredrik Loof, UK sailor Henry Wetherell and training partner of UK Gold medallist, Giles Scott. They’re all competing alongside Nick Craig, previous winner of Pantaenius UK Yachtsman of the year and Yachts & Yachting Amateur Sailor of the Year, the all-time most successful OK sailor with six world championship titles to his credit.

The team from Wessex Resins & Adhesives is offering half hour masterclasses on using its West System Mini Pack for dinghy repairs at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show this weekend, 25-26 February 2023.