Independent research by GabrielPowered by YouSail.com.au

Junior / Youth

O'pen Skiff Dinghy

Modern planing junior boat with an open, self-draining transom. Roughly 30–65 kg ideal sailor range per the Australian class.

Crew 1~2.9 mInternational

Why this class

Keeps teenagers in the sport by being genuinely fast and forgiving of capsize.

Before you buy

  • Confirm the O'pen Skiff is actually raced at your club — ask for last season's results, not the website.
  • Check the sailor is inside the class weight range, and will still be in twelve months.
  • For class racing, obtain and retain the official measurement documentation.
  • Price a set of sails, spars and foils before you price the hull. The consumables often decide the real cost.
  • Check what the last three boats of this class actually sold for second-hand.

Confirm against the class association

Dimensions on this page are indicative and given to help you compare classes. Class rules, measurement requirements and equipment lists change — always confirm current specifications with the class association before buying a boat intended for measured racing.

When inspecting a class boat, also ask the local fleet which sailmaker, spar package and trailer arrangement are easiest to support nearby. A nationally active class can still have very different fleet depth from one club to the next, and regular local racing is often worth more than a theoretically perfect design with nobody to race.