[Jeff_H]

The Optima is a very nice boat that sails quite well. Dehler''s cruising boats are quite well constructed and seem to perform very well. The Optima is based on an IOR hull form and in its day was optomized for the IOR rule ,which, along with, cost is the reason for the cast iron keel.

A fair keel makes a big difference in light air and also when beating at all wind speeds. Depending on the extent of the pitting minor fairing is easily done with a thickened epoxy. WEST System <www.westsystem.com> used to have an online article on fairing keels. WEST also used have a free pamphlet that covered the same subject.


Fractional rigged boats like the Optima should do quite well in non-spinacker classes as long as you don''t get suckered into sailing them like a masthead rigged boat. Masthead boats can often point higher and als rund closer to dead down wind. Fractional riggers don''t like to be pinched and so do better cracked off slightly. They also don''t like to run wing and wing until you are in a plenty of wind (most times over 12 or 15 knots) and so staying on a more of a broad reach prodces a greater VMC. Typically fractional riggers make up for the longer distances sailed with higher speed on these points of sail.

Jeff