The American boat builder Clark Mills designed in 1947, the Optimist, as a single-handed children's and youth boatDue to the bent frame and the flat bow, the boat is relatively well-behaved. This was intended to playfully introduce youngsters to the sport of sailing. Originally made of wood, many generations of Optis were built by fathers with their children from plywood. Today, optis are made of GRP. At regattas there are age classes A and B. Many successful sailing stars have started their career as Opti sailors. Regattas are sailed worldwide. Currently there are over 300,000 active Optis. The largest regatta is held annually at Fraglia Vela Riva with over 1000 Optimists on Lake Garda. Length 2,30 m, width 1,13 m, sail area 3,5qm, total weight about 45 kg. The most common manufacturers are: Winner, Nautivela, Devoti, Ovington and Fareast. The main accessory brands are Optiparts, Harken, Magic Marine, Holt, Allen and SeaSure.