BoatsOvington Boats 59er

Ovington Boats 59er

Fractional Sloop · Centerboard Dinghy · 1998–2005

A non-trapeze dinghy with an asymmetric spinnaker, designed as a more accessible alternative to the 49er

Designed by Bethwaite Design & Frank Bethwaite.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy

See her sail

The Ovington Boats 59er, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from SEILmagasinet

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 2.00 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 75 kg of hull, so roughly 650 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 75 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draft shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.
CoastalBluewater

At 4.79 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 4.79
EasygoingPowered-up

79.8 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 79.8

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

  • Lighter than ~76% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~97% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~88% of boats her size on file

Compared with 360 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Ovington Boats 59er, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Ovington Boats 59er is a 4.8-meter fractional sloop centerboard dinghy designed by Bethwaite Design and built by Ovington Boats from 1998 to 2005. It displaces 74 kg with a 2.0-meter beam and 1.5-meter draft.16:54 The 59er was intended as a less extreme version of the 49er, featuring a non-trapeze design and an asymmetric spinnaker with a 23.0 m² area.17:03

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
79.8
Capsize screening
4.79
Hull
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1998–2005
Designer
Bethwaite Design, Frank Bethwaite
Builder
Ovington Boats

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Several Under License 29er4.40 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing
Marie Rønningen, Olympic gold contender7:24from SEILmagasinet
Spindrift 134.06 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA Hubert Vandestadt-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively, responsive sailing
Our Boat Got Stolen 😡… So We Built a New One (in just ONE Week)from WhiteSpotPirates
Alcort Sunfish4.24 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterWith a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 47.02, this nimble 4.24-meter dinghy remains a benchmark for simple
Lewis Boat Works TETRIS 30 Apr 230:02from kentblairl
Ilca 7 (Laser-International)4.23 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA Bruce Kirby-designed Olympic class dinghy featuring a simple unstayed cat rig and a lightweight, high-performance hull
Theodor Middelthon: An "ILCA Viking" on a steady course for the world summit18:40from SEILmagasinet
CL Sailboats 144.32 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA 109-kilogram fractional sloop built since 1980, offering a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively handling
HOW TO CHECK SAILING WEATHER - Ep 337 - Lady K Sailing1:35from Lady K Sailing
Butler Boats Streaker3.88 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA 3.88-metre cat-rigged dinghy featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and a fiberglass option introduced in 1998
Behind the scenes at the Wayfarer factory – a tour of Hartley Boatsfrom practicalboatowner

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

LaserPerformance 49erAn Olympic-class high-performance skiff featuring a massive sail-area-to-displacement ratio for elite racingSeveral Under License 29erA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racingNautivela JetA Phil Morrison-designed two-person skiff featuring twin trapeze racks for high-performance racingMacKay Boats Ltd. 49erfxA high-performance skiff utilizing the 49er hull with a downsized rig specifically optimized for lighter crews

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The fleet has more to say

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