Business News
West Coast Sailing Partners with Ovington Boats to Offer ILCA Dinghy & Spare Parts in North America
Ovington ILCA : A New Era of Winning Boats
PORTLAND, Oregon – West Coast Sailing is pleased to announce a partnership with Ovington Boats to offer class approved ILCA dinghies. Ovington Boats, the UK based builder specializing in high performance sailboats, was approved by the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) and World Sailing in August 2020. A long time supporter of the class and its sailors, West Coast Sailing carefully considered all new builders and sought to find the best ILCAs available. This expansion of a decade-long relationship between the two companies will allow West Coast Sailing to offer race-ready boats, spare parts, and top tier support, while providing Ovington Boats with a leading partner for their North American distribution.
The ILCA landscape has evolved quickly in the past year with several new builders approved by the class. Chris Brown, West Coast Sailing President, is confident the Ovington ILCA will become the boat of choice for sailors looking for high quality spare parts, reliable support, and a strong track record of success.
“Ovington has been building high performance and Olympic level dinghies for many years and has applied the same level of craftsmanship and attention to detail in how they build their ILCAs,” Brown said. “After careful analysis and a factory visit, working with Ovington was a clear choice for us.”
Beyond building a top quality ILCA, Ovington Boats is backed by a great team and a commitment to ongoing support. This is a key part of the equation every sailor should consider given issues with previous builders. Ovington staff members have an average of 20 years of boat building experience, and Chris Turner has been a stable hand at the helm of the business for the last 15 years. Robust warranty and support systems give dealers the latitude to solve problems and keep sailors on the water so they can focus on what they do and enjoy best. Ovington is committed to success from start to finish.
“This is an organized, experienced team that is used to being held to the highest standards of Olympic sailors who demand the absolute best,” Brown continued. “We have chosen to work with Ovington because we believe all sailors should expect the same.”
The first container Ovington ILCA dinghies will arrive at West Coast Sailing the last week of December. Sailors can place a preorder deposit now to reserve a boat, with shipping available across the country starting in early January. A full range of Ovington ILCA sails, spars, blades, and upgrades are available for immediate purchase via the West Coast Sailing ecommerce website. Zim Sailing of Bristol, Rhode Island and Vela Sailing Supply of Dallas, Texas will join West Coast Sailing to collaborate on regional distribution.
Through all the changes with the class and availability of boats and parts, the team at West Coast Sailing remains committed to helping sailors get out on the water and is looking forward to this new era for ILCA sailing. Additional information about West Coast Sailing, Ovington Boats, and the ILCA dinghy, including boat package details and a full list of spare parts, can be found via the link below.