Whilt we’re on the subject of Cowes Week, more sailing news from Suzanne and Alan, in their own words. Ed
Of all the yacht classes that contest Aberdeen AM Cowes Week, the Solent Sunbeam is considered the classic racing keel boat. These one design boats have been racing at Cowes since they were first built in 1923.
A dozen Sunbeams were due to take part in this year’s regatta and can be raced by just two crew with an option to take a third person.
Alfred Westmacott is widely acknowledged as the most successful designer of classic dayboats. In addition to the Sunbeam his drawing board was also responsible for the X One Design, the Victory, the Yarmouth One Design and the Mermaid.
Famous Five
In fact, the Sunbeam was commissioned in 1922 to be an improvement on the Seaview Mermaid, which was first built in 1907. Indeed the Sunbeam is the largest and most elegant of Alfred Westmacott’s ‘Famous Five’.
Tradition dictates that all Sunbeams carry a name ending in ‘Y’, from V1 ‘Dainty’ sequentially through to V47 ‘Kitty’. All of these 47 Sunbeams were of wooden construction.
On view on the Parade
Since 2010 six new boats within the one design have been constructed using GRP hulls. To allow for further constructions in wood the first GRP boat ‘Betty’ was numbered V61. One of the new GRP breed V66 ‘Molly’ was on view during AAM Cowes Week on Cowes Parade.
Between 2008 and 2011, Roger Wickens’ ‘Danny’ took class honours during the week’s racing. Appropriately ‘Danny’ also secured the ‘Westmacott Trophy’ in 2011. It is awarded for the best overall performance in the Alfred Westmacott designed fleets.
‘The Brilliance of Sunbeams’
Peter Nicholson’s book ‘The Brilliance of Sunbeams’ records the history and evolution of the Solent Sunbeams and the people who have owned and sailed them.
There are some 270 pages of text and illustrations. Details are available at www.solentsunbeam.co.uk
‘La Response’ raced hard
Moving on to the classes for larger boats it was good to see the crew of ‘La Response’ (IRC2) enjoying well deserved hospitality in the Boss Watches hospitality area.
Boss entertained certain classes on some days of Cowes Week and this crew together with the owner of ‘La Response’, Andrew McIrvine had raced hard on a day when weather conditions played a vital part.
‘La Response’ had recently taken part in the Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup when representing GBR Blue and Andrew recalled how on the long off-shore race most of the boats had endured very little wind and courses were changed to take account of these strange weather conditions.
Andrew said that racing during Cowes Week was certainly very different to racing in the Commodores’ Cup but he and his crew enjoyed both and undertook each regatta as a challenge.
