Yachts

C001: Josephine
C002: Cetewayo
C003: Frenesi of Clynder
C004: Undina
C005: Rebecca of Vineyard Haven
C006: Whirlaway
C007: Drumbeat
C008: Whooper
C009: Thendara
C010: Zoom
C011: Foglio
C012: Vanity V
C013: Talisker Mhor
C014: Pazienza
C015: Danegeld
C016: Mikado
C017: Elona
C018: Sensa
C019: Droleen II
C020: Corrie
C021: Lotus
C022: Mingary
C023: Dirk II
C024: Sceptre
C025: Thendara
C026: Outlaw
C027: Athena
C028: Bettine
C029: John Dory
C030: Swanilda
C031: Marigold
C032: Sally of Kames
C033: Monsoon
C034: Charm of Rhu
C035: Moonspray
C036: Firebrand
C037: Gluckauf
C038: Cereste
C039: Mitzi
C040: Roar for Joy
C041: Zahir
C042: Maria Hendrika
C043: Vivette
C044: Berenice
C045: Huff of Arklow
C046: Fairlight
C047: Iolaire
C048: Sibyl of Cumae
C049: Ilderim
C050: Dorothy
C051: Zaleda
C052: Dione
C053: Clarion of Wight
C054: Safir
C055: Shantih
C056: Eveline
C057: Shuttle
C058: Windflower
C059: Erica
C060: Cygnet of London
C061: St David's Light
C062: Leonie
C063: Tar Baby
C064: Caressa
C065: Tiger C
C066: Barbican
C067: A Day at the Races
C068: Kelpie
C069: Suzalah
C070: Rubicon
C071: Infanta
C072: Rampage
C073: Halcyon
C074: Thalassa
C075: Sinbad
C076: Lutine
C077: Twilight
C078: Alera
C079: Aeolus
C080: Nightfall
C081: Mossie Estelle

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Outlaw

When Outlaw made her appearance at Easter 1963, she was considered a revolutionary ultra-light displacement racing mchine and her position as leader of the British Admiral's Cup team, who won that year, and her pedigree, did nothing to dispel this.

Owned by the well known racing yachtsman The Right Honourable Sir Max Aitkin M.P., and designed by the well - known duo Angus Primrose and John Illingworth she was bound to be noticed. Her gleaming varnished hull, aggressive good looks and cleverly chosen sail number (K1963) marked Outlaw as the boat of the year. Superbly built of eight skins of 3mm Honduras Mahogany by Souters of Cowes on alternate diagonals, she was thought to be the largest cold-moulded hull ever built at that time. Her powerful rig, with the characteristic Illingworth huge fore-triangle, with its complex choice of foresails, was undoubtedly designed for heavy weather, and her successes in the Fastnet and Channel races of her time proved once again his ability as a designer of successful Ocean Racers.

Outlaw's career at the top end of the racing scene was brief - it was soon realised that one could build a boat in the same way with only half the hull thickness, and without using the massive laminated frames seen in her. Knowledge, fashion and the rules were changing fast. By the mid-sixties other, lighter, yachts were making the headlines, but Outlaw continued to race into the early seventies, excelling in a stiff breeze to windward, with many a young crew member filling his sea-boots on her unusual reverse-sheered foredeck.

Her characteristic 'hogged' shape is a result of her designers pushing the RORC rule to the limit, which favoured large volume amidships, and fine ends. There are many interesting and at the time revolutionary design features found on board - the large cockpit with the laminated wheel at the forward end, where the helmsman is not disturbed by the grinders; the curved mainsheet horse; the winches canted to receive the sheets in the most efficient way; the twin companionways enabling crewmen to go up and down simultaneously; the rudder hung on the aft end of the keel like a large trim-tab; the aft chart table where the navigator can communicate with the helmsman (so useful for racing in the enclosed waters of the Solent and for passing up cups of tea!).

Down below the layout is supremely practical, with an aft owner/navigator cabin with originally its own head; an area for oilies at the bottom of the companionway, between the galley and the Spinnaker bin; a saloon where the off watch crew can rest in peace in deep sea berths; ergonomically designed half bulkheads to drag sail bags through etc.

After a period cruising in the late seventies, including two Atlantic crossings, Outlaw was laid up in Cowes for four years, after which she was purchased by her fifth and current owner in 1983. After another year of hard work, which saw the coach roof rebuilt (with some modifications to the hatch and ventilation arrangements); the hull burnt off; the deck repaired; the cockpit rebuilt; a pressurised water and gas system installed; and a hundred and one other points, she finally set sail for the Mediterranean. After a leisurely trip lasting four years, with numerous stop offs to continue the refit, she arrived in her current home port of Antibes late 1989.

Her last major refit was in 1995, when the cockpit was re-veneered; the fore hatch re-built; and the mast, boom and spinnaker poles replaced. These were built by Proctors to the original plans, of gold anodised aluminium, with faithfully re-produced hand polished stainless steel fittings. Her hull has stood the test of time superbly, with no rot or delamination in evidence, and so stable the Awlgrip paint is only applied every six years or so.

Since 1990 Outlaw has been a regular feature on the Mediterranean Classic Yacht Regatta circuit, (now the Prada circuit) from Imperia to St Tropez, once again bringing in the silver and providing lots of fun for literally hundreds of crew, amongst whom some who sailed on her in the sixties. Remarkably original both above and below decks she requires ten hands for efficient 'round the buoys' racing, as there are no self tailing winches, twin foresails, twin pole spinnaker gybes, and a wheel which cannot be left for more than about thirty seconds! Not the 'Perfect Yacht' perhaps, but one that comes as close as any.