Another L.S.S.A 14-footer in Ontario

Mike Paradis, from somewhere north of Toronto, sends along photos of his L.S.S.A 14-footer; best guess is that it is an Aykroyd "lake" 14-footer. It was previously owned by his father-in-law Russ. His father-in-law bought it around 1958-59 but it comes with sails that date it back to 1937. Looking at the photos it appears this one was converted to an International 14 rig as there are two mast steps, one being in the normal position for the original cat rig and the second further back through a thwart. It also has turning blocks for the long foot I-14 genny. Mike confirms there is a jib that came with the boat and his description of the mast matches the Uffa 3 diamond International 14 mast.

Mike is having Woodwind Yachts do a restoration.

Two photos.

LS.S.A 14-foot dinghy uncovered in upstate Vermont

Owner is putting a 1918 date on this one.

Click here to go WoodenBoat's Facebook feed.

Here is the comment I put up on the Woodenboat Facebook post.

"Technically the racing class was called the L.S.S.A. (Lake Skiff Sailing Association) 14 foot dinghy. An active class from 1900 to about the beginning of the 1950's, though superseded by the amalgamation of the R.Y.A 14 and the LS.S.A 14 into the International 14 rule after the 1933 Seawanhaka Team Races (which in actuality made the R.Y.A 14 into the International 14 foot dinghy). George Aykroyd built racing versions as well as a recreational Lake version; this one looks to be the recreational Lake version. When referring to an Aykroyd 14, this usually means the recreational Lake version. I'm not sure how many of of the racing versions have survived. (T.P. has listed some of the other designers, though Canadian Charles Bourke is probably the most famous designer of both the L.S.S.A. 14 foot dinghy and the International 14 foot dinghy.) The Aykroyd 14 (restored, as well as some new builds) races as a fleet at Stoney Lake, Ontario. These dinghies sport[ed] a large cat rig of 140 square feet with two crew.

L.S.S.A 14-footer Dinghies Pre-Start in Toronto Bay

A photo from the City of Toronto archives shows a fleet of L.S.S.A 14-footer dinghies milling about in the background with a large crowd of onlookers in the foreground. My best guess of time frame would be around WWI, perhaps slightly later. This may have been a photo of a 14-footer regatta held in conjunction with the Toronto Exhibition, an annual summer fair.

Charlie Bourke's Riptide on Toronto Docks

From the Toronto newspaper, The Mail and Empire, a photo of Charlie Bourke's Riptide sitting on the docks during the 1934 Team Races with the English and Americans. The photo definitely shows that Riptide was still a LSSA 14-footer though, probably at this point, sailing with a sloop rig instead of a cat rig.

Charlie Bourke Models

Charlie Bourke, courtesy of the Canadian International 14 Newsletter

Some may consider Charlie Bourke as Canada's greatest 14-foot dinghy designer (even surpassing Bruce Kirby, but that may elicit some arguments!). Charlie designed and raced both the LSSA 14-footers and the International 14's and his post war International 14 designs dominated Canadian racing up into the 1960's when the Kirby designs took over. His design career spanned over 35 years and he was the instrumental mover and shaker that converted the Canadian LSSA 14-footer over to the International 14 class in the late 1930's. His victories and membership in Canadian teams are too numerous to document here.

Scott Kerr, who is married to Charlie Bourke's grand-daughter, Meghan, sent along some photos of two of Charlie Bourke's own hand carved models. They are of interest because these are designs Charlie was doing after competing against the Uffa International 14's at Seawanhaka Y.C, 1933. One model of Riptide is dated 1934, the year after the Seawanhaka Team Races. Here is my reply to Scott Kerr:

"The Seawanhaka Team Races, where the English and the Canadians and the U.S (Seawanhaka club members) raced the LSSA 14's and the English International 14's against each other, was held in Sept 1933. The English came back to race the Canadians and the U.S in 1934 in Toronto. So Riptide is what Charlie was designing after he saw the English open International 14's in 1933 (and to Charlie the two approaches to a 14 dinghy were like chalk and cheese). It is interesting that in 1934 Charlie still maintains the fore-deck as was allowed in the LSSA 14's. The model looks very much flatter than I would have expected. The LSSA 14's were very fine lined dinghies with balanced rocker whilst the Uffa Fox International 14's were broad transom, rocker forward designs."

The 1934 Riptide side view. It's hard to discern from the photograph but it looks as if there is a little bit of flare at the gunwhale.

The 1934 Riptide top view. (Note that Charlie has retained the fore-deck of the LSSA 14-footer, the English Uffa International 14's were open dinghies.)

The inscription on the inside, bottom of the model of Riptide.

The other Charlie Bourke model is definitely in the International 14 design camp. There seems to be some tumblehome which was a characteristic of English Uffa pre-war designs. Rocker has deepened and moved forward.

Many thanks to Scott Kerr and wife Meghan for sending along the photos.

Video of Mike Scott's Ames 2 Underway

As promised, here is the video of Mike Scott's Ames 2 sailing with his cutdown rig, a rig which lets him really enjoy the 14 without battling the canvas we put up on these boats when we were young once.

Mike Scott, a transplanted Brit, has been a one-man show in keeping the Classic International 14 flame burning, taking his 14 Obsession to various wooden boat shows and small boat gatherings in the Pacific NorthWest.

Mike said he weighed the hull of Obsession and it only weighed 150 lbs (just under 70 kg.). Not sure why it was so light. When the Ames 2 was designed the hull weight requirement was probably just under 200 lbs. I'll have to do some research on that.

(BTW, that's Mike's wife, Kim, crewing. Mike says she is quite good at it though she doesn't want to admit that this is only one of  many life skills she has acquired over the years.)

Summer of 2015 Update

I haven't posted for a while (actually, it pains me to say, this is the first post in 2015) though Classic International 14 news keeps filtering through at a steady pace.

Out in the Pacific Northwest, Mike Scott has put a smaller 120 square foot rig on his Ames II Obsession. He sent along a video of him and a crew bombing along but I'm awaiting a YouTube link so I can embed it. He reports he is very pleased with the performance of the smaller rig. Mike also picked up a Schock Fairey model International 14 which was lying just up the road from his house. I am awaiting photos of both Classic 14's on the water together.

Mike with Obsession on the beach at some small craft get together.

In March, Jay Hartley of Connecticut sent along some photos of a beautiful restoration he did on USOD no. 282. He also finds that a Classic International 14 has loads of sail. His story on the rebuild:

"Thanks for getting back to me, It was in bad shape then but I traded a 125 Yamaha dirt bike for it about 5 years ago. I live in amston CT but keep the boat in Marlborough. Took me 3 years of on and off work to get it back in the water. When I first got it I took it out on a lake and the lead weight on the center board fell off and almost put a fast end to a nice boat. At that point it came out and got a nice makeover. Do you think the 24'mast is original? It seams to have way to much sail for a 14' dingy and can get a little crazy in winds over 15 mph. Could easily hold two crew on trapies to try and counter the heeling it seams.

P.S. took a week of free diving in 20' of water to find the weight. Learned a hard lesson that time."