The Fairey Marine International-14 in North America - Part 1 - 1949 to 1951

The interior of a Fairey MkI. Note the lack of buoyancy with the short side tanks and small bow tank. The English were very concerned post-war about the open character of the International 14 and rewarding seamanship in a breeze. A capsize put you out of the race.

This post was prompted by an online article on Fairey Marine, written by English dinghy historian, David Henshall. Fairey Marine, an English company known as Fairey Aviation during World War II, would pivot post war and produce a vast array of dinghies, built using the hot-molded autoclave method, most of them designed by Uffa Fox. They built International 14's, starting in 1949, and continued to bring out new Marks through the 1950's (approximately a new Mark every year), and these Fairey 14's were a major player in the history of the International 14 in North America. (As an aside, I started my 14 career crewing on a Fairey MkV, as a skinny teenager, before the trapezes came in.)

Fairey Marine 14 International 14 - Original Design

The Fairey 14 started life as an Uffa Fox ‘Martlet’ design which Stewart Morris had won the 1947, 1948, and the 1949 POW’s (K 507). However starting with the MkI from the Martlet mold, the Fairey dinghy brain trust  would continuously modify this design through 10 marks, with the Fairey MkX coming out around 1960.  The history is very hazy on who was responsible  for the modifications, but it is agreed that Charles Currey was the primary designer, and possibly Alan Vines and Alan Burnard also had some input. Even though the Fairey Marine International 14 is commonly attributed to Uffa Fox, if we want to be historically accurate, at some point, maybe starting with the Fairey MKIII, with the design sufficiently removed from the original, we should attribute the later Marks to Charles Currey.

1949 - Fairey Marine sends a Works Team to Barnstorm North America

Charles Currey and Tony Warrilow racing "Sunrise", a Fairey MkI, in Bermuda, the last leg of their 1949 North American tour (From Tom Vaughn's International 14 historical tome)

In what is probably the first known factory works team in the history of sailboat racing, Charles Currey with crew Tony Warrilow, in the original Fairey MkI, Sunrise, made a North American International 14 racing tour in the summer of 1949 (Montreal for the Canadian Championship, Essex, Connecticut for the Connecticut Cup, and Bermuda). Charles Currey won in all three regattas. (Not an overall win for the CDA but he did win the long distance race, the Viscount de Tunis Alexander cup.) His crew, Tony Warrilow, was described as a 'Tarzan' and the Fairey MkI was potent when power-reaching, going up against the older Douglas and McLeod Uffa Alarm  and the 1947 and 1949 Bourke's that made up the early post WWII fleet in North America. (This is pure speculation on my part but I wouldn't be surprised that government sponsorship was involved in this tour. The English government was very eager to get their war-ravaged economy back on it's feet, particularly looking to jump start exports to North America.)

1951 - George O'Day starts his famous boatbuilding company by importing Fairey Marine dinghies.

It would take two years but the Fairey Marine finally got their U.S. importer when George O’Day started his company, George O’Day and Associates, by importing Fairey Marine hot-molded dinghies, specifically the International 14, the Firefly, and the Jollyboat. Initially around ten Fairey MkI 14’s were purchased around the Boston area and a loosely connected New England fleet formed. George O'Day was to become a top competitor in the International 14's in the 1950's. (And would win the 1960 Olympic Gold Medal in the 5.5 class at the Naples Olympics.)

From these humble beginnings, as an importer of English hot-molded dinghies, George O'Day and Associates would morph into the largest fiberglass small boat manufacturer in the U.S. during 1960's.

"During this period it [George O'Day and Associates] was purportedly the largest builder of sailboats in the U.S. It employed 350 people, had 450 dealers, grossed $15 million a year, and sold more than 70,000 boats in all."[George O'Day by Dan Spurr, Good Old Boat, May 2002]

Whither the English Classic International 14 Scene?

English Classic 14 fleet launching at Blakeney. Chris Dunster's Proctor V, K 859, is the middle 14 with the low-I rig, 943 Distress is owned by Edward Allen, and  935 is Sea Witch sailed by James Vaughan. (Both KIV designs).

Brit Chris Dunster, who owns a Wyche and Coppock Proctor V, sends along this photo of four English Classic 14's and a short review of the English Classic 14 racing scene:

"Classics in the UK, when I first got involved, 1993, there were several Open Meetings around the country but now only Blakeney near me on the North Norfolk Coast and Rickmansworth near London, there are other events held for "Classic Dinghy Classes" but Allcomers rather than for a single class of boat."

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It turns out the Chris Dunster's Wyche and Coppock Proctor V is an ex-Jeremy Pudney 14 and was modified with a wider, flatter transom. Here is another English, all varnished, Wyche and Coppock Proctor V, circa mid-1960's.

"A Train" now up at Saratoga Lake Sailing Club

John Power of Connecticut, and head sailing instructor of Saratoga Lake Sailing Club, along with the news about his pickup of a Kirby III, also sends news that Bob Reeves' ex-Kirby IV, A Train, is now residing at Saratoga Lake Sailing Club. Saratoga Lake Sailing Club is embracing it's International 14 heritage and has picked up US 855 for use by their more talented juniors. Jim Biles of Annapolis, the owner of A Train for the last 30 years graciously donated the 14 to the sailing club. These are photos from 2018 of A Train sailing under a suit of more modern sails that had been kicking around the club.

Stuart Walker's Analysis of the Designs of the 1950's

International 14's rounding a mark in Annapolis; mid 1950's. US 580 is Walt Lawson of Annapolis, K583 is the famous Windsprite, which made it over to the U.S., US 596 is Cmdr Bob Empey of Annapolis, and US 578 is Stuart Walker.

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I reprint Stuart Walker’s International 14 design analysis covering the most popular designs of the 1950's, written in "On The Plane", January 1959

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No Int. 14 has been outclassed in the last 20 years...Given proper conditions any one of the presently raced designs may have its day.

US One-Design

This design by Sandy Douglas was taken from Uffa Fox’s 1935 Alarm. In light air the low wetted surface and fine lines are almost unbeatable. It is capable of beating the best of the new boats upwind in moderate conditions.

Charles Bourke - pre 1950

These narrow 14's are still leading at the windward mark under almost any conditions. Usually best sailed by heavyweights.

Charles Bourke - 1951, 1953, 1958

The usual top boats in North American regattas, outstanding upwind, particularly in a breeze, but excellent planers as well. They take heavy crews and because they are so often sailed by top helmsmen they are difficult to evaluate objectively.

Fairey MkI through MkIX

These are probably the best all round 14’s. Although they have been improved gradually over the past 10 years, they rarely (except in planing) seem distinctly superior. However, with crews of all weights, upwind and downwind, in light and heavy airs, they always stay with the best. For consistency in series scoring they are hard to beat.

Austin Farrar

Since the original Windsprite (editor's note: Windsprite, sailed by Bruce Banks and Keith Shackleton had won four POW's in the 1950's) days of 1950, these boats have been considered the world’s best 14’s to windward in a breeze. Two design improvements since the original have apparently improved the off-wind ability as well. They are generally considered heavy weather boats; fine deep forefoots and broad flat after sections.

Ian Proctor

Two designs by this outstanding British designer are now in active competition. They are certainly excellent boats to windward (1st 1957 Buzzards Bay Bowl) and the new design is extremely fast planing as well.

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Editors Note:

As he wrote this Stuart had made up his mind for his new I-14 hull. He may have already had it in hand as he wrote this article for he would introduce her in 1959. It would be a Farrar design, Salute, which he would skipper to a POW win.

KC-287: Restored and Then Destroyed

 Back in 2013, I received an email from a 16 year old Canadian who was restoring a 1960's International 14. That seemed somewhat odd. You don't often come across a teenager restoring a vintage racing dinghy... it's just not something that teenagers are into. She said it was a Grampian which indicated it would be a Buller II design. When I restarted up on this blog in September 2020, I sent out an email to some of the old contacts who mentioned they were restoring International 14's and I received one back from Nicole Armstrong-Smith, the teenager who was now a young adult.

"I did end up fully restoring the I14 – I’ve attached a .zip of photos to this email. It was a great high school project to do with my dad. I sold the boat in 2017 to another gentleman with a house on the lake in Port Dover, ON, Canada. Just a few weeks ago I saw a Kijiji advertisement with pictures of the boat saying he’s selling the masts, booms (I had 2 sets), sails, etc. because the boat hit the rocks and apparently there was nothing left of it. I shed a tear or two reading it..."

As you can see with the before and after photos, Nicole and her Dad did a superb job on bringing this Buller II back to pristine condition. What a shame that KC-287 no longer exists!

The Buller II had steps in the hull, both in forward and aft sections.

KC-287 in a new coat of red paint.

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Fred Buller was a renowned Canadian aeronautical engineer who was active in designing International 14's during the early 1960's. He added a lot to the history of the International 14 class and is worthy of a separate post later on.

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Update December, 2020: More details on KC287 from Canadian International 14 historian Rob Mazza:

"[KC] 287 was John Robertson's boat that he sailed in the 1967 team racing in England. He never liked the boat because he felt it had a hollow in it's run, which made it difficult to get on a plane! He sold the boat to the Grundland brothers at Queen City Yacht Club... It really is a shame that this great piece of 14 history was lost, especially having been so lovingly restored."

John Robertson racing KC287 in the 1967 POW, England

Best in Show: The Galvez's US 104 or US 107

Paul and Yvonne Galvez have been taking their real beauty in International 14 restorations, US 104, Lorelei, a cedar planked, probably an early post-WWII International 14 of mysterious origins, out and about in California. First stop was the modern 2018 International 14 Worlds in San Francisco where the West Coast rag, Latitude 38, named Lorelei the most photographed 14 at the regatta. A most amazing feat given the surfeit of all the new technology; carbon, mylar, racks, double trapezes, gathered at the World Championship.

And in 2019? Best in Show! From Paul's email;

"Last year, we also took her to the Newport Beach Annual Wooden Boat Festival where she received Best in Show. The same show was cancelled this year for obvious reasons but we look forward to next year."

Paul sends along some photos of the all-varnished beauty of  Lorelei on display at the International 14 Worlds in Richmond, California.

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Paul and Yvonne accepting the "Best in Show" award at the Newport Beach Annual Wooden Boat Festival.

OD-OY Covers

Back in the archives, I've posted about a Yachting magazine cover that featured International 14's in 1960. The magazine One-Design and Offshore Yachting (now in modern times Sailing World) ran several photos on the International 14's on it's cover back in late 60's and early 70's. Not surprising since Bruce Kirby was an editor at OD-OY. I've posted them below.
  
Cover February 1967: Two International 14's in a big gust during the Canadian Currie Cup.

Ian Bruce

Cover October 1967: Another Currie Cup photo.

Ian Bruce

Cover March 1970: Jeremy Pudney in K-925 during the 1969 Team Racing in Kingston. Pudney would win CORK, the first International 14 trapeze regatta, the week after the English dominated the Team Races. 

Cover November 1971: Dick Rose, in US 850, the captain of the winning U.S. West Coast Team in the 1971 Team Races.

Cover July 1970: Not an International 14 photo but a photo featuring two of the more famous Canadian International 14 sailors. Bruce Kirby with his brother David at the 1966 Star Class World Championship in Kiel, Germany. David Kirby was also a top flight International 14 helmsman with many trophies to his name.

  

Four Early Canadian 14's

North American International 14 history kept trickling in during my hiatus at posting to this blog. Interesting history of four early Canadian 14's popped up over the last three years.

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KC-166

Mark Merritt has been pursuing the history of his Corneil International 14 and reached out to Rob Mazza, Canadian International 14 historian, who sent this email and photos of Peter Jarvis's Corneil, KC-166. From Rob's email:

"I finally heard back from Peter Jarvis, who I ran into at the Toronto Boat Show in late January. He sent me the attached photo and note on his George Corneil Fourteen KC 166 from 1956. This was the 2nd to last 14 built by George Corneil. So that KC 142 sail number on the battens in the boat may not be that improbable!

I have in my records:

KC 127 - Nimbus - Paul McLaughlin - 51 Bourke
KC 133 - Moonbeam - Harvey Bongard, Bruce Kirby Harry Jemmett - 51 Bourke
KC 144 - Wee Irish? - Bud Whitaker - 54 Bourke
KC 166 - - Peter Jarvis - George Corneil - 1956
KC 173 - Soo-perb - Mike Pruett, Dick Vine? - 1st Proctor 1 in Canada - 1954 in England?

Mark, there seems to be no question that the boat you have is indeed a George Corneil, and probably dates from the early 1950s, and may well be the 3rd to last Corneil built if the 142 sail number is to be believed.

Rob"

Peter Jarvis KC-166

And Peter's note to Rob  Mazza.

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KC-5

Maureen Flagler sends along photos and a history of two Bourke "bones" boats that have been in their family, KC-5 and KC-25.

"My sister... was able to find some photos. In addition she has attached photos of an earlier I14 that my Mother and Father sailed from Ottawa during WWII. It was originally named Alisada and renamed to Eagle II. The registration for that one is KC5. We don’t know when that boat was sold or to whom."

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KC-25

"After the war, our parents lived in Oakville and we believe the Chinook (KC25) was built there with Bill Gooderham... We think he is from the Gooderham family of Gooderham and Worts Distillery. KC25 (Chinook) has small ribs throughout the interior. The photo shows the interior of Chinook – KC25."

Maureen says that KC-25 was last splashed into the water in the 1980's. (The date that this photo was taken.)

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KC-26

Ryan Grinnell from Toronto Canada sent this email and photos about a famous Canadian 14.

"...International 14 that has been in my family for over 50 years. Her name is Conneda and I even saw a reference to this name linked to Charlie Bourke. Could this be the same boat? The sail number is US 424 and according to my dad, via my late grandfather, it was the first molded plywood I14."

Ryan Grinnel's grandfather sailing.

Again, from Rob Mazza's International 14 history, published in the RCYC newsletter, we have the history of Conneda.

"In 1946, with the help of Prof Parkin and technician Jack Noonan (a Brittania member and dinghy sailor, as was probably Parkin). the National Research Council hot-moulded three Bourke designed 14's and, according to Kirby, a very special fourth one for Bourke himself, called Conneda. Her clean rib-less interior was admired by all. "You don't take a sponge on board, just a duster," said Paul McLaughlin. The first three boats stayed in Ottawa to further build that fleet, while Conneda went to RCYC and was later sold to sailmaker Colin Ratsey in New York."

My records indicate that sail number US-424 was indeed registered to Colin Ratsey, so it is a good bet that Ryan Grinnel's family does indeed own the famous hot-molded Bourke "Conneda".

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From Tom Vaughn's International 14 history, here is a photo of Conneda. Certainly the most naked 14 ever. There couldn't be a more stark difference between the Uffa and Bourke "bones" 14's of the pre-war era and this new-fangled hot-molded 14.

Ladies Aids

I mentioned in the post about the 1969 Kingston CORK regatta, the use of "ladies aids" in the pre-trapeze era; hiking aids that were essentially aluminum tubes you hung out from when hiking out. They seemed most popular with Stuart Walker and Sinjin Martin of the Annapolis fleet. I started crewing with Sinjin Martin as a teenager and remember hiking for all I was worth, hanging from one of those tubes, in the mid-60's.

I asked Sinjin about who invented them. He wasn't sure but he did say they were around at the very beginning of the Annapolis fleet, the mid 1950's. Back then they were steel conduit, attached to a track on the gunwhales, with a wire running from the conduit tube down to the centerline. The later versions were aluminum tube slotted into a slightly larger aluminum tube.

A photo of Stuart and Sinjin, full-on, hanging from the "Ladies Aids". This was the 1967 POW at Cowes.

Bekens of Cowes

Apologies for the non-PC term "Ladies Aids" but this was the 1950's and 1960's. The guy crews used them as much or more than the lady crews.

A PSI Kirby III emerges in Saratoga

John Power from Darien Ct., who sails out of Saratoga N.Y., sends along photos of a Classic 14 pickup. Looks like a primo restoration of a glass PSI Kirby III.

John Power fills in the details:

"I found The KIII in Old Lyme. Connecticut. A fellow by the name of Charlie Ritrovato had her listed on Craigslist. He told me it was in the garage when he bought the house, and he had no idea what kind of boat is was. His neighbor helped him rig it and he had it painted and updated some of the rigging. She still needs some rigging work and spin gear. He may have some pics of her sailing as he had posted them in his CL ad. The boat has a centerboard and rudder that seem small, but I could be wrong - I bought her last November, and never got to sail her yet due to COVID."

Well it turn out I did have a email back-and-forth with Charlie in 2014. He sent me a photo of the sail number. So... originally a Canadian KIII.

Given the sail number, I replied to Charlie:

" A Kirby III designed by Bruce Kirby and built in fiberglass by Ian Bruce (who started his company, Performance Sailcraft to build the Kirby Mk III International 14). Ian Bruce would build about 100 of these Mark III's before collaborating with Bruce Kirby and producing the Laser dinghy, the world's most popular dinghy (and also an Olympic class). KC378 would make this boat one of the last Mark III's produced because Ian would start making the Int. 14 Mk V's starting somewhere after number KC389 (the KV would have a distinctive notch in the transom which your 14 does not have)."

Looks like Charlie did an admirable job at restoring this Kirby III given where he started from.



In somewhat of a coincidence, the original Canadian owner of KC378 was another Charlie; Charlie Eckenfelder, who occasionally flashed a good result in regattas in the early 1970's. According to Sinjin Martin, the Performance Sailcraft Kirby III's didn't come out until the fall of 1968. With the switch-over to the K V in 1971, the Performance Sailcraft Kirby III was produced only over a span slightly greater than 2 years.

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In the previous post about the 1969 Team Races held at Kingston Ontario, most of the Canadian Team in the photos were sailing Kirby III's.

The 1969 CDA and International Team Races: The Transition Regattas

The 1969 International Team Races and the 1969 CDA, both held in Kingston, Ontario Canada, was a watermark event in the International 14 class.

The International 14 class came late to the trapeze. For the post-WWII years, through the 1950's and 1960's, the 14 was a two man hiking boat even though most of the other crewed performance dinghies of that era; the Flying Dutchman, the 505, the Fireball, had already quickly adopted the trapeze. In 1969, the single trapeze was allowed on a trial basis at the Canadian National Championships (CDA), held at the CORK regatta. It obviously made an impression as during the CDA regatta, the International 14 World Council approved the single trapeze, beginning with the 1970 season forward. This set up a very rare situation. The International Team Races, ran the week before CDA had remained a hiking only competition. The 1969 Team Races and the 1969 CDA were to be the old and the new; a transition compressed over two weeks.

I have some grainy photos of the old; the International Team Races held before the CDA, the hiking only event. These feature the U.S. East Coast team taking on Canada. I can identify the U.S. numbers but unfortunately not all the Canadian ones, KC 349, KC 353, and KC 334. I do know at least three of the Canadian skippers; Graeme Hayward, Harry Jemmet, and Andre Julian

US-851 is Sinjin Martin (KIII)

Graeme Hayward KC-354. One thing that is noticeable is the sideways bend of masts for the hiking International 14's. This would go away with the addition of the trapeze.

Frank and Judy Lawson in US-802 leading Graeme Hayward, KC 354.

Stuart Walker and Lev Huntington in US-848 (Kirby IV) covering Graeme Hayward.

US-802 Frank and Judy Lawson (Souter-Casson)

Stuart Walker and Lev Huntington using "Ladies Aids" for extra power upwind.

Bob Reeves and Ted Spivey; US855 (Kirby IV)

A stern shot of US855 going upwind

The trapeze finally arrives on the International 14

The English would dominate the International Team Races, winning all the races. Jeremy Pudney, the English maestro, would win the CDA, the first 14 regatta with a trapeze.

1969 was also a transition year for some of the old guard. 1969 would be the last International event for Stuart Walker. He would win the International 14 U.S. Nationals that year at Saratoga Lake but he was already taking up racing the Soling, a class he would remain in for the rest of his life. Bruce Kirby, who had released his iconic International 14 designs, the KIV and KV, the previous two years, borrowed Stuart Walker's International 14 for the CDA. He was working in Chicago as a sailing journalist and would pop into 14 regattas occasionally in the 1970's.