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.

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.

  

Bruce Kirby; On Designing his Mk 2

Bruce Kirby continues the story on the history of his 14 designs:

Developing the Kirby 2 (Flame)

"After the Canadians had won the 1961 Team Races (I had competed with the Mk 1. The Team Races were held in Toronto), Ward McKimm had said that if I would do a Mk 2, he would take the first one. Then I got Harry Jemmett of Kingston, my brother David Kirby, cousin-in-law Fred Anfossie from Ottawa and 2-3 others, including myself to sign up for the first batch. The boats were built in fiberglass by Johan Tanzer, located west of Montreal (there was no wood prototype). The first Mk 2's were launched in 1962. Johan Tanzer went on to be successful manufacturer of small cruising boats. The Mk 2 was also built in fiberglass in the U.S by Roger Moorman of Gloucester, Virginia (designer and builder of the Mobjack). Later on, the Mk 2 was also built in wood by Souter. Graeme Hayward had the first of these and it was in a Souter Mk 2 that Stewart Morris won his last of 10 wins in the POW."

Differences between the Mk 2 vs. the Mk 1

"The Mk 2 was not as deep under the mast (rocker), not quite as fine forward at the waterline. and not quite as full above the waterline forward. The Mk 2 was also slightly narrower on the waterline amidships. She would get on a plane earlier than the Mk 1. These were all very slight differences, but they added up to make a better all-round 14. The Mk 2 was very easy to sail to it's top potential."

How did American Roger Moorman come to build the Kirby 2?

"Roger Moorman had a glass layup system that he developed for the Mobjack that used a core material. The system looked good - I can't remember how we got in touch; Roger came to Montreal and taught Hans Tanzer his system and they both built the Mk 2 14's that way. The 14's got 1-2 in the 1962 CDA at Pointe Claire (I was first, Harry Jemmett was second) and that fall, Graeme Hayward asked me to have Souter also build them in wood. Graeme had the first wood Souter Mk 2 and quite a few were built by them. I think 'Pudders' (Jeremy Pudney) had one of them as well."