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.

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.

A 1964 Wyche and Coppock Proctor V on the East Coast?

Michael Storey started a thread over at the Woodenboat Forum about an unknown International 14 he found in a garage near Annapolis. Given his description, it sounds tantalizing similar to a Wyche and Coppock Proctor V, built in lapstrake, one of a small batch built by that famous English dinghy builder. There was one known Wyche and Coppock Proctor V that made it to the U.S., that one being US 782 that was originally owned by Jim Wachter in Seattle Washington. This 14 was built in 1964. So far no pictures and I haven't been able to contact Michael but it looks to be a very intriguing find.

The Wyche and Coppock builders tag (lifted from the National 12 website):

US 728 - Bud Easter Proctor VI Resurfaces

Dennis Canty from Seattle finds US 728 on Craigslist and writes:

"The current owner thinks it was built in the mid-70's, but it sounds like that would be inconsistent with the sail number. I have never sailed a 14 but have raced a lot of other boats, including Lasers, Lightnings, Melges 24s, J24s, etc, etc. We would be using this boat for a local beer can series, the Duck Dodge, where there is a mixed dinghy class with 505s, 470s, and miscellaneous others. It's primarily a light air venue in mid-summer and favors a powered-up boat. Seems like the 14 might fit the bill nicely.

Does anyone retrofit a classic for an assymetrical spinnaker, or is this considered sacrilege? And is there any source for used sails? The boat as a whole is $750 and I would be a bit reluctant to spend more than that on a new suit of sails."

My reply:

"Most likely a Bud Easter fiberglass Proctor VI circa 1962-1963 (I have no records for this particular number). The Proctor VI's were very competitive in their day. Bud Easter's molds eventually went to the Clark Boatbuilding Company and they built Proctor VI's until they built the newer Kirby IV mold in 1969."

Dyke Williams, an active 14 sailor on the East Coast during the early 1960's, gives an update on the Proctor VI numbers in the comment section which I have moved over to the main post:

"The USIFA boat number book shows US 728 is a Bud Easter Proctor VI assigned on Oct 25 1962 to Fred Reebes Seattle. Seven Proctor VI hulls were assigned to Bud (US 721-728) in 1963, and an additional three (US 732, 733 and 735) in 1962. I have no idea why numbers were assigned out of order. Several of these hulls were not registered until 1964 or 1965 which suggests the owners purchased the incomplete hull and finished them later."

Dennis did buy US 728 and sends along some photos:

Talented sailmaker David Bell moved out from Toronto to Seattle and set up shop with Bud Easter to produce Easter 14 sails which is seen on this 14.