Wivenhoe One Design: A Dinghy Class Revival

Along with the modern yacht racing scene, in 'the classics' there's a surprising resurgence of vintage keel boat and dinghy classes. Owners are throwing money at their revivals all in aid of healthy competition at one design or development class level.

In this film, producer Ben Bradley presents a bird's eye view of his local one design sailing off the Essex town of Wivenhoe which is situated on the river that once replenished the Celtic and Roman settlers in the oldest recorded town in Britain, a few miles up river, in Colchester.

At the height of a good tide, Ben is focused on the down wind, up river, sailing of this two-man dinghy as a local boat builder Rob Maloney narrates the story of his involvement in facilitating the restoration of the class that was first launched in 1935. This film includes historical footage of the Wivenhoe One Designs racing on the river; the footage was shot in 1936 by unknown photographer and shows Dr Walter Radcliffe (creater of the W.O.D) sailing the first boat built along the waterfront in wivenhoe. In total 19 were built to conform to the one design rule that was especially drawn to suit this river's typical conditions, although Rob Maloney points out the scepticism of No 19's question mark in the builders notes.