Classic_Boat_2016-05

Classnotes

BY VANESSA BIRD

T

he Osprey is in many ways

the antithesis of the Flying

Dutchman,” wrote Ian

Proctor in the 1955 Yachting World

Annual. “She was designed on the

principle that a two-man centreboard

boat should be powered by sails that

can be handled by two men of

normal strength without many

devices to assist them; it seemed that

this sail area was about 150sq ft,

roughly that of the International 14

class, and 35sq ft less than that of the

Flying Dutchman.”

Ian Proctor designed the prototype

Osprey dinghy – Osprey – in 1952 in

response to the International Yacht

Racing Union’s (IYRU) request for

designs to take part in offi cial trials

for a new international two-man

centreboard class. Eighteen boats

between 15ft and 23ft from seven

different countries took part,

including the Jack Holt-designed

Hornet and the Uus van Essen and

Conrad Gulcher-designed Flying

Dutchman. It was the latter design

that proved the most successful, but

signifi cantly Proctor’s Osprey met

with approval from the IYRU,

fulfi lling its brief for a “normal,

healthy type of boat, not too

expensive, with good general

qualities and a good turn of speed

being of major importance”.

Alongside the Hornet, Osprey gave

an impressive performance, proving

fast both on a broad reach and in

light airs, when she would out-rival

the 19ft 10in Flying Dutchman.

Subsequent trials in 1953 at La

Baule in France saw the introduction

of a trapeze – one of the fi rst designs

to do so – and a bigger spinnaker,

and very close racing took place

against the John Westell-designed

Coronet (a design that subsequently

evolved into the International 505)

and Flying Dutchman. But it was in

the Coronation Race around the Isle

of Wight in 1953 that Osprey’s

potential as a new class and Proctor’s

talent as one of Britain’s fi nest

designers was fi nally proved. Despite

stiff competition – including Uffa Fox

sailing his 18ft prototype Jolly Boat,

Jollity – Osprey, crewed by Proctor,

Cliff Norbury and John Oakley,

stormed to victory in the 64-mile race

organised by Cowes Corinthian YC,

fi nishing fi rst out of 192 boats.

From this prototype evolved the

Osprey class, introduced in 1955. The

Osprey MkII was an enhancement on

the original design, which was wider

aft to improve stability and planing,

and with a deeper-draught

centreboard to improve windward

performance. In 1973, the MkIII was

introduced, which although retaining

the same hull shape saw the removal

of the aft buoyancy tank to aid

production of the class in GRP.

Tweaks were later made in 2002,

but it was in 2005 that the most

signifi cant changes to the design were

made, when designer Phil Morrison

was approached by Hartley Boats to

produce the MkIV, a modernised

version of the Osprey designed to

meet current expectations of high-

performance boats, as well as suitable

for new building techniques. Using

Hartley Boats’ brief “to produce the

best modern Osprey possible while

maintaining the inherent nature and

spirit of the class, to be competitive

with the best boats in the class but

not render the old boats obsolete”,

Morrison reworked the design,

optimising the hull shape, but within

original class rules. The design has

been a great success, and helped one

of Proctor’s fi nest keep its position as

one of the best two-man dinghies ever

built, with 1,350 launched since 1955.

ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The fi rst annual Osprey

championships were held in 1958

and saw a fl eet of 22 boats racing in

Saundersfoot Bay in Pembrokeshire.

Over three races, the competition

saw tough, close battles between

Tony Phillips in Stardust and Ian

Proctor in Nebulus, the former of

which managed to secure two out

of three fi rsts to take the cup.

CONSTRUCTION

Like many of Proctor’s designs,

when initially launched, the Osprey

was off ered as plans for home

construction by amateurs;

measurement tolerances within

the class rules allowed for

discrepancies in building.

Construction was originally

clinker, but interestingly Proctor

wrote in 1955: “Clinker building was

chosen because in this country it is

cheap, but this was a mistake,

because it is unfamiliar and

expensive on the Continent.” In 1953

he did produce plans for a “lighter,

fl atter cold-moulded Osprey”, but

the design was never built.

When Hartley Boats took over

production of GRP Ospreys in

2004, production of the design by

professional yards had all but

stopped, but following consultation

by Phil Morrison to update the

design, new moulds were produced

by Ian Teasdale and Kevin Driver in

2005. A brand-new MkV was also
      launched at this year’s RYA Dinghy
      Show at Alexandra Palace, which is
      being built in epoxy.

THE COST

A new, ready-to-sail GRP Osprey

from Hartley Boats costs around

£11,995. Secondhand, boats cost

from £500, depending on condition,

age and build quality.

ospreysailing.org

© MIKE RICE/THE OSPREY ASSOCIATION

SPECIFICATIONS

LOA

17ft 6in (5.4m)

LWL

16ft 7in (5.1m)

BEAM

5ft 9in (1.8m)

DRAUGHT

PU: 7in (18cm)

PD: 4ft 6in

(1.4m)

SAIL AREA

150sq ft

(13.9m^2 )

DISPLACEMENT

295lb (133.3kg)

The Osprey

Vanessa’s book,

Classic Classes, is

a must-buy. Please

bear in mind that

this book provides

only a snapshot of

the myriad classes

in existence.

Launched in 1952, wooden-hulled

Ospreys remain competitive

“

Next month

Norfolk Pleasure

Wherry