Classic Boat — November 2017

BEKEN OF COWES

CLASSIC BOAT NOVEMBER 2017 29

O

n 6 April, 1963, two new boats were

launched in Cowes, both with the same

purpose in mind: to win the Admiral’s

Cup. Outlaw was launched at Souter’s,

while around 25 minutes later and less

than half a mile downstream, Clarion of Wight was

launched at Lallow’s. They were part of a new crop of

boats built specifically to win the cup, which in 1963 had

taken place just three times, but which was having a

galvanising effect on yacht racing internationally. The

Admiral’s Cup series comprised the Channel Race, two

inshore races during Cowes Week and then the Fastnet

Race. Each nation’s team was made up of three yachts.

The inaugural Admiral’s Cup in 1957 had been won

by Great Britain, which retained it in 1959, but lost to

the USA in 1961. British yachtsmen were determined to

win it back and so it was that in 1963, no fewer than 14

yachts, more than half purpose-built, including Outlaw

and Clarion of Wight, took part in the British trials.

The Illingworth and Primrose-designed Outlaw was

built for newspaper proprietor Sir Max Aitken and

Robert Lowein, and the Sparkman & Stephens Clarion

for industrialists Dennis Miller and Derek Boyer, and

both boats showed early promise. Two months later

Yachting World reported that “after weeks of anxiety for

the owners”, the British team would be Outlaw, Clarion

and Ron Amey’s Noryema III.

They were up against France, Sweden, Germany,

Holland and the USA. Britain was in last place after the

Channel Race, but did better in the inshore Britannia

Cup to move up to third overall. In the third race, the

New York YC Cup, Clarion was first, with Outlaw and

Noryema second and third. The British were now second

overall. So it was all to play for in the triple-scoring

Fastnet Race, but things started badly for the two

Cowes-built British boats. Outlaw broke her gooseneck

and she crossed the start line under headsails alone,

while the crew effected a repair; and Clarion (on

starboard tack) had a collision with the French

Primevere (on port but claiming water). Both lodged a

protest and carried on racing. British luck endured:

Outlaw finished seventh after her gooseneck repair held,

Noryema was ninth after winning her protest, and

Clarion was declared the overall winner of the 127-boat

Fastnet fleet. Britain had won back the Admiral’s Cup.

I was just nine years old at the time and the three

yachts’ names have been etched in my mind ever since. It

was a thrill when recently I got the chance to sail on two

of them, Clarion and Outlaw, both well looked after and

still being raced, but neither in their home waters.

The last Admiral’s Cup was in 2003, however Cup

fever is high in Australia, where there is a major regatta

in Sydney in December marking the Australians’ first win

in the event, 50 years ago. Perhaps it’s the perfect time to

look back at two historic British yachts...

Outlaw, launched in Cowes on 6 April, 1963, also

went on to win the Admiral’s Cup that summer!

CB353 Clarion/Outlaw.indd 29 26/09/2017 13:17