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Clinker Punt.627 viewsBuilt all in wood, she is a fascinating miniature.
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Clinker Punt.705 viewsAs you can see, this one went to be the punt on a magnificent large radio-controled sailing model of a Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter. However, she is a pretty little thing in her own right, and would make a nice display piece if you like traditional dinghies. She's not too expensive, either.
(model by Frank Hasted)
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Rainbow (J Class)657 viewsSopwith's challenge of 1934 came as an unwelcome surprise to the Americans. The effects of the financial crash of 1929 were making themselves felt. Even the very rich were not quite as rich as before. Suddenly, they found themselves facing a genuinely dangerous challenge, from a ruthlessly organised British team, headed by an extremely determined millionaire with a background in aircraft development and manufacture.
The syndicate to build "Rainbow" consisted of no less than seventeen people. Time and expense were saved by not commissioning a new design. Instead, Starling Burgess took a set of lines he had drafted in 1931, and overhauled them. The new defender was built in a rush, in the record time of 100 days.
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Rainbow (J Class)676 viewsShe nearly failed to be selected as defender. Just as with the challenge of 1930, Vanderbilt faced stiff opposition from other American J boats. In this case, it was "Yankee" which posed the main danger. Always a fast boat in stiff breezes, she had been modified so as to retain all her speed in strong winds, while becoming much faster in light airs. She gave "Rainbow" a very hard time in the selection trials. To this day, partisans for "Yankee" claim she was robbed. In 1935, "Yankee" came over to British waters, the only American J boat to do so, and posed a stiff challenge to "Endeavour"s supremacy in her home waters. There is little doubt that she could have been as effective a defender as "Rainbow".
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Rainbow (J Class)643 viewsWhile "Rainbow" was an extremely beautiful boat, she was slower than the challenger. Her victory in the Cup races was a story of superior organisation and tactics. There is little doubt that Vanderbilt deserved to win. "Rainbow" occupies a justly honoured place in yachting history. Like all the American J boats, she had a short life, and was broken up in 1940. It is rumoured that there are plans afoot to build replicas of both her and "Yankee". Will we ever see "Endeavour", "Yankee", and "Rainbow" battling it out again, in a re-creation of the famous 1934 cup series? We can but hope. But you can own this lovely piece of yachting history in miniature now.
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Rainbow (J Class)618 views
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Ranger. (J Class)647 viewsThe mighty, invincible, "Ranger", the "super-J", was a boat around which legends were woven. In one short and glorious season, in 1937, she raced thirty-seven times. She was beaten once by "Yankee", and once by "Endeavour". Most of the time, interest centred on who came second.
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Ranger. (J Class)617 viewsSopwith's challenge of 1934 had frightened the Americans. When he issued a fresh challenge for 1937, with a new J boat, "Endeavour II", they decided to build a boat nothing could beat. Advances in the science of tank testing made it more feasible to try many different sets of lines.
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Ranger. (J Class)605 viewsThis was fully exploited by a brilliant design team, which included the experience of Starling Burgess and the rising talent of the young Olin Stephens. The set of lines you see here resulted. Some considered them unconventional, even ugly. To my eye, they are extremely beautiful, and speak of speed.
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Ranger. (J Class)629 viewsShe was broken up in 1941. It seems a full-sized replica may be built. You can buy our lovely miniature replica for a great deal less, today.
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Arun 52-01 half model.690 viewsThis was the original Arun, the boat that revolutionised the RNLI's fleet. We created this half model for one of her coxswains, on his retirement.
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Arun 52-23 half model.675 viewsWe created this half model for one of her coxswains, on his retirement.
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