Jack Holt Centennial Celebration Regatta
by Rupert Whelan 13 Dec 2011 16:21 GMT
7-8 July 2012
Wraysbury Lake Sailing Club (www.wlsc.org.uk) and the Classic and Vintage Racing Dinghy Association (www.cvrda.org) are pleased to announce a celebration of the life and dinghies of Jack Holt on 7/8 July, who would have been 100 years old in 2012.
Jack Holt was Britain’s premier post-war dinghy designer, designing the original Merlin, Mirror, Enterprise, GP14, Solo, Hornet and many others. In 1956 he was a co-founder of Wraysbury Lake SC, and became their first President. He designed the Enterprise and the Solo with Wraysbury Lake in mind, so it is fitting that a celebration should take place at the club, which is based near Staines, Middlesex.
The event is the brain-child of former CVRDA Commodore Roger Devereux, who sails a beautiful varnished sliding seat Hornet, one of Jack Holt’s fastest and best looking designs. He is gathering together examples of as many Jack Holt designs as he can, to take part in a series on handicap races, using handicaps which take into account a boat’s age and state of tune, followed by a Grand Pursuit, with starting times based on the elapsed times from previous races.
We would like to have a spread from the earliest examples from a class to a modern version to show the development of his work. For instance Enterprises no 1 and 2 exist and the owners have expressed interest in this event. An up to date version would make an interesting contrast. Numbers are limited to 50 boats, with a further 10 from Wraysbury Lake. For more information and to register your interest in taking part, please go to the CVDRA home page at www.cvrda.org and click on the link.
More than any other sailor, Jack Holt has shaped the vibrant dinghy scene we see in Britain today, and this regatta, plus others which are in the planning stages for 2012, will be a wonderful way of celebrating his design genius.
A listing of Jack Holt dinghies which we would love to see at the Regatta:
Cadet (1947), Diamond Keelboat, Enterprise (1956), GP 14 (1949), Heron (1951), Hornet (1952), Ideal Dinghy, International 10sq m Canoe, International 14, Jacksnipe (1968), Lazy E (1960), Merlin (1945), Miracle (1973) , Mirror (1962), Mirror 16 (1963), National 12, North Norfolk 16, Pacer (1965, formerly Puffin Pacer), Pursuit, YW Rambler, Solo (1956), Streaker (1975), Vagabond (1958).
If you are an owner of a Jack Holt design not on the list, please contact Roger and let him know!