National 18
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Sails: |
2 plus spinnaker |
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Crew: |
2-3 |
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Suitable for children: |
2 children as crew 1 adult as helm (light winds) |
The National 18 was originally an Uffa Fox design from 1936, which was christened the 'Uffa Ace'. It was tough, with a heavy metal plate, an excellent racer-cruiser on the sea, and fleets sprang up soon after the war at several locations around the coast. There were 18s at Tamesis by the early 1950s, and, largely because of the tall rig, large mainsail and good manoeuvrability, they also proved to be good river boats.
It is a restricted class, thus allowing development as new ideas and materials emerge. It was in 1970 that the first GRP boat emerged, to a design by Ian Proctor, and built for Murray Vines at Tamesis. Nr 266 Genevieve is still sailed competitively at the club. The hull design was changed again to fully GRP, then again to a brand new Morrison design recently. These are being built on the the East coast by White Formula. Thus new boats have become virtual one-designs. National 18s have carried a trapeze for many years now, which makes for a very exciting ride. The new boat hull weight is 160kg.
The annual championship rotates between Cork, Findhorn (near Inverness), the Isle of Man and the East Coast of England, and attracts about 30 entries.
Click here to go the the National 18 class website
National 18 New Design Facebook page
National 18 New Design FAQ's (Word)
National 18 new design YouTube Channel
Last updated 18:38 on 25 April 2024