F Collar
Encyclopedia
Collars Oars is a UK, Oxford
based business specialising in producing hand crafted wooden yacht masts
, wooden oars and spars
. The company is currently owned by Freeland Yachtspars Limited and has exchanged hands several times since it was founded by Frank Collar (F.Collar) in 1932.
The business progressed and orders grew for new sets of rowing blades for not only the Oxford University crews but also other schools and colleges throughout the country including the Cambridge University teams. By the time the Second World War broke out the Collar reputation was sufficiently established for Frank to secure a contract with the Air Ministry to make oars for all aircraft lifeboats.
(MOD) is marked as a turning point in the company history due to the vast quantity of oars ordered and as a result additional staff, machines and premises had to be found. While the oars for the Air Ministry were in production the Royal Navy
approached Collars to design a paddle to be used in invasion. It had to be able to enter the water as quietly as possible yet strong enough to do the job. A design for the 5’ Paddle was submitted, accepted and thousands were ordered. The contract required a nearly 24 hour production schedule to meet the dealine. Today there is still an enabling contract in place with the MOD and the same paddle, along with certain oars are still being produced by Collars in Oxford.
being used in both oars and masts, and a very similar manufacturing process, this was a natural progression. By the time of the 1968 Mexico Olympics Collars were commissioned to supply all the masts for the popular Finn Class dinghy, and with wood being a varying natural material, 100 masts were made and the 50 most similar masts were chosen and taken to competition.
and John Ridgway (sailor)
.
With a change of hands and ownership the Collar brand is currently owned by Freeland Yacht Spar Limited based in Dorchester on Thames near Oxford, where a staff of 13 still produce wooden oars, masts and spars for some of the finest yachts from all round the world.
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
based business specialising in producing hand crafted wooden yacht masts
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
, wooden oars and spars
SPARS
SPARS was the United States Coast Guard Women's Reserve, created 23 November 1942 with the signing of Public Law 773 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The name is a contraction of the Coast Guard motto: Semper Paratus and its English translation Always Ready...
. The company is currently owned by Freeland Yachtspars Limited and has exchanged hands several times since it was founded by Frank Collar (F.Collar) in 1932.
The early days
The business of F.Collar Ltd was started in 1932 by Mr Frank Collar who was at the time trained in accountancy but had always been a keen rower. Based in the old Oxford University Boathouse situated at the bottom of Isis Street, he began by repairing damaged oars for college crews. With demand high a few weeks later he was joined by his father along with a 14-year old by the name of Bill Scaldwell who was taken on as an apprentice. With the growing popularity of rowing it was not long after that an order was received for the manufacture of six pairs of Sculls, starting the business of oar making. A small quantity of wood was purchased and with limited tools and no machines, they were made by hand, and in the absence of electricity they were varnished by candlelight.The business progressed and orders grew for new sets of rowing blades for not only the Oxford University crews but also other schools and colleges throughout the country including the Cambridge University teams. By the time the Second World War broke out the Collar reputation was sufficiently established for Frank to secure a contract with the Air Ministry to make oars for all aircraft lifeboats.
Ministry of Defence contract
Winning a contract with the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
(MOD) is marked as a turning point in the company history due to the vast quantity of oars ordered and as a result additional staff, machines and premises had to be found. While the oars for the Air Ministry were in production the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
approached Collars to design a paddle to be used in invasion. It had to be able to enter the water as quietly as possible yet strong enough to do the job. A design for the 5’ Paddle was submitted, accepted and thousands were ordered. The contract required a nearly 24 hour production schedule to meet the dealine. Today there is still an enabling contract in place with the MOD and the same paddle, along with certain oars are still being produced by Collars in Oxford.
Yacht masts
In 1950 Frank Collar and Bill Scaldwell joined in partnership and this was shortly followed by the boom in sailing which took F. Collar into the manufacturing of yacht and dinghy masts in a big way. With the chosen timber of Sitka SpruceSitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
being used in both oars and masts, and a very similar manufacturing process, this was a natural progression. By the time of the 1968 Mexico Olympics Collars were commissioned to supply all the masts for the popular Finn Class dinghy, and with wood being a varying natural material, 100 masts were made and the 50 most similar masts were chosen and taken to competition.
Accolades
The Collar racing oars were so successful in competition that they have been exported to every Western Country as well as regularly exported to Australia, New Zealand and America. Used in every Olympic games between 1952 and 1984 as well as international competitions, the name became synonymous with premium quality racing oars. In 1970 two pairs of sculls were supplied to Sidney Genders and were used to successfully row the Atlantic, later followed by Chay BlythChay Blyth
Sir Charles Blyth, CBE, BEM , known as Chay Blyth, is a Scottish yachtsman and rower. He was the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world , on a 59-foot boat called British Steel.- Early life:...
and John Ridgway (sailor)
John Ridgway (sailor)
John Ridgway, MBE, , is a British yachtsman and rower.-Biography:Ridgway was educated at Pangbourne Nautical College and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 1966, whilst a Captain in the Parachute Regiment, Ridgway, together with Chay Blyth, rowed across the North Atlantic in a 20 ft open...
.
The present day
Collars, by now a World famous brand, led the field of oar making until early 1980 when modern advances resulted in the introduction of a carbon fibre oar. Pioneered by the Dreissigacker brothers the new material provided a lighter and stronger oar, and by 1985 regular orders had dried up. Still providing recreational, specialist sculls and oars Collars were to move their primary focus to the yachting market that had been steadily growing in the background.With a change of hands and ownership the Collar brand is currently owned by Freeland Yacht Spar Limited based in Dorchester on Thames near Oxford, where a staff of 13 still produce wooden oars, masts and spars for some of the finest yachts from all round the world.