Uffa Fox
Encyclopedia
Uffa Fox CBE
(15 January 1898 – 26 October 1972) was an English
boat designer and sailing enthusiast.
and was raised in East Cowes
. He lived for a while in Puckaster
on the Isle of Wight.
He was responsible for many of the developments which have contributed to the modern popularity of Dinghy sailing
. He first introduced the technique of planing
to dinghy racing, and was influential in the introduction of trapezing
.
In about 1943 he designed a 27 ft lifeboat
to be dropped from Vickers Warwick
aircraft when rescuing downed aircrew or mariners. These boats could be released from under the aeroplane retarded by six 32 ft diameter parachutes
. Although initially adapted for the Warwick, the lifeboat was subsequently also carried by Air-Sea Rescue Lancaster
s and B-17 Flying Fortresses
He became a friend of the Duke of Edinburgh
in 1949 and they raced together at Cowes Week
on many occasions. He also took the Royal children sailing at Cowes
.
Apart from having a highly successful racing, cruising and sailing
career, he ran successful boat design and boatbuilding businesses in the south of England. He designed many of the significant classes of boats around today, including the planing International 14
, the Foxcub and Super Foxcub, the Flying Fifteen, the National 12
, the National 18, the Albacore
, the Firefly
, the Javelin
, the Pegasus Dinghy
, the Jollyboat
and the Day Sailer
. Many of his designs exploited the wartime
development of moulded plywood
.
His character is perhaps best indicated by an escapade whereby he led a group of Sea Scouts, without their parents' consent (they thought it was a weekend sailing camp), across the English Channel
and up the Seine
to within a few kilometres of Paris
in a 25 ft open boat.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(15 January 1898 – 26 October 1972) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
boat designer and sailing enthusiast.
Life
Uffa Fox was born on the Isle of WightIsle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
and was raised in East Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
. He lived for a while in Puckaster
Puckaster
Puckaster is a hamlet on the Isle of Wight, England. Puckaster is on the southern coast of the Isle of Wight, south of Niton, between St. Catherine's Point and Binnel.-History:...
on the Isle of Wight.
Work
Dinghy sailing
Dinghy sailing is the activity of sailing small boats by using five essential controls:* the sails* the foils ....
. He first introduced the technique of planing
Planing (sailing)
Planing is the mode of operation for a waterborne craft in which its weight is predominantly supported by hydrodynamic lift, rather than hydrostatic lift .-History:...
to dinghy racing, and was influential in the introduction of trapezing
Trapeze (sailing)
In sailing, the trapeze refers to a wire that comes from a point high on the mast, usually where the shrouds are fixed, to a hook on the crew member's harness at approximately waist level...
.
Airborne lifeboat
Airborne lifeboats were powered lifeboats that were made to be dropped by fixed-wing aircraft into water to aid in air-sea rescue operations. An airborne lifeboat was to be carried by a heavy bomber specially modified to handle the external load of the lifeboat...
to be dropped from Vickers Warwick
Vickers Warwick
The Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose British aircraft used during the Second World War. Built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands, Surrey, the Warwick was used by the Royal Air Force as a transport, air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance platform, and by the civilian British Overseas...
aircraft when rescuing downed aircrew or mariners. These boats could be released from under the aeroplane retarded by six 32 ft diameter parachutes
Parachutes
Parachutes is the debut album by English alternative rock band Coldplay, released by the record label Parlophone on 10 July 2000 in the United Kingdom. The album was produced by the band and British record producer Ken Nelson, excluding one track which was produced by Chris Allison...
. Although initially adapted for the Warwick, the lifeboat was subsequently also carried by Air-Sea Rescue Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
s and B-17 Flying Fortresses
He became a friend of the Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
in 1949 and they raced together at Cowes Week
Cowes Week
Cowes Week is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily races, up to 1,000 boats, and 8,500 competitors ranging from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world...
on many occasions. He also took the Royal children sailing at Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
.
Apart from having a highly successful racing, cruising and sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
career, he ran successful boat design and boatbuilding businesses in the south of England. He designed many of the significant classes of boats around today, including the planing International 14
International 14
The International 14 is 14-foot double-handed racing dinghy. The class originated in England in the early part of the 20th century. It is sailed and raced in many countries around the world and was one of the very first true international racing dinghy classes recognised by International Sailing...
, the Foxcub and Super Foxcub, the Flying Fifteen, the National 12
National 12 (dinghy)
The National 12 is a two-person, two-sail, twelve-foot long sailing dinghy. They are sailed extensively in the UK. The National 12 is a development class with a long, famous and intriguing history. The class was started in 1936 by the Royal Yachting Association as an alternative to the more...
, the National 18, the Albacore
Albacore (dinghy)
The Albacore is a 4.57 m two-sailed planing dinghy developed in 1954 from an Uffa Fox design. Hulls may be made of either wood or fibreglass....
, the Firefly
Firefly (dinghy)
The Firefly is a two-sail, wooden or GRP sailing dinghy with no spinnaker, designed by Uffa Fox in 1938. Although designed as a double hander, it was selected as the single handed class for the 1948 Olympics but was subsequently replaced by the Finn class. The class then became popular as a double...
, the Javelin
Javelin dinghy
The Javelin can refer to several different class of boats. The boats are significantly different and only have the same name by coincidence.-Javelin :...
, the Pegasus Dinghy
Pegasus Dinghy
The Pegasus is a powerful and fast two person racing and cruising dinghy designed by Uffa Fox in 1958. It was notable for being a boat capable of being built at home using marine ply but still with an efficient and aesthetically pleasing round bilged hull form - see pictures on the cvrda...
, the Jollyboat
Jollyboat (dinghy)
Traditionally the term jolly boat refers to a boat carried by a ship, powered by 4 or six oars and occasionally yawl rigged sails. The term might also refer to...
and the Day Sailer
Day Sailer (dinghy)
The Day Sailer is a day sailer for pleasure sailing as well as racing; it is sailed throughout North America and Brazil. Designed by Uffa Fox and George O'Day in 1958, the Day Sailer possesses a 6 foot beam, an overall length of 17 feet, a fiberglass hull and a cuddy cabin...
. Many of his designs exploited the wartime
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
development of moulded plywood
Plywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
.
His character is perhaps best indicated by an escapade whereby he led a group of Sea Scouts, without their parents' consent (they thought it was a weekend sailing camp), across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
and up the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
to within a few kilometres of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in a 25 ft open boat.
External links
- Uffa Fox Website
- A picture of an Airborne Lifeboat being released
- LIFE magazine photos of Uffa and the Duke of EdinburghDuke of EdinburghThe Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
- St. Mildred's Churchyard