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Ovington 2021 - ILCA 3 - LEADERBOARD
National 18

National 18

The National 18' began in 1938 following a design competition organised by the then YRA (now RYA) and Yachting World magazine. The original idea was that of Frank Knowling of Whitstable YC (later to be known as the father of the class) for an 18-foot sailing dinghy, suitable for day sailing, yet fast enough to be of interest to racing sailors and at a reasonable cost. (The first rather hopeful restriction of the original class rules was "Price not to exceed £125 complete with spars, all equipment and designer's fee but not including sails"). The plan was to produce an affordable national alternative to the many local one-designs of about this size to be found right round the coast of the British Isles. Many of these local estuary classes survive today, for example the Mermaid in Dublin, Thames Estuary OD, Chichester Harbour 18 etc. The well-known designer Uffa Fox won the competition (over the Laurent Giles submitted version) with his 'Ace' design for a clinker-built wooden boat. National 18' number 1, 'Hurricane', was owned by Stanley Beale and sailed at Whitstable, with No.2 'Gust' and No.3 Foam''. Initial enthusiasm was held back by the effects of World War II but a good deal of 18' building got underway soon afterwards, when mahogany was again available for boat-building and the class became active especially in the Thames Estuary area. By 1950, fleets had appeared at clubs dotted all around the British Isles and Ireland, the Class Association having been formed in 1947. Although most boats were built to the 'Ace' design, the class had always been 'restricted' rather than 'one-design' and boats with a reduced number of wider planks were built when glued plywood construction was adopted and even one moulded carvel boat was built (252 'Sabon'). Several of the wooden 18's, now called 'Classics' are still in commission, and regularly race, principally at Bosham SC. They include No15 Tinkerbell, built in 1938 and still very competitive. With the advent of GRP and the rising costs of hard woods, the Class asked Ian Proctor in the late '60's to design a fibreglass hull that would not outclass the existing boats. In this he was successful and it was some time before a Proctor hull won the championships. The first new Proctor, 'Genivieve' was exhibited at the Crystal Palace Dinghy Show of 1970 when a bare hull cost £153. Since then the Class has progressively reduced minimum hull and centreboard weight, and introduced a single trapeze. Also a restriction which requires all new hulls to come from the class mould so they are in effect one-design. Rigs have been optimised and more recently carbon spars introduced. These changes produced a boat known in the Class as an 'Ultimate' which is fast and exciting to sail and which has provided close and competitive racing for fifteen or so years, both locally and at the annual National Championships. The Royal Cork Yacht Club has the largest fleet. The class strives to be inclusive in providing heathy competition for all generations of 18s through handicaps and separate starts. Thus though the major trophies at National Championships are awarded in the Ultimate class, there are trophies also for the Pen-ultimates (heavy GRP) and the Classics. In 2012 the class mould was declared unservicable, and there was much debate about what to do next. This culminated in a request to Phil Morrison to design a hull that was sleeker, lighter, faster and safer, and in so far as reasonably possible within the existing measurement restrictions. The Morrison prototype was financed by supporters of the Class and built at The Boatyard at Bere in 2013. Named 'Odyssey' and trialled extensively, she ticks all the boxes, is a pleasure to sail and has proved a great success. This development will undoubtedly give the Class a new lease of life, and production of new boats is already under way at White Formula in Brightlingsea.

&copy; Steve Arkley / <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sailshots.co.uk">www.sailshots.co.uk</a> © Steve Arkley / www.sailshots.co.uk
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Show news National 18 Inlands at Tamesis
Six National 18s of various generations raced on Sunday
Posted on 7 Sep
2024 Bosham Regatta
107 boats racing on Saturday 24th August
Posted on 29 Aug
National 18 UK and Ireland Championships
Royal Findhorn YC is a beautiful place with hospitality and a social calendar to match
Posted on 13 Aug
Queen Adelaide and Tamesis Anchor at Tamesis
Zephyr, Snowgoose and Antedote battle it out
Posted on 11 Jun
Book review: Uffa
Yachting's eccentric genius
Posted on 3 Mar
Oldest videos of sailing in National 18 dinghies
A look back into our video archive
Posted on 1 Dec 2023
Bosham Regatta 2023
A perfect day on the water for the 140 boats and 250 sailors
Posted on 7 Sep 2023
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Champs
Held over the weeken of 19th & 20th August at Bosham SC
Posted on 28 Aug 2023
Adelaide Trophy and Tamesis Anchor 2023 at Tamesis
Competitors greeted with sun, wind, and river traffic to contend with
Posted on 13 Jun 2023
National 18 Inlands 2022 at Tamesis
Ace gets the better of Optimus Prime
Posted on 6 Sep 2022
UF50 Celebration attracts over 1000 visitors
With over 80 Uffa Fox-designed boats visiting Cowes over the weekend
Posted on 24 Aug 2022
Bosham Classic Boat Revival cancelled
Significant numbers of attendees are not able to make it
Posted on 21 Aug 2022
Uffa Fox 50 Celebration Regatta Day 2
Veteran skipper Jeremy Vines remains unbeaten
Posted on 20 Aug 2022
Uffa Fox 50 Celebration Regatta Day 1
Jeremy Vines aces the fleet
Posted on 20 Aug 2022
At least 60 boats to celebrate Uffa's legacy
The celebration of his legacy was initiated by the Atalanta Association
Posted on 14 Aug 2022
Over 60 entries for Uffa Fox Celebratory Regatta
This promises to be a feast of nostalgia and some great sailing
Posted on 10 Aug 2022
National 18 English Championships at Bosham
Mixing the Classics, the Ultrus and the Chichester Harbour 18s too
Posted on 13 Jul 2022
Free entry and ferry discounts for all
In the Uffa Fox 50 Celebration 2022
Posted on 17 Jun 2022
National 18 Adelaide Cup and Tamesis Anchor
A good variety of National 18s took to the water
Posted on 13 Jun 2022
Entries now open for Uffa Fox Regatta
Uffa's designs to race from Cowes this August
Posted on 13 Apr 2022
Uffa Fox 50 Celebration preview
Cowes organisations unite to commemorate sailor and designer this August
Posted on 27 Feb 2022
Arrested development
Has the restricted development genre had its day?
Posted on 23 Dec 2021
Can you beat Dylan at the Datchet Flyer?
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion will try a National 18 for the first time
Posted on 10 Dec 2021
Owens wins All Ireland Championships
For the second time in 21 years
Posted on 9 Oct 2021
National 18 English Championships at Bosham
Fourteen boats of various vintages take part
Posted on 10 Aug 2021
Uffa Fox 2022 Regatta announced
A series of events in Cowes to mark the highly regarded naval architect
Posted on 27 Apr 2021
Cork300 rescheduled to 2021
Royal Cork Yacht Club reschedules big weekend of celebrations
Posted on 24 Aug 2020
RCYC re-launches select Cork300 celebrations
World's oldest yacht club hoists sails again for tricentenary events
Posted on 29 Jul 2020
9th Bosham Classic Boat Revival
53 boats travelled from as far as the Netherlands
Posted on 16 Sep 2019
9th Classic Boat Revival preview
5 races over the 7-8 September in Chichester Harbour
Posted on 20 Aug 2019
Links
National 18 UK Nationals Attendance
see the full nationals attendance table here

Photos

Show photos from

National 18 Inlands at Tamesis
© Alastair Banks
National 18 Inlands at Tamesis
© Alastair Banks
National 18 Inlands at Tamesis
© Alastair Banks
National 18 Inlands at Tamesis
© Alastair Banks
National 18 Inlands at Tamesis
© Alastair Banks
National 18 Inlands at Tamesis
© Alastair Banks
National 18s with spinnakers at the Bosham Regatta 2024
© Paul Adams / Harbour Images
First overall, 'Peaky Blinders' - National 18 UK and Ireland Championships at Royal Findhorn
© Rose Laurie
National 18 UK and Ireland Championships at Royal Findhorn
© Iona Cornish
Third Overall. 'The Shadow' - National 18 UK and Ireland Championships at Royal Findhorn
© Rose Laurie
Second Overall, 'Kokomo' - National 18 UK and Ireland Championships at Royal Findhorn
© Rose Laurie
National 18 Queen Adelaide and Tamesis Anchor
© Carolyne Vines
National 18 Queen Adelaide and Tamesis Anchor
© Carolyne Vines
National 18 Queen Adelaide and Tamesis Anchor
© Carolyne Vines
National 18 Queen Adelaide and Tamesis Anchor
© Carolyne Vines
National 18 Queen Adelaide and Tamesis Anchor
© Carolyne Vines
King George Gallop 2024
© Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk
GJW Direct 48th Bloody Mary
© Mark Jardine
N18 in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series
© Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Championships
© Andrew Young
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Championships
© Andrew Young
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Championships
© Andrew Young
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Championships
© Andrew Young
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Championships
© Andrew Young
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Championships
© Andrew Young
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Championships
© Andrew Young
National 18 & Chichester Harbour 18 English Championships
© Andrew Young
National 18 Adelaide Cup and Tamesis Anchor at Tamesis
© Carolyne Vines & Chris Wade
National 18 Adelaide Cup and Tamesis Anchor at Tamesis
© Carolyne Vines & Chris Wade
National 18 Adelaide Cup and Tamesis Anchor at Tamesis
© Carolyne Vines & Chris Wade