New beginning for Portsmouth based Victory class
by Victory Class Association 15 May 2007 20:48 BST
'Zafirah', the first GRP Victory is launched in Portsmouth Harbour © Nigel Sefton-Smith
A one design racing tradition for the 21st century
The launch of the first Victory boat for more than twenty years heralded a new beginning for the seventy three year old, Portsmouth based one design racing class.
“Zafirah” is seen as a particularly important development as it is the first Victory with hull and deck in GRP (glass reinforced plastic). However, the interior and deck trim, as well as the spars, have been kept in wood to ensure that it looks exactly the same as the previous all-wooden boats.
As the Class takes its name from Nelson’s own H.M.S.Victory, it was fitting that the unveiling ceremony took place alongside her illustrious predecessor in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard where the boat was formally named by Philippa Pringle.
Later in the Camber Dock Old Portsmouth, Lady West wife of former First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West performed the launching and blessing ceremony. The event was the realisation of her late father’s suggestion made many years ago, that the future for the Class would be to embrace modern construction methods.
Part of the construction brief to Cowes builder David Heritage Racing Yachts was to include built-in buoyancy so that the boats are virtually unsinkable and also compliant with the Recreational Craft Directive Category “C” for inshore sailing.
“Zafirah” is now regularly racing and her ballasting is to be adjusted to ensure that her performance matches that of her older siblings.
Class Captain Hugh Pringle, who headed the new boat technical committee, said, “As many of our existing boats are over 60 years old and still racing hard, a new initiative was required. We chose a modern low maintenance material as it was felt that the demands of keeping the old boats going had become a barrier to potential new members. The facilities we have for one design racing are second to none and we are delighted to have secured the long term future of the class. On her first sail, in testing conditions, Zafirah performed faultlessly. We are confident that the new boat will be very popular and begin a new era for the Class.”
With five new GRP boats already on order from within the Class, the distinctive black hulled boats look set to become an even greater presence on the Portsmouth dayboat racing scene.
The Class is offering a trial sail aboard the new boat to those interested in seeing what Victory racing is all about. For further information contact Jeremy Lear on jeremy.lear@btinternet.com or 07768 724338.