Calling all UK "Lowrider" Moth owners...
by John Edwards 19 Mar 2018 15:35 GMT
Magnum 8 beautifully restored by Paul Hignett © Katie Hughes
In this, the 90th Anniversary year of the International Moth, efforts are being made to pull together the owners of older International Moths. Since the advent of foiling in the mid-Noughties, it is inevitable that class development has moved rapidly in that direction. This has left owners of boats from the first 75+ years of development a little fragmented.
Now, whilst there were many Moths which were also left fragmented (it seems there is a graveyard of particular significance off Saltash), the construction of latter boats was pretty robust. Many Moths of composite and even carbon fibre construction have not exploded into sawdust on the first reach and remain in very good condition. Older designs may not have stood the ravages of time quite so well, but are still cherished by their loving owners.
The advent of social media has allowed a merry band of over 350 owners and fans to congregate on Facebook – the "International Moth Lowriders". Those familiar with the term from Californian automotive folklore, expecting customised craft "generally individually painted with intricate, colorful designs" and possessing control systems which allow it "to be raised or lowered at the owner's command" (according to Wikipedia) won't be too disappointed, although the bouncing around is more to do with challenging conditions and lack of owner control... Whilst memories are a little misty as to whether we acknowledge Andrew Howes or Simon Propper for the term Lowrider, the use of the term allowed us to create a number of initiatives, managed by a number of Lowrider Gurus.
Firstly, the Facebook Page provides a large archive of old photographs (some of which we had hoped had been lost), IMCA UK Yearbooks from 1966 until 2001 (many of which are also on the IMCA UK Website) and other files of historical interest. Then there are the usual activities of restoration / repair advice and showcases, boats for sail and Lowrider related chatter.
Secondly, Lyndon Beasley has spent hours going through old paper receipts and records to create a registry of the Lowriders from UK (not ISAF/WS) sail number 2329 to 4100. This is now hosted, in an open access format, on the internet. The link is available via the "About" tab on the Facebook group homepage. Through gentle encouragement, we have established the owners and whereabouts of 61 Lowriders in the possession of 55 owners. However, we know that there are many more lurking under covers at sailing clubs, in garages and in boat sheds. There will be many owners who are either not users of Facebook, or who are but have not joined the group. So, please would all readers encourage owners known to them, or at their sailing club to join Facebook and join the group, or e-mail me directly at and I will pass them the link to the database. The assumption, of course, is that every dinghy owner in the UK reads Yachts and Yachting Online and can use e-mail.
There are many hundreds, if not thousands, of former Moth owners in the UK, not all of whom who wish to forget their time in the class. The Database is a "Who's Who?" of the sailing glitterati. The Database project is a chance for former owners to document, either directly or through me, golden nuggets of the history of their ownership. We would all like to know who owned each boat before and after each owner, any claims to fame, or whether the boat exploded and sank, or ended up on the Club bonfire, or made it safely to retirement as a spring bulb planter at the sailing club entrance. And, who knows, your old boat may still be alive and loved, in which case the current owner would also be keen to learn its previous history.
A third initiative has been to pin the location of Lowriders on an online map, which is also linked from the Facebook group homepage. As well as making owners feel less fragmented, it will help the organisation of events closer to the majority of owners.
And to Events. There will be proposed a mix of events which will welcome Lowriders. With their approval, we will aim to target some of the Classic and Vintage Racing Dinghy Association's events. We also hope to join some of the foiling IMCA UK events. The International Moth Scottish National Championships at Loch Lomond Sailing Club on September 1st and 2nd will see the crowning of a Lowrider National Champion. We hope also to support other events such as Abersoch Dinghy Week (July 21st to 27th) and other open club regattas. A Lowrider training day has been organised at Greensforge SC on April 21st. A full calendar will be revealed soon.
Meanwhile, many Lowriders have changed hands since last autumn. Many of us who have been foiling for several years have yearned also to experience "the ultimate Lowrider", with the elusive species of Hungry Tiger being sought, in addition to the last Magnums, Skippy's and Prowlers. But middle aged Magnums, Axemen of all generations and older designs are also changing hands and undergoing restoration. Despite the age of the boats, the International Moth continues to attract talented youthful sailors, such as George Coles, Josh Millington and others, who are much younger than the designs they sail: no doubt in search of the ultimate challenge in displacement single-handed sailing. The Database lists examples of 33 different designs in existence in the UK – and the archive records list sail numbers linked to 149 different designs (so far). Therein alone lies a remarkable history of one of the most important development classes. In this 90th Anniversary year, we hope that the participation of anyone who has ever owned an International Moth in these projects will facilitate the telling of a remarkable story. But to do so now would be spoiling the great things to come in the pages of Yachts and Yachting...