The oldest video footage of GP14 racing dinghies
by Magnus Smith 29 Sep 2024 12:00 BST
GP14 racing in Libya, circa 1960 © Robin Page
Our video archive is fully searchable, and updated weekly with the latest sailing videos, but here we look back at early sailing in the GP14 class. We have footage from 1963 to 1985 for you to enjoy seeing all the old technology, wonderful clothing, and excellent haircuts.
Sadly we cannot find anything from the fifties, so the oldest video we can offer is the Nore Yacht Race, Southend-on-Sea, 1963 with FDs, wooden cats, and yachts. You can see a GP14 at 0m52s and 1m14s though.
From the very next year, we have 1964 National Championship at Thorpe Bay YC. The winner was A E Stetford in 5526 'Rumbletub' (the class keeps records of winners). If you want to match names to faces see the TBYC discussion about this video.
All the other 1960s videos are of unknown year. If you can shed any light on more exact dates, do get in touch with your clues.
For now, I guess this means we proceed in random order. First up is the lone black&white entry. At least the location is known, if not the date: Sailing at Lymington Town SC - and it is great to see a focus on female sailors racing. Skip to 3m20s if you are only interested in GP14s.
Judging by the sail numbers, I'll put this video next: Fleet launch from a Welsh beach full of holidaymakers!
Probably from the later part of the decade is this family home movie where you need to skip to 8m14s to bypass the dull stuff (the sailing then ceases at 11m00s).
While we are on the 1960s, note that the class has an archive of videos that are not on Youtube. Please see gp14.org/galleries/video/vintage-cruising-videos which has footage from the Watkins Trophy and the Compass Trophy in 1964.
I'm afraid 1970s club sailing on a UK lake is not the most exciting video. But I present it here as an exercise in identifying which sailing club it could be...
Part 1 of World Championship 1985 at Mumbles is shown here, and Part 2 also includes the Laser UK Nationals 1996 (but feel free to just watch the first half of that).
What of the rest?
Do you know the location of any other old GP14 videos, particularly in the 1950s or 1970s? We would love to share these with sailors worldwide. You can submit video links for immediate review.
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