Uffa Fox

[TIM WEBB]

Went on a WCTSS daysail today. One of the members had a fellow crewing for him who is an Englishman in his 70's. Struck up a conversation with him at lunch, and he was asking me about the DS. Told him it was designed by a fellow Englishman, and he said "I know - Uffa Fox. I met him once when I was a teenager!" Just kinda thought that was pretty cool ...

[K.C. Walker]

That's fun!

[TIM WEBB]

It was KC - talk about a small world! ;-P

[Cliff]

Tim

Have you read about some of his dingy designs prior to the DS?

[TIM WEBB]

Tim

Have you read about some of his dingy designs prior to the DS?

A little bit Cliff, plus what the fellow told me that day, but I don't know/recall very many of the details. There is also an older English gentleman who sails with the FL120 group, who has a Widgeon, and who knew Uffa "back in the day".

[Cliff]

Hello Tim

This is a a link to some info about the jollyboat which Fox designed before the DS. It was 18' long but it's hull weighed only 250# compared to the DS @ 500+/-#. He had quite a history and was partners with designers of WW1 wood aircraft and America's cup builders. He used a hot molded marine grade plywood for the jollyboat which was strong as well as light. Why is this process not used today? I crewed on one in the 1960s. Crew meant you were ballast on a trapeze. My friend moved on to a 505 and sold the Jolly to my girlfriend and me. We had it for the summer of 1967 after graduation and before military. Even brought it to Newport to be one of the smaller spectator craft at the cup races. It was a great boat and a lot of fun. Had to sell it after that. you can see some similarities with the DS.

https://www.fbyc.net/club/history/jeres ... jollyboat/

[TIM WEBB]

Nice writeup! Yes, I believe both of the gentlemen I referred to above mentioned the Jollyboat during our conversations. It's funny reading about how new and exciting the trapeze was in those days. The very last sentence of the article is intriguing as well, as it seems the mast step screw jack found on the earlier DS1's may have been an idea borrowed from the Jolly.

[Cliff]

Yes that's one of those similarities

[TIM WEBB]

The story of how Uffa and George O'day teamed up to create the DS is just as intriguing! ;-P