History & Homes of the Sunbeam One Design

Images of and references to the SUNBEAM class of One Design racing boats of Falmouth and the Solent

featuring images of the history and new construction of Sunbeams courtesy of Roger Graffy of Mylor Harbour.

Index Solent Sunbeam Pages >> Falmouth Sunbeam Pages >> Bibliography trail >> Early Sunbeam owners >>

In Memorium

Arthur 'Toby' West (1919-2001)

A pre-1930 view of the Falmouth Sunbeam class running past the Cutty Sark and Foudroyant, off Trefusis. (see 1930)

Apart from name and number changes, Halcyone and Trent, two of the original eight removed to join the Solent class. (see 1933)

From 1923-1926 the first 30 Sunbeams were numbered as one series, the original 8 Falmouth Sunbeams numbered V.14 - V.21 inclusive.

Cecil Blight was Boatman for the RCYC. His son, who sailed on Maranui, identified seven of the eight above as;

V14-Halcyon (now Santa Baby) V15-Merrythought (now Ecstasy) V17-Flame (now Comedy)

V?? Caprice? V20-Trent.(now V29 Sugar Daddy) V18-Una (now Polly) V21-Maranui

The finest One-design class that was ever built. I'm telling you, it's true!

[Arthur 'Toby' West, 20 March, 2001]

Many thumbnails are linked to larger images on other pages (click on an image to enlarge it)

Meanwhile anyone with interesting images, or wanting prints or jpegs from these pages

PLEASE e-mail Andy Campbell who begs your patience while this site develops!

[sites by the same author include old images, boats, characters & Falmouth Packet history]

Links to Pages on this site

Each sunbeam has a devoted page, in sequence >>, starting with V1 for Solent >> and V3 for Falmouth >>

Once the history of each boat is detailed, the hunt for interesting images will begin!

To avoid the page-to-page 'tour', direct links to individual boat pages can be found on the Index page

Index of Sunbeams (Falmouth & Solent)

Class Captains - Timeline

New Building of V45 Milly and V46 Spray

The Bibliography trail takes you along to pages, such as,

Westmacott & Woodnutt, Designer & Builders

The Solent X-Boat One Design

The Mermaid One Design

Solent Sunbeam History 1922+

Solent Sunbeam Rules (1939)

Post-1924 History of the "Falmouth Sunbeams"

Falmouth - Early History of the RCYC (1871-1923)

The War Years

Mead Family History, and the RCYC

References to owners >> (pages trail A-Z) Corke / Dixon /

Images relating to text on various pages

Crew / West /

Personalities & Local Characters

Early Race Reports (Falmouth) & Regattas (Falmouth)

Images of Solent Sunbeams

Early Press Cuttings Yachting Monthly / Falmouth Packet

"X" Class One Design Keelboats, designed by Alfred Westmacott, of which 198 were built since 1909.

LOA 20ft. 8ins., LWL 17ft. 6ins., Sail area 212 Sq. ft.

See Christian Brewer's Coaching Tips at: X One Design Tuning Guide

Designer - Alfred Westmacott	Seaview Mermaid OD (Designed by Westmacott in 1921. Woodnutts built 10 which raced at Cowes 1922)	The Sunbeam One Design 1922	Modified Sunbeam OD 1997
Builder of yachts St. Helens, I.O.W.	Westmacott & Stewart Motor Launch	Woodnutt & Co.,builders of the SUNBEAM One Design, and, in 1929, two of 13 Yarmouth One Designs (21ft)	Outside Woodnutt & Co. (Alfred Westmacott?)
The "X" One Design	"Y" (1926) now Comedy	The Victory, or Z class, formed in 1934, were built by Woodnutt & Co, Ltd. (Visit Victory Class Keelboats)
V1 Dainty leading V3 Mary (now V4 Mary) Event? Year? info? (click to e-mail details)	1929: Solent Sunbeams V8 Clary (1924) V14 Bryony ex V22 (1925-27) V24 Fay (1927) V3 Mary (1923)	1928-1933: V18 Mayfly (ex-V26 Lady Day, now V7 Pixy) V3-Mary (now V4 Mary) V14 Bryony (ex-V11 Whiskey, now V14-Santa Baby) V11 Harmony (V11 Harmony) V16 Mystery (ex V24 Mystery)	Yawl by Westmacott? (photo by Bekon of Cowes)
V1 Dainty leading V4 Judy (lost 1939)	'Bomber' Holms, V8 Clary The 'oldest' Falmouth owner!	Peter Nicholson, V1 Dainty The 'oldest' Solent owner	Capt. R. T. Dixon, R.E. (Jasmine) 30-yrs YRA
Polly leading Harmony (Illustration from 1999 brochure The Falmouth Sunbeams 75th Anniversary Championships)	1923-1998 Solent Sunbeam Class 75th Anniversary	1997 Combined Class Rules Solent Boats & Owners Falmouth Boats & Owners	1939 Solent Class Rules 1939 Boats & Owners list
Crew Leonard West	Crew Feety Spear	Crew Frank Cock	Crew Doug Chaffyn

Bemb ridge boats, designed by Alfred Westmacott, were described as a 20' 9" clinker built boat with a beam of 5' 10", draft 2' 6" carrying 195 sq ft of sail and with half a ton of ballast on the keel.

In 1934, when the Victory Class was formed, Bermudan rig was adopted in place of the Bembridge gaff.

[See an undated image of Bembridge boats at The Victory Class, Est. 1934 official site]

LINKS:

Itchenor Sailing Club - home of the Solent Class of Sunbeams since 1950

[news page] Webmaster Mail to: Tim Hill

Itchenor Sailing Club

Itchenor, Chichester

West Sussex, PO20 7AG

Tel: 01243 512400

The two classes amalgamated in 1958, although they sail as two separate divisions

[qf. Roger Wickens, Solent Sunbeam Class Captain ]

In 1965 these two groups amalgamated to form The Sunbeam Class.