Orford Whitewings
We have two Orford Whitewings at the Aldeburgh Boatyard, both in need of restoration, and they are possibly the last two Whitewings left anywhere in the world.
The Orford Whitewings were designed in 1898 for Mr A.H.E. Wood of Sudbourne Hall. He had just become a member of the Aldeburgh Yacht Club, which was founded in November 1897, and whose members were considering adopting a one-design class. With a small group of friends, he asked Charles Sibbick of Cowes, a famous small boat designer and builder, to design them something along the lines of a Bembridge Redwing, suitable for the narrow waters and strong tides of the Alde and Ore river. Sibbick produced a half-decked, stemhead sloop, 23 feet long, drawing 3 feet, with a 14cwt lead keel and a sail plan of 226sq.ft. It was decided to call them Orford Whitewings and seven were built that winter and spring. The seventh, “Viva”, was owned by Mr Wood himself, and named after the rater in which he had won 85 prizes in 1895 and 1896. The six friends had four boats between them, as two were jointly owned, but Mr Wood had two more, owned by his wife and his brother, Captain J.L. Wood, and as there were always plenty of people staying at Sudbourne Hall the three Wood boats did not lack for crews. The first race, held on 29th April 1899, with all seven starters, in a strong squally S.W. wind, was won by “Viva”. During the first season each boat in turn was a prize winner.
The draft was originally 3 feet, but by 1902 this had been increased to 3’8″, and the sail area increased from 226 to 246 square feet. Apparently it was found that the boats were not stiff enough (the first race was in “strong winds”).
In 1901 two more were built, bringing the class up to ten, one of which was “Nona”, owned by G.H. Garrett, mayor that year of Aldeburgh. By 1906, George Garrett’s “Nona” now belonged to his nephew, G.E.M.Cowell, the Maurice Cowell who became Hon.Sec. to the class and who did much for it. Very sadly, Maurice Cowell was killed in France in 1917, and when serious racing began again after the war, “Nona” was raced by his nephew, Charles Stevenson, to whom Mrs Cowell eventually gave the boat.
In 1928, the class adopted a new bermudan rig and sail plan, including a hollow mast, designed by Tom Riggs.
Nona
“Nona”, sail no. 9, was built in Charles Sibbick’s Albert Yard in Cowes, IoW in 1901.
Beam: 6′
Draft: 3’8″
Auxiliary power: None
Alf-a-Mo
“Alf-a-Mo”, sail no. 5, is one of the original group of Orford Whitewings built in Charles Sibbick’s Albert Yard in Cowes, IoW and she was built in 1898.
She was found in a yard in Dumbarton in the 1980s where she had been used by a group of Scouts.
Beam: 6′
Draft: 3’8″
Auxiliary power: None