Huff of Arklow
The
“Huff of Arklow” undoubtedly holds a unique position in the
annals of sailing history. A forerunner in design, she
heralded a new era in racing yacht construction. However, as
many revolutionary phenomena, she was at first greeted with
ridicule and doubt. She is still today a very distinctive
sight, but back in 1951, on her construction, she was so
sensational to leave most observers speechless.
Designed by the late Uffa Fox, mentor of sailing to the
Royal Family and built by Jack Tyrell and Sons of Arklow for
Mr. Douglas Heard, she could lay claim to a series of
revolutionary innovations.
"Huff of Arklow" was the world’s first ocean going yacht to be designed to the concept of the “ Fin and Skeg” configuration, a design which is universal today. For this reason the “Huff of Arklow” could be said to be the Grandfather of the modern day racing yacht and America’s Cup boats.
She was the first masthead rig sloop, and the first ocean going yacht designed to plane, based on Uffa Fox’s highly successful “Flying Fifteen” dinghy.
She is built on two moulded skins of mahogany with the
outer skin running fore and aft, whilst the inner skin runs
diagonally. This gives the vessel its great strength. “Huff
of Arklow” was also noted for her speed . On her trip to
Iceland in 1960 she recorded a speed of 23 knots and, for
that voyage she was awarded the Faulkner Cup, which she won
again in 1962 for her trip to the Azores.
