AFFORDABLE CLASSIC Albacore

Uffa Fox was an unforgettable character and a great British yacht designer. Born in 1898 on the Isle of Wight, he grew up on the Cowes waterfront and completed a seven-year apprenticeship with SE Saunders covering boat and ship building and design before – at the tender age of 21 – setting up his own business in an old converted ‘floating bridge’ ferry.

Uffa hit the headlines in 1928 when he designed the first planing sailing dinghy. He. In 57 starts in the 1928 season, she amassed an amazing 52 first places, two seconds and three thirds. To prove her seaworthiness (and his nerve?) Uffa also sailed her (three up) to Le Havre, raced against and beat the French, then sailed her home again.