Letters LETTER OF THE MONTH SUPPORTED BY OLD PULTENEY WHISKY
Setting the Sunbeam record straight Jim Hazel does well in his letter
very much in the air, since the type of
published in your September issue
boat which was to be built was not
to clarify the issue of how it was
yet decided upon. Ideas were sifted,
Louis Jacobs not Harry Jacob that in
and in the autumn Mr Westmacott
1924 designed the West Solent
was approached to design an
Restricted Class yacht [like Suvretta,
improved Mermaid. As an ex-part-
featured in our August issue].
owner in a Mermaid, the writer rather objects to the expression `improved’
However, he goes on to get us somewhat confused by describing
since the two designs are the
the West Solent as a “larger edition
outcome of different requirements:
of the Sunbeam class of 1922. The
happily, however, each class is
late Theo Rye was of the opinion
entirely satisfied with its own boat.
that Louis Jacobs could have been
Mr Westmacott produced a design now known as the Solent Sunbeams.”
the designer, not Westmacott” There is no signed drawing of the Solent Sunbeam, as all Alfred
Theo Rye did indeed when writing of “the loveliest of all Alfred
Westmacott’s papers were destroyed with Woodnutt’s in a fire in
Westmacott’s creations, the Solent Sunbeam” quote the suggestion
1961. There is no doubt though that it was Westmacott that Basil
that the design “may show the influence of a talented draughtsman
Lubbock, the original owner of V 1 Dainty, and his two colleagues
employed by Westmacott’s yard at the time, Louis Jacobs, who later
from the Hamble River Sailing Club, approached to design the
went to Camper & Nicholsons. However, all the Sunbeams in Lloyd’s
Sunbeam. For provenance just read BR Waite’s article in the April
Register of Yachts were listed as designed by “A Westmacott” and if
1925 edition of Yachting Monthly:
Jacobs played a part, like many others before and since, the extent is
“During Cowes Week in 1922 the Mermaids attracted considerable interest. Small classes were beginning to revive after the war, and new
now forgotten.” Every designer develops earlier designs. Every designer works
classes were being thought of. The Hamble River OD Class, after
with colleagues. Every designer has competitors to copy. Perhaps
several successful seasons, was dying a natural death, and it was to
someone has more evidence of Louis Jacobs’ influence on the design
the owners of this class that the Mermaids especially appealed.
of the Sunbeam?
Captain Basil Lubbock, who was captain of the Hamble RODs, struck while the iron was hot. Whilst the enthusiasts were still afloat at the end of the summer,
Meanwhile the beautifully designed Sunbeam fleet goes from strength to strength; this year with 27 racing in the Solent and about 15 more racing in Falmouth.
he promised to build a new class himself and managed to get two
Peter Nicholson, owner of Dainty V1, author of The Brilliance of
others to do the same. This bold stroke was made when matters were
Sunbeams
V is for… Sunbeam Bit of a typo this month with the Victory
West Solents in Spain Thank you for great pictures of WS in latest magazine. I am a friend of Brian May, I met 15 years ago. And the owner
class aiming for a buoy. They are
of a WS, Natica 1928 W 23. Here in Menorca we have a fleet of
Sunbeams, otherwise Mag is excellent as
three with Winnie Marie and Black Adder W18. If you need more
usual.
information or pictures I could send you via Whatsapp.
Ian Campbell
Not sure I will be able to race Copa del Rey next week??
Thank you Ian. We know this very well, but
Winnie Marie will.
make the same mistake every time. Nice
Patrick de La Chesnais, Menorca, Spain
to know someone’s keeping us in line! Ed
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CLASSIC BOAT OCTOBER 2021
