Design and Lineage
The West Wight Scow derives directly from the 1914 Lymington Scow rather than from a clean-sheet design. Class records list the design year as 1924 and attribute it to Theo Smith, while the class’s origin narrative gives 1923; sources differ on the precise date.
The West Wight Sailing Club was founded in Yarmouth, in the old Customs House and adjacent cottages. Through the 1920s and 1930s, as many as 50 Scows raced in the annual Yarmouth Regatta. The club amalgamated with the Royal Solent Yacht Club in 1945, and owners formed the West Wight Scow Class Association in 1948 to maintain the class.
Construction and Specifications
The Scow is a wooden monohull measuring 11 ft 4 in overall, with a beam of 4 ft 9 in. Centerboard draft ranges from 0.5 ft to 1 ft 4 in, and displacement is roughly 400 lb.
Its balanced lug rig carries about 90 sq ft of sail; the sail plan is also listed as 6.04 sq m. There’s no trapeze or spinnaker. At this size and displacement, the boat suits a single handler.
Rig and Handling
The balanced lug rig and centerboard make the Scow a straightforward one-person dayboat. With no spinnaker or trapeze, the cockpit remains uncluttered, while the broad beam and shallow draft ease launching and recovery. The 6.04 sq m sail plan provides ample sail without demanding athletic crew work.
Ownership and Support
The class has been supported by the West Wight Scow Class Association since 1948. Original builders Theo Smith and Bernard Hayward were local commission shops rather than a continuing marque, so there’s no builder support.
At 400 lb, the dinghy remains trailable and cheap to keep. However, any surviving wooden example needs close inspection, and assessing its condition falls to the buyer.
The Verdict
The West Wight Scow is a Lymington-derived dinghy developed with input from Uffa Fox, built by Yarmouth craftsmen, and once raced in fleets of up to 50 boats. It remains a pure single-handed dayboat, preserved through the continuity of its class association. Any wooden survivor, though, requires careful inspection.
Pros
- Lineage extending back to the 1914 Lymington Scow, with input from Uffa Fox
- Broad, shallow centerboard hull that eases launching
- Class association continuity since 1948
Cons
- Wooden 1920s construction with no builder support
- No spinnaker or trapeze, limiting the boat’s scope
- Condition assessment rests with the buyer
