Unit 7.

The history on this boat is nothing if not confused!!

The hull is cold moulded ply, built by Jack Chippendale in (believed) 1966. The wooden constuction suggests that it could well be an earlier number that the 7th boat  - what is known for certain though is that the boat was built for Richard Creagh-Osbourne, the Marine Publisher based in Lymington, Hants. Later boats were made from GRP which again seems to indicate that this could be  Unit Number 2! The other key factor in the thinking that this is a very early Unit is the fact that the mast step position has been moved some 18"/0.5m aft, indeed, the foredeck finishes well forrard of the current mast position.This has clearly been done 'post building', it is unthinkable that if sailing experience of the later boats had suggested that the mast was too far forward that Jack Chippendale would have allowed the boats to be built to the original specification.

During restoration it was found that the plate had been moved further aft as well though there is insufficient space in the plate case for this movement to match that of the mast. early sailing experience now suggests thatthe plate would be better further aft (think how far aft it is on the Contender, the Unit's closest cousin), certainly the boat wants to 'hang' in  irons if a slow tack is attempted.

When the boat was constructed R C-O had come to the conclusion that the sliding seat was inefficient and that the trapeze, at least for single handers, would never 'catch on'. He therefore built his boat with what can only be described as a 'Tractor Seat on a pole'. The helm sat on it and then swung himself outboard.

It is no wonder that when the boat left RichardsCO's hands that a sliding seat was restored to the hull!

Unit 7  - at Seaview on the Isle of Wight prior to being towed back to the mainland.

Photo courtesy of stu@cvrda - Thx

May 2007. I now have confirmation that the boat is indeed Unit 7 - and that it sailed in the IYRU Trials as a back up boat to the one being sailed by David Thomas.

The boat is now happily being sailed at Netley where the performance seems to mark it about on a par with a Phantom - though the Unit seemed slower offwind. This tallies up with comments made by the likes of Craig Whitworth (who sailed the Contender at the Trials) that the Unit seemed to lack performance downwind.

Looking very much like an FD, the Unit shows good pace and handling characteristics at any time when the wind is forward of the beam.

Show below is the Unit's designer, David Thomas, showing just how it should be done! This boat is Unit 1, built in cold moulded ply by Jack Chippendale

At least the fate of this boat is well documented. She was raced hard on the handicap circuit over on the Isle of White but started to show her age. Then, in a windy weather race, the hull spilt apart and the boat sanl. Although later recovered the damage was too great and the remains were destroyed.