Lightning - Sparkman & Stephens - Design 265

extract from - http://sparkmanstephens.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/lightning-design-265.html


Here is the venerable Lightning. The Lightning was designed in 1938. She's a hard chined centerboarder capable of planing. From her humble beginnings the boat has evolved in to a fairly technical racing boat. Over 15,000 boats have been built to this design.

It is rumored that the rights to this design were sold to the Lightning Class Association in 1939, and that Olin Stephens often stated he regretted it. The story is in fact true, the plans were sold to the Association on September 1, 1939 for $200. I have heard him explain away the situation by saying he never really thought the design would take off. I do think the gesture paid off in the long run however: many sailors started sailing in Lightnings and eventually moved into larger S&S boats so I think Olin ultimately did realize value from the transaction.

Here are the plans.


And here's a vintage brochure from Skaneateles Boats.

Principal Dimensions
LOA 19'-0"
LWL 16'-0"
Beam 6'-6"
Draft 4'-11"
Displacement 700 lbs
Sail Area 177 sq ft

When a picture says a thousand words.

Other club boats include Ballyholme Insect "Mantis" - same as RNSA 14 but built for Ballyholme Yacht Club from late 1940's

(about RNSA 14)

http://www.arthur-ransome.org/Members/mikem/rnsa-14ft-dinghy/view

The Royal Naval Sailing Association 14 ft dinghy (known throughout the fleet as the “Rensa dinghy”) was the main recreational and racing dinghy carried by most ships of the British and Commonwealth Navies from the early 1920s to the mid 1960s when they were superseded by the grp bo’s’un class sailing dinghy. RNSAs were constructed in the dockyards (and at HMS Caledonia) by shipwright apprentices as a major test job, with all parts (including the phosphor bronze fittings) being made in the shipwright shop.   read on

RNSA Dinghy KIWI - presented to Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh

In 1948 a 14ft sailing dinghy was presented to Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, as a wedding present from the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Named Kiwi, the boat was built in the workshop of HMNZ Dockyard, Devonport, New Zealand. Based on a standard design for the Royal Naval Sailing Association, she was modified slightly from the standard pattern, being slightly narrower beamed. In place of stern bench thwarts she was fitted with gratings for a more attractive finish. The timber used was Kauri Pine and Pohutukawa. The finish was varnish and her sails were made in the sail loft of the dockyard. Contrary to normal naval practice, the boat was not marked with any identifying names or numbers.

The Royal Navy Sailing Association (RNSA) 14ft dinghy was a modified version of the Island Class One Design dinghy, designed by Charles Nicholson and Uffa Fox in 1935. In 1937 the British Admiralty adopted the class, with modifications specified to adapt it for ship-board use. Its purpose was to provide sailors aboard ship with the opportunity to sail in boats other than heavy Service cutters and whalers. The gunter rig (avoiding the inconvenient length of the bermudian-rigged mast) made the boats suitable for transport on naval ships and their sturdy clinker construction made them ideal for launching from the shore when required.

The first six boats were ready for use on HMS Vernon in April 1938. Numbers steadily increased, replacing the 16ft skiff, which had been the smallest craft in the Royal Navy. The RNSA dinghy – or Rensa as it was commonly known - was in Service use for about 25 years until it was replaced by the fibreglass Bosun dinghy.

It’s not known whether the Royal couple used Kiwi to any great extent, but from the 1950s she was used by a number of sailing organisations and Sea Cadet Units. In 1952 George Vince, Director of the Southampton Sailing Centre, won first prize in her during Colne Week.

Length: 14ft (4.27m)
Beam: 5ft 7ins (1.7m)
Rig: Gunter sloop

http://www.nmmc.co.uk/index.php?/collections/archive/rnsa_dinghy_kiwi

Recollections of Sailboat Racing in Strangford by Bobby Magee

A History of the Wychcraft Class

In the winter of 1956/57 a search and debate to find a new class of boat to supplement the traditional punts was underway in Strangford.The young sailors who started crewing in the punts in the early 1950's had completed their apprenticeship in various trades and wished to own their own boats. Numerous enquiries were undertaken and many replies and recommendations received. Visits were arranged to Killyleagh to view and access the International Lightning Class that was established in the Club - some of this Class were owned and constructed by former classmates from Downpatrick Technical School. Adverts in yachting magazines brought replies from the National Flying Fifteen Association, the Yachting World 14' Dayboat, the Redwing Association from Devon amongst others. Senan Sharvin recommended the 14'Waterwag, a long established class from Dun Laoghaire and said he could obtain plans. The 17' Dublin Bay Mermaid was also talked about as being a suitable boat for racing on the river. This was the period of the dinghy ownership boom when lightweight marine plywood boats exploded on the scene, such as the GP14 and the Enterprise. These designs were considered but discarded on the grounds of safety as they were prone to capsizing, which in these waters could very easily lead to tragedy because of the strong tides and whirlpools. We could not compromise on safety. The limited woodworking skills within the group were another factor, and that was at the forefront of the thinking. In conclusion it was thought that a clinker built boat was beyond our capability. This ruled out several of the otherwise suitable designs. However, after all the considerations the best solution was found in Strangford itself. Leslie Peto had served as an Engineer in the Naval Air Sea Rescue fleet, which was based in Portaferry. His adventures in his off duty time took him to Strangford where he met and married a Strangford girl, Betty McKeown. When the hostilities of World War 2 ended the family moved to his home on the South Coast of England where he became one of the leading developers of the commercial caravan sites with a design called The Petone. By the mid 1950's failing health dictated the family return to the peace and quiet of Strangford and "semi retirement" Leslie Peto was not a man to sit with his feet up. He soon constructed a modern workshop on the former site of his father-in-law's abattoir. He was the supreme craftsman working with wood, metal or any other material. Leslie then turned his creative mind to building a boat. During his Naval Service he was impressed by the Royal Navy 14' (or Admiralty) dinghy and obtained a set of plans. The Royal Navy 14' (or Admiralty) dinghy was clinker built but Les chose to use the strip plank method of construction. Work on the project continued mostly behind closed doors. When the hull was near completion he required some welding done on the fittings so he made the acquaintance of Kevin Polly, a local motor mechanic and Sailing Club member. On examination of the new hull Kevin was highly impressed and in conversation told Les that the Club was looking for a new design and his craft was just what was needed. Les promised he would help in the building of a fleet. He had already agreed to build one for Alan McDowell. Kevin told his brother Malachy of the situation and he in turn relayed the news to myself. Inverbrena Local History Group Magazine 2004 3 A visit to the workshop was arranged and we were also suitably impressed with what we saw and gave great consideration to the proposals. The Ballyholme Insect Class is also based on the Admiralty dinghy so a visit to Bangor confirmed our assessment of the design. Senan Sharvin also visited the boat shed and said that the design was nearly identical to the Waterwag.The opinion of John Fitzsimmons, who sailed these dinghies at Plymouth and other ports when he served in the Royal Navy, was sought and he gave a very positive approval   ..... read on http://issuu.com/flixx/docs/inverbrena-2004

Have you one of these in the garage?

(extract) http://www.lightningclass.org/resources/historyLightning/Ireland/killyleagh.pdf





"So this year the Lightning fleet has reached 65 years of successful racing in Strangford Lough. From the humble beginnings of Gwen 1 with her cotton sails, to the successful dry launched racing machines of today, the Lightning fleet has watched so many other classes come and go.
There could be many reasons given for their resilience, however one, more than any other stands out to the independent observer! They represent now, as they always have, a shining example of camaraderie as a fleet. Techniques and technologies are shared, tuning is often a group event and if ever a breakage happens someone in the fleet will be heard to say, "I have one of those in the garage"!


For a Lightning sailor, the most important thing is to have people to race against! No one is left to bring up their boat alone, and after racing the fleet socialize together to discuss what could have been. The Lightnings are not so much a fleet as a family – perhaps this, more than anything else, is why they have endured!
Hopefully, as has happened before, the junior sailors of today will become the Lightning sailors of tomorrow and with a little luck, and some determination, the fleet will reach their 100
th anniversary in 2044"

Club aims include preservation of our boats - Thunder'n is 40 years old & still, it seems, hard to beat.

see - http://www.lightningclass.org/resources/historyLightning/Ireland/killyleagh.pdf

14469 Rainbow 4 powered up - dinghy handicap class vintage Ballyholme Insect "Mantis" to the right in photo

Dundrum Quay - close to the action

Dundrum Regatta 2012 - Flying 15 class, with local boats & visitors from Strangford

see also - class history http://flyingfifteen.ie/the-class/53-a-brief-history.html

see also - http://www.uffafox.com/

see also - http://www.cvrda.org/pegasus/foxhist.htm (as sailed by late Denis Bennett of Killyleagh)

Lightning "Elk" - Dundrum Regatta 2012

Length: 19 ft (5.8 m)
Beam: 6 ft 6 in (2 m)
Displacement: 700 lb (318 kg)
Sail Area (main & jib): 177 sq. ft (16.4 sq. m)
Spinnaker: 300 sq. ft (28 sq. m)

Taking the line, the crew of Rainbow 2 will also remember the great class spirit at Killyleagh.

Rainbow 2  (white boat)

Thunder'n   (blue boat)

The man to beat at Killyleagh, the late Denis Bennett ....now he could have shown Dundrum members a thing or two, ........like his transom ROFL

The man to beat at Killyleagh, the late Denis Bennett.

some of the other boats mastered by Denis were the - Uffa Fox designed 1958  Pegasus - Jon Anker 1929  International Dragon

No sign of pre race nerves here as Lightning "Elk" gets rigged for the big day

Drawing the crowds back to Dundrum Regatta - Lightning class "Janice B"

 ........... detailed boat history can be found here ........ click........
 

Janice B

1969
J Bennett



D Henderson



O Casement

Renamed Pegasus

1985
A Gilmore



R Barr

Dundrum 2012 regatta set against the dramatic backdrop of the Mountains of Mourne

Dundrum Regatta returns July 2012 & welcomes guests from Newcastle & Strangford

International Lightning specifications

Length: 19 ft (5.8 m)
Beam: 6 ft 6 in (2 m)
Displacement: 700 lb (318 kg)
Sail Area (main & jib): 177 sq. ft (16.4 sq. m)
Spinnaker: 300 sq. ft (28 sq. m)

Lightning class videos

Dundrum Regatta 1958 - International Lightning Class - 10 boats in class sailed, see Down Recorder extract.

"
The fourth race was for the Lightnings of Killyleagh Yacht Club, one of the most keen lots of enthusiasts to sail in East Down waters. Sportingly, they brought nine of their 19ft craft to Dundrum for the first time, and the entry of ten was completed by Leonard Trohear’s Tern, formerly of Killyleagh, and now resold".

In 1958, in an attempt to attract the support of the Killyleagh Lightning Fleet, Dundrum Regatta committee presented a cup to be raced for at their regatta. The transportation of the fleet to Dundrum involved considerable organisation as the boats had to be stripped and loaded onto coal lorries to take them there. When they arrived in Dundrum, of course they had to be re-rigged before they could be sailed. At the end of the race the whole procedure had to be repeated before the journey home.
It was, however, all considered worth