A highly anticipated edition
William Fife III was one of the most renowned naval architects of his time . It still is today thanks to its wooden sailing ships, whose longevity and elegance have created a "Fife" cult in many parts of Europe.
Since 1998, the "Fife Regatta" celebrates the stroke of genius of the Fife dynasty by racing these magnificent yachts on the Clyde euros, the river on which they were born. The 5th edition held in June 2022 was an opportunity to meet again, the last edition was in 2013.
23 classic yachts built from 1887 to 1950, including two replicas from 2007 and 2021, returned to the Scottish waters of Fairlie. Divided into several classes, they raced according to a handicap system depending on their size. On the water, one could discover dayboats, cruising or racing sailboats: auric cutter, Bermuda sloop, auric yawl, Bermuda yawl
Some figures
- Red is a replica of the very first one-design built by the shipyard in 1886. 19 feet long, it was built by the Chantier Naval H.Stagnol, based in Combrit in Brittany.
- The oldest boat in the fleet is Ayrshire Lass, a 38-foot auric cutter dating back to 1887, which is 135 years old.
- The fleet includes two other models, Oblio (35.7 feet) and Fiona (35 feet), launched respectively in 2007 and 2005, also built by the Hubert Stagnol shipyard according to the plans of the famous architect.
- The fleet counted 10 boats in 1998 for the first edition and 23 in 2022.
- Cambria, built in 1928, is the largest Fife ever built with a length of 41.14 m. While she is featured on the 2022 Fife Regatta poster, she had to withdraw from the race shortly before her 94th birthday.
- Three boats measure 105 feet (32 m), the maximum length on this edition: Kentra, Moonbeam III and Moonbeam IV.
- Two of the most famous Fife designs are now installed in Brest and were refitted just before the Fife Regatta: Mariquita and Moonbeam IV.
The history of the Fife Regatta
Although built in Scotland at Fairlie, Ayrshire, the designs of the brilliant William Fife have long since left their native shores. To celebrate the Scottish heritage of these elegant, long-lived wooden yachts, the Fife Regatta was born in 1998.
A few years earlier, local artist Alastair Houston, an avid sailor, discovered "pristine wooden creations" alongside modern yachts on trips to the Mediterranean. While talking to one of the owners, he discovered that his boat was built on the Clyde, in Fairlie, where he was originally from. He decided to paint the Fife designs and follow their circuit for the next decade.
Building relationships with various owners and crews, he suggested that the Fife designs be sailed on the Clyde, the river for which they were designed. Among the influential owners who shared the idea was the legendary Eric Tabarly. His Pen Duick yacht built by William Fife would celebrate its centenary in 1998. What better way to celebrate than to join the Clyde? The momentum is there.
Unfortunately, it was during the delivery of his boat to Scotland that Tabarly disappeared at sea. Pen Duick will still participate in the regatta in memory of its skipper with the other boats gathered.
The Fife Regatta 2022 in pictures
