- Uffa Fox
Uffa Fox (1898-1972) was an English boat designer and sailing enthusiast.
Life
Uffa fox was born on the
Isle of Wight and was raised inCowes . [ [http://www.uffafox.com/uffabiog.htm Uffa Fox biography] , [http://www.uffafox.com/index.htm Uffa Fox official website] ] He lived for a while inPuckaster on the Isle of Wight.Work
He was responsible for many of the developments which have contributed to the modern popularity of
Dinghy sailing . He first introduced the technique of planing to dinghy racing, and was influential in the introduction of trapezing.In about 1943 he designed a 27' lifeboat to be dropped from
Vickers Warwick aircraft when rescuing downed aircrew or mariners. These boats could be released from under the aeroplane retarded by six 32' diameterparachutes . Although initially adapted for the Warwick, the lifeboat was subsequently also carried by Air-Sea Rescue Lancasters andB-17 Flying Fortress esApart from having a highly successful racing, cruising and
sailing career, he ran successful boat design and boatbuilding businesses in the south of England. He designed many of the significant classes of boats around today, including the planingInternational 14 , the Foxcub and Super Foxcub, theFlying Fifteen , the National 12, the National 18, the Albacore, the Firefly, the Javelin, thePegasus Dinghy , theJollyboat and the Day Sailer. Many of his designs exploited the wartime development of mouldedplywood .His character is perhaps best indicated by an escapade whereby he led a group of
Sea Scouts , without their parents' consent (they thought it was a weekend sailing camp), across theEnglish Channel and up theSeine to within a few kilometres ofParis .References
External links
* [http://www.uffafox.com/ Uffa Fox Website]
* [http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/album/showphoto.php?photo=5945&cat=550 A picture of an Airborne Lifeboat being released]
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