Uffa Fox 1898 - 1972

1912 - became a boat-building apprentice at Cowes with S. E. Saunders, builder of fast motor boats, hydroplanes, and flying boats. 1925 - 'Ariel', his first 14 foot racing dinghy class design, won every race in her class in Cowes week. 1927 - 'Rodicut', his second design, was second in the race for the Prince of Wales cup. 1928 - 'Avenger', the initiator of the planing dinghies, captured fifty-two firsts, two seconds, and three thirds out of fifty-seven starts. 1933 - designed the canoe in which he won both the American championship for paddling and sailing and the New York international canoe championship. 1939 - organized the Local Defence Volunteers, (the Home Guard), throughout World War Two, becoming a lieutenant. 1948 - his 12 foot 'Firefly' was selected as a class for the Olympics. 1952 - membership of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects was conferred on him. Collaborated with Pattrick de Laslo to form VT Halmatic, building the first fibre glass boats using Deborine. 1966 - published 'Joys of Life', a series of his reminiscences. 1968 - designed the 22 foot Atlantic row boat 'Britannia', in which John Fairfax rowed across the Atlantic. 1972 - published his second volume of reminiscences, 'More Joys of Living'.