Clarionet: British racing classic

Historical background and prerequisites for the creation of Clarionet

The 1960s are rightfully considered the founding era of yachting in the modern sense. During this decade, architects and yacht designers were looking for new technological solutions that, in their opinion, would make boats more modern and perfect. Some of these solutions turned out to be non-functional and sank into oblivion, but some of the engineers' discoveries found their application and became an integral part of the yachts we are familiar with.

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Thus, one of the brightest moments of yachting of that era was the appearance of fiberglass - a universal, light and relatively cheap material. The general reduction in the cost of yachts and the increase in their number made yachting more popular among the masses. Another interesting solution was the use of aluminum masts. 

However, new materials were just the tip of the iceberg. The real miracles were happening in the design shops of shipyards. In the 1960s, new types of yachts appeared that were created specifically for regattas. Previously, boats of almost all models and types took part in regattas - the organizers of the races determined the suitability of the yacht for the track almost "by eye".

Classic interior for that era. Source: Reddit.com

It was in the 60s that the racing classes we know began to form and their characteristics were brought to a common denominator. At the same time, international measurement rules began to appear, such as the International Rating System (IOR). However, these rules were formed only by the end of the decade and they were oriented towards some yachts that were ahead of their time in their engineering approach to design. One of these yachts was Clarionet.

Design and construction of Clarionet

In those years, some of the most popular yacht races were the British regattas under the auspices of the Royal Yacht Club. There were three such regattas: Cowes Week, Fastnet Race and Admiral's Cup. It was the Admiral's Cup that united yachtsmen Derek Bowyer and Sir Max Aitken with a common desire to get the fastest yacht of its time. 

The two yachtsmen became friends and went together to the design bureau Sparkman & Stephens to buy new yachts. Having listened to their requests, one of the founders of the bureau, Olin Stephenson, began to pore over the sketches of the future yacht. It was decided to build two twin boats according to the same design. Both boats were launched in 1966. Thus, Bowyer received Clarionet, and Aitken received its exact copy Roundabout. Both boats were built on the neighboring slipways of the Clare Lallow shipyard in Cowes. 

Original drawing of the Clarionet case. Source: clarionet.co.uk

Although classic materials such as mahogany were used during construction, Stevenson made some design changes. Both yachts were built in such a way that their weight and displacement were as small as possible - for better control and maneuverability. Thus, the "insides" of the boats were equipped with 6-millimeter plywood to lighten the structure.

Olin Stevenson himself described the yachts as follows: "[These boats] are simple and straightforward. Look at their plans and you will see that they are simple and clearly designed for offshore racing." Both yachts had fin keels, a plumb stern and an inverted transom.

Achievements… Not only racing ones!

Clarionet and Roundabout made a splash almost immediately. Clarionet's first big wins were at Cowes Week and the RORC St Malo Race in 1966. Roundabout was not far behind, and scored two big wins at the Round the Island Race in 1966 and 1967.

Clarionet in 1966, a few months after her launch. Source: clarionet.co.uk

However, these achievements did not come smoothly and easily, even the designer acknowledged the problems with control. At high speeds, both yachts became too uncontrollable. Fortunately, this does not happen very often. Olin spoke about the features of the yachts: "Despite the obvious lack of control, it was the speed that led both boats to victory. The yachts began to be called "terrible twins" because of their high speeds and violent nature."

Probably the most important innovation that Olin Stevenson brought to the Clarionet and Roundabout was the separation of the rudder and keel. Previously, the usual configuration had been a long keel running the length of the boat's bottom, with the rudder attached to the end. Now the keel and rudder were in the places we are now accustomed to.

The Clarionet team in 1967. Source: clarionet.co.uk

This configuration was quickly adopted by other design bureaus and they began to modify it with particular fury. This led to the fact that the design of sailing yachts changed forever - the classic long keel began to appear less and less often on yachts. However, there were still several decades before this type of keel was used everywhere.

Clarionet Career

Clarionet’s subsequent career was anything but straightforward and steady. The first few years were indeed triumphant, but then came a series of mixed seasons. After just 18 months, owner Boyer decided to change the yacht’s configuration – and asked the shipyard to raise the deck.

Pictured left: Clarionet at the finish line of the 1966 One Ton Cup. Right: Clarionet in 1975. Source: histoiredeshalfs.com

This decision was made in light of the fact that, according to the RORC racing rules of the time, the height of the mast played an important role. Bowyer hoped to gain an advantage by reducing the height of the Clarionet mast. As a result, the Lallows shipyard was able to raise the deck by about 10 centimeters. The funniest, and saddest thing at the same time, is that the rules for measuring the mast were changed literally 12 months later. At the same time, the shipyard made serious design changes - the bow windows were removed, the width of the saloon was reduced, the profile of the deck was changed.

Clarionet (left). Apparently the same One Ton Cup regatta of 1966 in Le Havre. Source: histoiredeshalfs.com

Having failed to achieve the desired victories from the boat, Bowyer sold it in 1971. Over the decades, the yacht changed hands with enviable regularity, appearing at the most famous regattas. Clarionet was noted at the infamous Fastnet Race of 1979, when it dropped out along with other boats, and also appeared in the Azores. The series of unsuccessful performances would have continued further, if not for the new owner.

Triumphant return 

In the mid-1980s, the yacht fell into the hands of John Breakell. John deserves credit for the first major refit of Clarionet since her launch. The questionable raised deck was finally replaced, the sails and rigging were modernized, and a genoa was added. 

Undated photo, probably mid-1980s. Source: histoiredeshalfs.com

Under Breakell's tutelage, Clarionet returned to winning ways. The yacht's crew won the East Anglian Offshore Racing Association (EAORA) regatta series for three years in a row. This was followed by a stunning return to the Fastnet, where Clarionet won in 1987.

The next owner was yachtsman Paul Marche, who also took good care of the boat. Under his management, Clarionet took part in several Fastnets, at least once in Round Britain and Ireland. However, Paul Marche's most famous achievements were five RORC points wins and another victory in the 2001 Fastnet.

Restoration and return to roots 

The yacht's new owner, Andrew Harvey, took possession of the yachting legend with a plan of action. By the second half of the 2010s, Clarionet not only had cult status, but also had all the attributes of a modern racing yacht. For example, the boat had an aluminum mast, automatic winches, laminated sails, modern blocks, and a retractable bowsprit. For a yacht that regularly participates in competitions, such modifications were absolutely normal.

Clarionet after a complete restoration. Source: clarionet.co.uk

At the same time, Harvey wanted to return Clarionet to a more classic look. In general, the restoration was about restoring the yacht to the look Olin Stevenson had in mind. A lot of time was spent fine-tuning the deck, cockpit and helm. Many parts, including analog gauges for speed, pressure and wind direction, were installed in place of electronic versions to give more authenticity. Some parts were made on a 3D printer.

Below deck, the boat has been in better shape. The interior renovations consisted of painting and replacing some interior parts with vintage ones. Ultimately, many reviewers were twirling their fingers at their temples, because Harvey literally removed most of the purely racing modifications, making the yacht “less efficient for racing.” At the same time, Clarionet is now rightfully considered a classic yacht – not only because of its age, but also because of its updated appearance. We must give Harvey credit, because he probably saved the boat from endless modifications, returning it to its former appearance. 

Clarionet after a complete restoration. Source: clarionet.co.uk

Clarionet's career did not end there. Today, the yacht continues to compete in many regattas, mainly those related to the Royal Yacht Club. Clarionet also received a restored appearance, which is as close as possible to the original drawings. Could Clarionet have delighted fans with victories for another decade or two? Yes, definitely. But what would these victories be worth if literally one of the most important yachts in the history of yachting is falling apart? Clarionet's path was perfectly summed up by Nick Compton from Yachting World: "Sometimes history is more important than new victories."

Clarionet Specifications

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19.10.2024