Albacore History
Albacore on Wikipedia
One of the few good things to come out of WWII was an autoclave. This extraordinary gadget, designed by Fairey Aviation and Marine of Southampton in the U.K., was a large oven that fast-cured veneer and adhesives for airfoil shapes. When peace broke out, some bright spark reasoned that the technology could be applied to the configuration of dinghy hulls, the first being Uffa Fox’s 12′ Firefly which was sailed in the 1948 Olympics. All this was more than forty years ago. Dinghies of those days were lapstrake or carvel-built and were heavy, leaky and difficult to maintain (aside from using the less efficient gaff or gunter rigs). Thus the Autoclave brought in not only hi-tech moulding for wood but a totally new process for the manufacture of small hull designs.
The need was felt for a craft that was slightly larger than the Firefly. Members of south coast dinghy clubs together with Fairey Marine engineers tried to develop a 15′ dinghy, one that could withstand the strong winds and steep seas experienced in the English Channel, and was light-weight, rugged and stable with a planing hull. Uffa Fox’s 15′ Swordfish, using Fairey technology, was near to these specifications and gave rise to more developments. That craft was re-designed frequently: the freeboard was increased and the aft section strengthened and decked in. By 1954, all these sea changes made it quite a different hull and so a new name was called for. Since the Albacore had been an aircraft that had come off the assembly lines just after the Swordfish, and had a nice salty sound, it seemed appropriate to use its name for the new dinghy.
The early boats, even after cold-moulding techniques were introduced, were all built by Fairey Marine. They had the same appearance as today except for the afterdecks, and with aluminum centreboards and rotating masts, the top sections of which were of spruce. The class grew quickly and steadily. Thirty were sold in Britain during the first year of manufacture, and several were introduced into the U.S. in 1956. A year later, Hyannis Port Y.C. ordered a whole fleet for training and racing, and in 1958 the RCYC chose the Albacore as replacement for its aging Junior Club boats. In 1960 there were eighteen fleets in Ontario alone and the Canadian Albacore Association was formed.
Shortly after, Whitby Boatworks took a mould from an original wooden hull and marketed the resulting fibreglas products under the carefully chosen name of Albatross. Though not strictly official for competition purposes, these dinghies kept up enthusiasm for a class that was other wise dependent on imports; until five years later when a licence was granted for building the GRP version in Canada.
The first World Championships were hosted by Toronto in 1971 and they’ve been held every two years since, either here, the United Kingdom or in the United States. And the third Albacore Worlds in New York State saw the birth of the World Albacore Association. Some 8,500 Albacores are now owned world-wide with 5.500 of them in this country. Ontario is the centre of greatest activity for the class which is a recognized trainer in junior clubs, sailing schools, summer camps and in the uniquely Canadian community clubs. It is also the chosen dinghy of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and Armed Forces Sailing Associations. On our waterfront, OHCC has a fleet of 36 Albacores, most of them still sailing. Our neighbours the community clubs have nearly twice as many. All these add up to a very strong local class. Check it out on Friday nights during the season – fifty Albacores on the starting line!
Ross King June 1990
