Uffa Fox was born on the Isle of Wight, and was raised surrounded by the sea, with the many boats of East Cowes. Uffa was considered to be the father of planing dingy’s, was instrumental for the introduction of trapezing, invented the 27′ airdropped life boat used by, B-17 Flying Fortresses, and Air-Sea Rescue Lancasters, during World War 2, and author of numerous sailing books. Uffa was married three times. His first wife was Alma who played a large part in his early career including preparation of much of his five pre-war books. In 1941 he married Cherry and then in 1956 a French lady Yvonne Bernard. This was an interesting match as Uffa spoke no French and Yvonne no English! Uffa was quite the character, like no other!
Early Years
Uffa left formal education at fourteen, attending night classes in naval architecture and mathematics in order to pursue his passion with a apprenticeship with Samuel Edgar Saunders Boatbuilding, a firm that used monocoque multi veneer construction technique for its ship hulls. This method was patented in 1898, and became known as “Consuta Plywood”, turning S.E. Saunders into a world renowned company.
In 1919 Uffa opened and set up his own boat building business in an old ‘floating bridge’ (which had linked Cowes to East Cowes). In 1928 he designed and raced his International Fourteen Footer “Avenger” 57 times gained 52 first places, two seconds and three thirds including winning the coveted Prince of Wales Cup. A large order book was soon built up and for many years his were the most sought after designs. He was a notable local “character” who included royalty amongst his friends. Uffa and the Duke of Edinburgh raced together on the Dragon Bluebottle. The royal helmsman, with Uffa as crew, was also prominent at Cowes Week in the Flying Fifteen, Coweslip. This 20 foot keelboat was one of Uffa’s most successful post-war designs.
Later Years
Out of the Flying Fifteen design came Uffa’s next wave of inspiration, producing a range of planing keelboats from the Flying Ten through to the Flying Twenty Five. Then using similar hulls he produced a range of cruiser/racer yachts from the Flying Twenty Five through to the Flying Fifty. (The Flying Thirty and Thirty Five designs actually planed in the right conditions!)
In the 1960s Uffa became associated with the American yachtsman and boat builder George O’Day. This liason resulted in the Daysailer and Javelin classes which people in UK probably do not realise are Uffa’s most numerous classes.
The last boat Uffa designed was for his personal enjoyment, the 25 foot launch “Ankle Deep”. She was built in the basement of his last residence the Commodore’s House, which lived suspended in davits from his quay. The boat was used for fishing and picnics. His last excursion on the Solent was to watch the start of the 1972 Tall Ships Race hailing his friends in the great mass of spectator boats.
