Sail Number: 6/K12
Vessel Type: 6 Metre Class (Second International Rule)
Fife “Nada” Specifications:
LOA: 37′ 0″ / 11.27m- LWL: 22′ 9″ / 6.97m- Beam: 7′ 0″ / 2.13 – Draft: 5′ 3″ / 1.61m – Hull Number: – Rig: Sloop – Displacement: – Sail Area: 736 ft2 / 68.40 m2 (third rule) – Designer: William Fife III- Built by: William Fife & Son, Fairlie, Scotland – Year Built: 1930 – Built for: Valdemar Graae – Original Name: Dana II – Current Owner: Peter Harrison
Historical
“NADA” has had an interesting life both on and off the race circuit. Launched in 1930 as Dana for a Dane by the name of Valdemar Graae she soon became “NADA” and by 1932 was chosen to represent England in a team of four sixes to race against the American team that included the young designer Olin Stevens in his boat Nancy. In the 1930’s, Uffa Fox sailed her as his constant in the development of his modern rig configurations. Impressed with her seaworthiness he writes of six metres; “They will go to windward in heavy weather, for NADA in October 1932, left traders weatherbound in Dover and sailed the whole way to Newhaven to windward in 12 hours, passing three-masted schooners who were anchored under Dungeness, sheltering from the strong westerly wind”. His comments were most prophetic as she later cruised as far north as Scandinavia, returning to the English south coast via the Shetland Islands and Denmark.
She spent time in Northern Ireland prior to being restored by Joe Loughborough in The Hamble in preparation for her trip to the West Indies in 1984. She cruised the Leeward Islands between Antigua and the Grenadines and raced in the 1985 Antigua Sailing Week. She was subsequently stored ashore until Woodstock Boatbuilders re-started work in July of 2005. Launch was in early April 2006 in time for the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta.
Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):
Owner/Guardian: (1930) – Valdemar Graae
Owner/Guardian – Miss E.L Lewis, Cowes
Owner/Guardian: – J. Wing
Owner/Guardian: Stephen Cash
Owner/Guardian: (1975-1984) – Joe Loughborough
Owner/Guardian: (1984-1985) – John Trafford
Owner/Guardian: (1985) – Joe Loughborough (wedding present from John)
Owner/Guardian: Jim Fuller
Owner/Guardian: Andrew Robinson
Owner/Guardian: (2006) – Peter Harrison, founder of the GBR Challenge for the last America’s Cup. Restored Nada to the Third International Rule.