danegeld
Danegeld was conceived as a racing
yacht with cruising potential in 1958. Her lines reflected
the American trend of low windage coach roofs dispensing with dog
houses and wider beams. Danegeld’s beam to waterline ratio is about
2 ½ : 1 rather than the more usual 3 : 1. While the design was
leading edge for the day, her construction was completely
traditional; mahogany planking on steamed oak frames with teak
decks and superstructure. Her designed wooden mast was deemed too
heavy so she had one of the early aluminium spars from the
outset.
Danegeld was designed and built for Bobby
Lowein, a Cowes dentist and expert sailor, by David Cheverton in
Cowes in 1958. Designed to the minimum dimensions for RORC class 3
being only 24’ on the water line, she was phenomenally successful
as a racing yacht, gaining 21 podium places from 22 starts. This
included winning Round the Island Race, the only Cowes designed,
built and crewed boat to have done so at the time and possibly
since She also won class 111 in the Fastnet Race.
In 1964 she was sold and in 1975 was adapted
for cruising with the installation of a heavy diesel engine with
fuel tanks in her long counter stern.
Compensating weights were needed forward,
raising the waterline one foot above her designed marks. She
cruised extensively to France, Spain and took part in the Azores
and Back race in 1983. Her present owner has restored Danegeld to
the racing trim for which she was famous
Danegeld’s racing record is the stuff of
legend. There can be few, if any boats, before or since which have
such a successful record.
Did you know?
- She won fifteen first places, two
seconds and four third places from 22 starts in her first season in
1959.
- She won the Gold Roman Bowl in Round
the Island Race and “comfortably” won class 111 in the Fastnet
Race.
- She was awarded “Yacht of the Year”
and Bobby Lowein, her owner and skipper, became Yachtsman of the
Year.
See Danegeld at the Show from 17th - 19th September on berth
M542
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