BEKEN OF COWES


re-established by his son-in-law Prince Philip, using two of the wedding presents received by himself and Princess Elizabeth. This royal return to yachting reflected the less extravagant mood of those early post-war years. The magnificent J Class yachts which had dominated the pre-war yachting scene had disappeared; instead, the regatta circuit was mainly contested by smaller, more modest yachts raced by unpaid amateur yachtsmen. The Cowes-based Island Sailing Club had limited the size of individual donations to £5, but nevertheless members raised enough money within a week to buy a new 29ft (8.8m) International Dragon class yacht for the royal couple. Meanwhile the people of Cowes bought the pair a 20ft (6.1m) Flying Fifteen keelboat. The Island Sailing Club had managed to circumvent government restrictions on the supply of timber for private boatbuilding by taking over the contract for a Dragon that was about to be started by Camper & Nicholson, authorised because the owner planned to compete in that summer’s Olympic trials. However, his


CLASSIC BOAT MAY 2012 59


PPL


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