The Wivenhoe One Design is the class dinghy of Wivenhoe Sailing Club. 

This site documents the history past and present of the class designed by Dr Walter Radcliffe in 1935 for our local waters.

In 1936 Wivenhoe Sailing Club took on the lease of the old hard and oyster shed from Colchester, acquired a second hand chicken shed as a headquarters which you still see today and class racing commenced.

Membership of the Association is open to any interested people and ex owners. The aim is to provide advice and help to owners on maintenance and restoration as well as raise money to buy boats in if there was a danger of them being lost to Wivenhoe.

By 1985, their 50th year, we had all remaining 16 on the water for the regatta and what a race that was. Malcolm Goodwin had restored Capriol (no11) using modern methods and under the expert helm of Peter Sainty she was soon lapping boats, having led from the start.

We can only ask owners to respect the history of the class and keep them here. 

 They are an important part of Wivenhoe maritime history and with a current revival of the class hopefully they can enjoy a few more years yet.

Now they are still relatively cheap but require time and money to keep them competitive on handicap with modern classes and of course, in their own class.

Of the 19 built, 16 were back in Wivenhoe by 1985,  the 50th Anniversary. No. 5 and No. 14 are still missing and No. 18 was destroyed in 1973. 4 have been professionally rebuilt to new standard in recent years at a cost of about £10000 each.

Other owners have also done their own extensive rebuilds thanks to modern materials and glues. We are trying for another revival and hopefully will see more boats back on the water soon.