Back in 1960 the editors of yachting world sought ideas for the design of a new keel boat. The requirements were that it be reasonably priced, yet have high performance suitable for national and international racing. The details of how he became involved are not clear, but Jack Holt a dinghy designer more famous for his GP 14, Cadet, Enterprise and Mirror dinghy, used his small boat experience to create a revolutionary 9 meter plywood keel boat - which some describe as a dinghy with a keel.
The Yachting World Keel Boat was first shown at the 1961 boat show to great interest, and one went on to win the 250 boat strong open class in a race around the Isle of Wight in that year.
The boat was launched in Australia on Pittwater in 1962 and has a strong following right up to the present day under the Yachting World Diamond Association of Australia, the name being changed to Diamond in 1967. Since the 1980's the boats have also been made in fibreglass.
Plans are available for the Australian Association and the boat can be home built within the class rules. Although I don't especially want to build one, I was interested to understand the hull form and learn more about this fasinating boat.
Imagine my surprise the other day, I was looking through my collection of old sailing books when I found these lines plans in a volume "Make Sail" by Peter Heaton.
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Hi Max,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post, didn't realise that the plans had been written up in a book. I was lucky enough to get hold of an original set of plans from Iain Attiwell, who owns the other Diamond on the Blackwater, 'Ready...Steady...' but haven't got around to having them framed yet, another 'must do', as they are enormous draftsman size.
You are most welcome to come up to the kraaken-infested waters of the East Coast and come mud-plugging on Black Diamond next season. I'm planning some pretty radical underwater appendages this spring, but hopefully won't be back in the water too late.
All the best
Greg
Hi my wife and I owned a YM Diamond in early 1990’s. She was a Lymjngton boat painted red and called Harpoon. But we painted blue, took her to Strangford Lough from where we raced and cruised the West Coast of Scotland having renamed her ‘Ready .. Steady..’ in honour of a friends racehorse. Could this be the same boat? We sold her in 1994 but she was left in Ireland when we moved on? Peter Merrifield
DeleteI really love diamons, they drives me crazy crazy, i think if a man came to me with a diamond ring i could give him all my heart, and i decided to read this blog because it seemed very interesting and wonderful.
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Great to see you are interested in Diamonds. See the link below to some flickr shots of them sailing in Port Phillip bay in Australia.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyonwater54/8492180422/in/set-72157632993175090
Regards Wally on Water ( Dave)
Has anyone got a set of YW Diamond plans that can be copied - or know where to buy a set?
ReplyDeletePlease Help!
Anyone know of any Diamonds for sale?
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