LOA 11ft 3ins; Length on Waterline 10ft; Beam 4ft 8¾ins; Sail Area 75 sq ft.
The Bembridge Scow Class is the largest dinghy fleet in the Harbour, supported by both BSC and Brading Haven Yacht Club. BSC Scow owners are always very welcome to join in BHYC races.
The first of many types of Solent Scow was built in 1914 by George Courtney and Co. in their Lymington shipyard. After the 1914-18 War, the Berthon Boat Company built a number of scows; the price of the top grade version in 1920 was £45 and £35 for the standard boat. By 1948 over 200 “Lymington” scows had been produced. In 1924 a slightly modified version was designed (possibly by George Kent of Winchester) and built in Theo Smith’s Yard at Yarmouth, and became known as the West Wight Scow (LOA 11ft 3ins, Length on Waterline 10ft 9ins, Beam 4ft 9ins and a draught of about 2’6” with the centre-plate lowered; sail area 63.5 sq ft).
After the war, renewed interest was created when the Island Sailing Club at Cowes adopted the class; the shape was altered slightly and they became known as Solent Scows. In 1950 Mr V. F. Samuelson (“Poof”), the Captain of the BSDC, saw them in action on the choppy waters off Cowes and suggested that they would be ideal for the children at Bembridge. The class was therefore adopted and the first boat to be built locally was by Alan Coombes later that year. Shortly afterwards the BHYC adopted the class and from that time until the 1970’s, some 200 were built locally – many being sent to Christchurch and Keyhaven.
With the advent of the Mirror dinghy, the local Solent Scows went into decline. Many were sold to Yarmouth and Christchurch where they remained popular. During the 1980’s, the first fibreglass Scows were built locally and continue in production to this day. Many older wooden boats have been refitted and a few new wooden ones have also been built.
