Flash

Introduction

Flash is a Yare and Bure One Design, a class more informally known as White Boats. 

Description

Flash makes an early appearance in Coot Club, as one of a fleet of five identical racing dinghies "like a cloud of butterflies" on the River Bure below Wroxham. She appears again in Ranworth Broad, but Ransome limits his decription to saying she was a "little racing sloop". Further details have to be gleaned from asides rather than hard facts. At one point a boatman comments that Port and Starboard make a good crew, even though they don't weigh as much together as a single man. Later, Tom knows that however fast Teasel sailed, she would struggle to keep up with "a little racer" like Flash. 

Ownership

Flash is owned by Mr Farland. He sails and races her with his twin daughters, Coot Club members Port and Starboard.

Flash appears in

Coot Club.

Factual Inspiration

Despite his sparse descriptions, it is clear that Flash was a Yare and Bure One Design (YBOD). This traditional class is widely regarded as offering some of the finest racing and day sailing on the Broads. 

Often referred to as White Boats, the YBOD resulted from a competition by the Yare and Bure Sailing Club, who wanted a standard design for racing. Ernest Woods created the design and the first eight boats in 1908. 

The class design stipulates a waterline length of 18', a hull length of 20' and an overall length (including bowsprit) of 22'. Draught is 2' 9" and each hull weighs 600kg.  

Visually, the YBOD hull has a low free board, a rounded bow and a slightly uplifted stern. They feature a large cockpit designed for two or three when racing, and up to six when sailing more leisurely.

White Boats were traditionally named after types of butterfly. Two other White Boats, Grizzled Skipper and Shooting Star are mentioned by Ransome in passing in Coot Club and The Big Six.

What Happened to the "Real" Flash?

As a class, the YBOD remain popular to this day. Ernest Woods built the first 69 examples in wood, after which his nephew Herbert completed 24 more before turning to fibre glass construction. To date over 130 examples have been made. Some have been lost over the years, but many remain and they are a common sight across the Broads.

For More Information

Yare and Bure One Design Class Website       

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