Described by Classic Boat as “the waterborne equivalent of a vintage Bentley”, by any standard the International One Design class - conceived in 1935 by Cornelius Shields and given life by Norwegian designer and master builder Bjarne Aas - has been a huge international success. By the class’s 75th anniversary, at least 235 of these beautiful thoroughbreds had been built with fleets in Norway, Sweden, UK, Bermuda, USA and Canada.
Described by Classic Boat as “the waterborne equivalent of a vintage Bentley”, by any standard the International One Design class - conceived in 1935 by Cornelius Shields and given life by Norwegian designer and master builder Bjarne Aas - has been a huge international success. By the class’s 75th anniversary, at least 235 of these beautiful thoroughbreds had been built with fleets in Norway, Sweden, UK, Bermuda, USA and Canada. WHISPER was the penultimate wooden IOD built by Bjarne Aas and spent most of her class racing life with the strong Scottish IOD fleet of the 1970s to 90s on the Firths of Forth and Clyde. In present ownership since 2012 WHISPER underwent a major refit at Suffolk Yacht Harbour and has been enjoyed as a successful handicap racer and weekend cruiser.
Brokers Comments
Described by Classic Boat as “the waterborne equivalent of a vintage Bentley”, by any standard the International One Design class - conceived in 1935 by Cornelius Shields and given life by Norwegian designer and master builder Bjarne Aas - has been a huge international success. By the class’s 75th anniversary, at least 235 of these beautiful thoroughbreds had been built with fleets in Norway, Sweden, UK, Bermuda, USA and Canada. WHISPER was the penultimate wooden IOD built by Bjarne Aas and spent most of her class racing life with the strong Scottish IOD fleet of the 1970s to 90s on the Firths of Forth and Clyde. In present ownership since 2012 WHISPER underwent a major refit at Suffolk Yacht Harbour and has been enjoyed as a successful handicap racer and weekend cruiser.
Refit / Restoration
2022
- Replacement of 6 x timbers
- Underbody stripped, primed and antifouled
2021
- Replacement of frames at bilge
2019
- Topsides re-varnished
RESTORATION BY SUFFOLK YACHT HARBOUR
- New deck
- New carlins, some new deck beams, and covering boards
- Some new laminated beams and replacement planks at starboard aft counter
- Externally stripped and re-varnished
- New Harken deck gear
- New Andersen self tailing winches
Class Notes
Designed by Bjarne Aas in 1935 at the request of Cornelius “Corny” Shields Jr. - the legendary American racing yachtsman - as a slightly smaller, lighter displacement and more comfortable one-design version of the successful Bjarne Aas-designed and built 6-Meter, SAGA.
The result is a beautiful reminder of yachting’s “golden age” with traditional metre-boat long overhangs, graceful sheer, deep, narrow hull, and lofty rig. Described by Classic Boat Magazine in 1990 as “the waterborne equivalent of a vintage Bentley”, the IODs were the first class to be awarded International Classic Yacht status by the International Yacht Racing Union (now World Sailing).
Many of the great America's Cup skippers of previous years chose to race IODs, including Ted Hood, and Bus Mosbacher, Long Island’s IOD champion eight years in a row. IODs are used for the King Edward VII Gold Cup event in Bermuda, the oldest match racing event in the world; past winners include Russell Coutts, Chris Dickson, Ben Ainslie and James Spithill.
IODs are actively raced in twelve local fleets in North America and Europe, representatives of which compete annually in a World Championship, the venue of which rotates around the fleets. IODs are also sailed in classic regattas, including Cannes Regates Royales and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Classic Regatta, and in the British Classic Yacht Club regatta at Cowes.
While IODs can be raced competitively, they are also wonderful day-sailors even in less sheltered waters, and it is this, together with their graceful classic lines, which makes them so attractive to many owners who enjoy just sailing these thoroughbred yachts.
History
BJARNE AAS BUILD NO. 580
Believed to be the second last wooden IOD built by Bjarne Aas, WHISPER began her sailing life in Norway, then emigrated to Cowes named WHIFFENPOOF (sail number K7) in the ownership of Don McGowan - a mainstay of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club's IOD fleet there since the mid 1950s with KYLA (K6). But these were the final days of the south coast of England IOD fleet and by the early 1970s most boats had flitted north to the Royal Forth Yacht Club at Granton, near Edinburgh - WHIFFENPOOF initially in the ownership of Bobby Brown and Paul Wise, then Bobby Brown and Marshall Napier.
From the late 1980s into the early 90s the IOD Scottish fleet divided racing time between the Forth and the Clyde, with K7 racing on both Firths in Marshall Napier's ownership. She is believed participated in the IOD World Championships on the Forth in 1975 (Brown & Wise) and 1979 (Brown & Napier), and on the Clyde in 1990 (Napier), and in 1998 when owned by Gilmour Manuel.
After the 1998 Worlds the Scottish fleet disbanded with some boats reforming a fleet at St. Mawes, Cornwall. But K7 moved further south to Jersey, renamed WHISPER by Bob Hassell. WHISPER's current owner brought her to Suffolk from Jersey in 2012 and she has subsequently been maintained by Suffolk Yacht Harbour - including the major refit described above. She's been a regular entrant and three time winner at SYH Classic Regatta.
©2023 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.
Construction
- Mahogany close seamed carvel planking
- Laminated oak stem and apron, and horn timber
- Steamed and laminated oak frames
- Screw fastened
- 2 x Steamed oak timbers between
- Copper riveted
- Oak wood keel and rudderpost
- Pine beam shelves
- Bronze fastened oak keelson under mast
- Floors of stainless steel plate and strap, and timber
- Sheathed marine plywood painted deck
- Pine deck beams
- Mahogany and sheathed painted plywood house
- Lead ballast keel; bronze bolted
- Timber rudder; bronze stock
Deck Layout, Equipment and Ground Tackle
GENERAL
- Sheathed plywood painted deck
- Mahogany covering boards
FROM AFT
- Chromed ensign staff socket
- Under deck adjustable backstay sheave
- Mooring cleat
- 2 x Sheet lead padeyes port and starboard
- Mooring fairleads port and starboard
- Sockets for boom crutch
- Harken full beam mainsheet track and car
- Car controls led to mid cockpit port and starboard
COCKPIT
- Mahogany cockpit coamings faired to house sides
- Large and deep - non self draining
- Drawer under aft deck
- 2 x Andersen stainless steel self-tailing sheet winches on s/s plinths
- Slatted raw teak sole
- Rudder head at horn timber
- Ash tiller; aluminium extension
- Raw teak helm bench
- Mainsheet block/ cleat post & foot rest
- Raw teak topped step lockers port and starboard forward
- Instrument readouts at starboard bulkhead
HOUSE
- 2 x Andersen stainless steel line winches
- Associated line jammers and leads
- Sliding raw teak laid hatch
- 2 x Chromed framed ports port and starboard
FOREDECK
- Mast Position
- Short foredeck toerails
- Mooring fairleads port and starboard
- Stemhead roller
GROUND TACKLE
Anchor with chain and warp
Below
- Mahogany sole boards
- Angled mahogany benches port and starboard
- Winch handle pocket
Rig, Sails, and Canvaswork
RIG
- Anodised aluminium keel stepped mast (Selden 2020)
- Spinnaker pole track
- Windex
- Anodised aluminium boom (Z Spars 2014)
- Selden rod kicker
- Spinnaker pole.
- Stainless steel standing rigging (2020)
- Backstay (2021)
- Backstay adjuster
- Spectra running rigging (2020)
SAILS
- Regatta mainsail (North 2019)
- Regatta jib (North 2017)
- S4 Spinnaker (One Sails 2018)
- A5 Asymmetric (One Sails 2015)
- Spare set of sails (2010)
CANVASWORK
- Mainsail cover
- Boom cover
- Winter cover (2014)
Mechanical and Electrical
PROPULSION
- Outboard motor bracket
Either
- Torqueedo Cruise 2.0 Electric outboard motor
- Charger
Or
- Mercury 3.5 hp 4-stroke outboard motor
ELECTRICAL
- 12 V battery (2020)
- Shore power cable
Navigation
NAVIGATION
- Nasa Clipper compass (2020)
- Nasa Clipper depth, boatspeed, log (2020)
Safety
- Whale manual bilge pump
- Submersible electric bilge pump with float switch
- Lifebuoy
Other Equipment
- Boom crutch
- Paddles
- 6 x Fenders with socks
- Warps
- Winter storage cradle
Disclaimer
These particulars have been prepared from information provided by the vendors and are intended as general guide. The purchaser should confirm details of concern to them by survey or engineers inspection. The purchaser should also ensure that the purchase contract properly reflects their concerns and specifies details on which they wish to rely.
