Jack Holt (dinghy designer)

Template:Use dmy dates Jack Holt, OBE (8 April 1912 – 14 November 1995) was a prolific designer of sailing dinghies. His pioneering designs of dinghies using plywood did much to popularise the sport of sailing in the period immediately following World War II.<ref name=obit>Template:Cite news</ref>

Born near the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, Holt designed more than 40 boats, many of which are listed below. He worked for many years with fellow sailing enthusiast and businessman Beecher Moore.<ref name=obit2>Template:Cite news</ref>

Jack Holt was awarded an OBE in 1979 for his services to sailing.

Sailing Clubs

Jack Holt has been associated with several sailing clubs. His premises were next door to Ranelagh Sailing Club, and he designed the Merlin Rocket and his National 12 designs there.

In 1956, he was a co-founder of Wraysbury Lake Sailing Club.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He was closely associated with the London Corinthian Sailing Club,<ref>London Corininthian SC Club History Template:Webarchive lcsc.org.uk</ref> very close to his Putney premises.

Jack Holt Designs

• Bumblebee
• Caboodle was a simple kit built singlehander
• CadetTemplate:Efn
• Diamond KeelboatTemplate:Efn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• EnterpriseTemplate:Efn
• Explorer (dinghy)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• GP14
• Heron
• Hornet
• Ideal<ref>Ideal dinghy cvrda.org, accessed 10 December 2018</ref>
• International 10sq m Canoe<ref>The International Canoe 'Quest' was designed and built by Jack Holt Template:Webarchive intcanoe.org.uk</ref>
• International 14Template:Efn
• Jacksnipe
• Jacksprat tender
• Lazy E, later renamed to National E<ref>The National E is 5m and uses a mainsail, jib, spinnaker and trapeze Template:Webarchive, accessed 10 December 2018</ref><ref>The Lazy E was one of several dinghies trialled by the Admiralty for sailing by the Royal Navy sailbosun.freeserve.co.uk Template:Webarchive. The Ian Proctor designed Bosun was selected</ref>
• Merlin RocketTemplate:Efn
• Miracle
• MirrorTemplate:Efn
• Mirror 16Template:Efn
• National 12Template:Efn
• North Norfolk 16<ref>Some later boats designed by Jack Holt, specifically Jack Holt designed 'Spritely' uffafox.com, accessed 10 December 2018</ref>
• Pacer, formerly Puffin Pacer<ref>History of the Pacer Class Template:Webarchive, accessed 10 December 2018 pacersailing.org.au</ref>
• Pandamaran
• Rambler<ref>Description and pictures of the boat repair to the Rambler 'Kumpel' szkutnikamator.pl, accessed 10 December 2018</ref>
• Solo
• Streaker
• Vagabond<ref>Vagabond dinghy cvrda.org, accessed 10 December 2018</ref>

A selection of Jack Holt plans are held in the archives of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Template:Expand section

Boatbuilding

In addition to designing boats, Jack was also a boatbuilder. His fittings business was in the loft above the boatbuilding workshop. Naturally he built all the boats he designed, but he also built boats designed by others, including the Albacore.<ref>Minutes of the Meeting of the International Albacore Association held on July 28, July 29, and July 31, 1997 Template:Webarchive accessed 10 December 2018 - Status of Boat Builders - Worldwide albacore.org</ref>

Sailing fittings

Jack collaborated with Glen and Tony Allen from Essex to manufacture and supply a lightweight range of dinghy fittings, the fittings were known as Holt Allen fittings for 52 years until 2008 when the Allen side decided to distribute the fittings themselves under the brand Allen.<ref>Holt and Allen to split (archived) 29 Jan 2008 Originally at boatingbusiness.com, accessed 10 December 2018</ref> The companies now trade separately as Holt Marine Ltd.<ref>Holt Marine Ltd.-About: HOLT - Inspired design and innovation (archived) holt.eu/about, accessed 10 December 2018</ref> and Allen Brothers (Fittings) Ltd.<ref>Allen Brothers (Fittings) Ltd.- About us 'The Allen pedigree is unquestionable, the company having been in the marine business since 1956' allenbrothers.co.uk, accessed 10 December 2018</ref> Holt Allen also made masts and spars for dinghies and a wide variety of other boat related fittings. Most of the fittings for the Mirror, Miracle, Mirror 14, Mirror 16 and Streaker were all provided by Holt Allen

Sailmaker

Sails for early Puffins, those with a puffin silhouette on the main, were deep blue in colour and were made by Jack Holt Sails of Putney, England. Holt sails made sails for a large number of dinghy classes for many years from the 1970s to around the early 2000s

External links

• Allen Brothers (Fittings) Ltd website