Hi Kit.

My name is David Foley. I grew up in Toronto and when I was in my teens, I had Wayfarer (hull no. 1037).

I now reside in Southern California and have been attempting to determine if the Wayfarer (the glass version) is still in production. Any info you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

I would even consider the idea of manufacturing them here.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincere Regards,

Hi David,

It's a nice surprise to hear from you. I gather you must have found my e-mail address on the Canadian Wayfarer Association web site, but I'm wondering whether you were aware that I am the current owner of W1037?

I've been able to find very little information about the history of W1037, apart from a single reference to Ken Inglis who raced it in 1965. I have had the boat since 1995 and extensively refurbished it a year later. I had no idea of the amount of work I was getting myself in for. In the course of stripping the paint, I discovered that the hull had been holed near the bow, and I needed to replace a large section of the bottom strake. I epoxy coated the bottom and re-decked the hull, and rigged the boat for racing. She must have been cruised for a long time, because most of the equipment was pretty tired - but she looks pretty good now, I think.

I'm attaching some recent images of W1037.

There is currently no manufacturer of the Wayfarer in North America. Abbott Boats in Sarnia, who had the licence to build the North American version, suffered a catastrophic fire over a year ago and may never get back into production. The good news is that a new design is being developed in England by a company called Hartley Laminates, who have invested a considerable amount in updating the appearance of the boat, and reducing the production costs by simplifying the number of moulds required. I saw one in Denmark this year and it looks fantastic, though there is still a controversy about whether the design is class legal for racing. These issues are still being resolved.

Let me know more about your ideas for building the boat and your background. I'd be very interested in hearing more from you.

Regards,

Kit Wallace (W1037)

I thought you might be interested in this story, which arrived completely out of the blue today. It certainly illustrates the loyalty the Wayfarer engenders in us. As you can imagine, I have long wondered who previously owned W1037, and to know a bit of her history is a revelation - a bit like finding a long lost relative.

What do you think of David Foley's idea about building the Wayfarer in California? We could put him in touch with Hartley to explore the possibilities. Having production on the west coast would certainly give a boost to the Class out there.

Kit