Iain Oughtred obituary reactions
The responses to the obituary we published two weeks ago has made me think that we perhaps underestimate the standing that Iain should have in the world of traditional maritime craft. The first names that spring to mind when we think of Australian designers might be Lexcen, Paine, Bethwaite, Ward and Swanson, but perhaps Oughtred should also be near the top of this list given his profound influence at the grass roots of Australian sailing.
Sean Hogben writes
In January 1995, at the start of the first year of the first Diploma of Wooden Boat Building course at the then Shipwright's Point School of Wooden Boat Building in Franklin, Tasmania, the school's founders, John and Ruth Young, and the senior instructors devised a long weekend cruise for us 12 neophyte timber boat builders to the bottom of Bruny Island. We towed two Oughtred Grebes, both traditionally built of King Billy, Huon and Celery Top pine. They were the most beautiful dinghies I had ever seen and sailed just as well. Over the next two years I sailed them alone, with crew, with my infant sons and raced them also.
All of us saw in Iain's boats not the craft but the art of his designing. His work was a bright shining light that guided our developing eyes and sparked an abiding and profound respect for our fellow Australian. He was an absolute gentleman in correspondence, generous in providing extra drawings for some details I requested and commanded great confidence that all his boats would work as designed because he had built and tested just about every one. Ours is a great loss but the Oughtred name, known so widely internationally, shall ring forever as the Da Vinci of classic small sailing craft designed for every man and woman to build.
An Oughtred Grebe
John Diacopoulos writes
I am old enough to have raced against the Oughtred Brother in their early days of sailing Gwen 12s. They were good. Very good.!! I have followed Iain's subsequent career through the decades and admired his talent and ability. May he long be remembered. He has been a great contributor to the international boating community.
State champion Gwen 12 Radiant
Stephen Tait writes
Vale; A lovely obituary for a man much admired. In particular the Gwen 12 looks to be shy reaching on Rose Bay - our home waters. All our clinkers will reminisce his good works on the bays around Sydney Harbour.
Iain Oughtred sailing his Gwen 12 CLEMENTINE C1960’s
Let’s let Charles Wright have the the final word
What to say? I have an Acorn & I love it. Many thanks.
