Ian Proctor
Encyclopedia
Ian Douglas Ben Proctor, FRSA
, known as Ian Proctor, (12 July 1918-23 July 1992) was a prolific designer of both sailing dinghies and cruisers. His pioneering aluminium mast designs also revolutionised the sport of sailing
.
Proctor had more than one hundred designs to his credit, from which 65,000 boats were built.
Some of his designs are listed below.
in Holt, Norfolk
. After leaving school, he studied at the University of London
.
In 1943, he married Elizabeth Anne Gifford Lywood, the daughter of Air Vice-Marshal O. G. Lywood, CB, CBE. They had three sons.
, Proctor was a Flying Officer
in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
. From 1947 to 1948, he was Managing Director of Gosport Yacht Co., then, from 1948 to 1950, he was joint editor of Yachtsman Magazine.
, which soon became a hit with sailing schools and still has a solid following in racing and cruising circles. Indeed, a Wayfarer was sailed from the UK to Norway
and Iceland
by Frank Dye, and this boat is now on display at the National Maritime Museum
, Greenwich
.
The most widely-known of all Ian Proctor designs has to be the Topper
of which more than 46,000 have been produced to date. This was the first sailing dinghy to be produced from injection moulded plastic; a system which cost a million pounds to set up and was the largest single mold at the time. The first boats however were built from glassfibre (GRP). There is a large topper racing circuit in the UK and also like the Wanderer has an enthusiastic racing following.
for Bell Woodworking, followed shortly afterwards by the Seamew. Later on there was the Nimrod, Eclipse, Pirate, and the Prelude.
featured 12 boats using Proctor masts.
Proctor Masts eventually became paty of the Sélden group, and now trade as Sélden masts.
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
, known as Ian Proctor, (12 July 1918-23 July 1992) was a prolific designer of both sailing dinghies and cruisers. His pioneering aluminium mast designs also revolutionised the sport of sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
.
Proctor had more than one hundred designs to his credit, from which 65,000 boats were built.
Some of his designs are listed below.
Early life and education
Proctor was a son of Douglas McIntyre Proctor and Mary Albina Louise Proctor (née Tredwen). He was educated at Gresham's SchoolGresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
in Holt, Norfolk
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
. After leaving school, he studied at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
In 1943, he married Elizabeth Anne Gifford Lywood, the daughter of Air Vice-Marshal O. G. Lywood, CB, CBE. They had three sons.
Early career
From 1942 to 1946, during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Proctor was a Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
. From 1947 to 1948, he was Managing Director of Gosport Yacht Co., then, from 1948 to 1950, he was joint editor of Yachtsman Magazine.
Dinghy designer
Ian Proctor first began to design dinghies professionally in 1950. The National 12 was soon followed by the Merlin Rocket. Proctor's early designs were met with immediate success, winning championships from 1950 to 1952. His design of Proctor Spars revolutionised dinghy sailing. Then in 1958 he penned the evergreen WayfarerWayfarer (dinghy)
The Wayfarer is a wooden or fibreglass hulled Bermuda rigged sailing dinghy, often used for short sailing trips as a 'day boat'. The boat is 15 feet 10 inches long, and broad and deep enough for three adults to comfortably sail for several hours. Longer trips are undertaken by enthusiasts, notably...
, which soon became a hit with sailing schools and still has a solid following in racing and cruising circles. Indeed, a Wayfarer was sailed from the UK to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
by Frank Dye, and this boat is now on display at the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
, Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
.
The most widely-known of all Ian Proctor designs has to be the Topper
Topper (dinghy)
The Topper is an 11 foot sailing dinghy designed by Ian Proctor. The Topper is a one-design boat sailed mostly in the British Isles. It was recognised as an International class by the International Sailing Federation...
of which more than 46,000 have been produced to date. This was the first sailing dinghy to be produced from injection moulded plastic; a system which cost a million pounds to set up and was the largest single mold at the time. The first boats however were built from glassfibre (GRP). There is a large topper racing circuit in the UK and also like the Wanderer has an enthusiastic racing following.
Yacht designer
Although better known for his dinghy designs and metal masts, Ian Proctor was also responsible for the design of several small cruisers. His first cruiser was the SeagullBell Seagull and Seamew
The Bell Woodworking Seagull and Seamew are both small sloop-rigged marine ply sailing boats of the Trailer yacht type designed by Ian Proctor, who was also responsible for the design of many small sailing dinghies in seven different classes including the extremely popular Topper, and Wanderer.The...
for Bell Woodworking, followed shortly afterwards by the Seamew. Later on there was the Nimrod, Eclipse, Pirate, and the Prelude.
Mast designer
In 1953 Ian Proctors 'Cirrus' had an all-metal mast. Proctor quickly realised the potential of metal masts and in 1953 he designed the first all-metal tapered and extruded mast for sailing dinghies. Then in 1955 he established 'Ian Proctor Metal Masts Limited' as a commercial venture. Proctor Masts soon became the leading metal mast producers for all types of sailing craft. Indeed by 1960, 13 different countries were using Proctor masts in the Olympics and the 1987 America's CupAmerica's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
featured 12 boats using Proctor masts.
Proctor Masts eventually became paty of the Sélden group, and now trade as Sélden masts.
Writing
Proctor wrote extensively about sailing. As well as his earlier stint as joint editor of Yachtsman Magazine, he was, from 1950 to 1964, the yachting correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. His books included:- Racing Dinghy Handling, 1948
- Racing Dinghy Maintenance, 1949
- Sailing: Wind and Current, 1950
- Boats for Sailing, 1968
- Sailing Strategy, 1977
Ian Proctor Designs
- AdventuressAdventuress (dinghy)The Adventuress sailing dinghy class was designed by Ian Proctor and built by of Essex. It is no longer in production.It is not known how many were built or how many survive today, although the secondhand market occasionally sees an Adventuress changing hands.The Adventuress is classed as a family...
- BeaufortBeaufort (dinghy)The Beaufort is a substantial GRP sailing dinghy, with round bilges The Beaufort is a substantial GRP sailing dinghy, with round bilges The Beaufort is a substantial GRP sailing dinghy, with round bilges (appearing similar to a carvel smooth hull, a mainsail and a jib.It was designed by Ian Proctor...
- Blue Peter
- BosunBosun (dinghy)The Bosun is a 14 foot GRP sailing dinghy originally created for the Royal Navy by designer Ian Proctor and built by Bossoms Boatyard in 1963. The design specification was for a robust dinghy, able to handle open seas, capable of carrying a crew of 3 to 4 people and be fast enough for a competent...
- GullGull (dinghy)The Gull sailing dinghy was designed by Ian Proctor in 1956, originally as a frameless double-chine plywood boat. However, it has been through several incarnations: the wooden Mark I, GRP Mark III, GRP Gull Spirit and GRP Gull Calypso...
- MarlinMarlinMarlin, family Istiophoridae, are fish with an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long rigid dorsal fin, which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to derive from its resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike...
- Merlin Rocket
- Eclipse, commissioned by Newbridge Yachts.
- National 18 (1968)
- Nimrod, commissioned by Westerly
- Pirate, commissioned by Rydgeway Marine
- Prelude, commissioned by Rydgeway Marine
- SeagullBell Seagull and SeamewThe Bell Woodworking Seagull and Seamew are both small sloop-rigged marine ply sailing boats of the Trailer yacht type designed by Ian Proctor, who was also responsible for the design of many small sailing dinghies in seven different classes including the extremely popular Topper, and Wanderer.The...
, commissioned by Bell Woodworking - SeamewBell Seagull and SeamewThe Bell Woodworking Seagull and Seamew are both small sloop-rigged marine ply sailing boats of the Trailer yacht type designed by Ian Proctor, who was also responsible for the design of many small sailing dinghies in seven different classes including the extremely popular Topper, and Wanderer.The...
, commissioned by Bell Woodworking - SigneTSignetSignet may refer to:* Signet ring, a ring with a seal set into it, typically by leaving an impression in sealing wax*Signet ring cell, a malignant cell type associated with cancers* Signet Books, an imprint of the New American Library...
- TempestTempest (keelboat)The Tempest is a one design two man high performance keelboat with a trapeze. It was designed by Ian Proctor for the 1965 trials for the new Olympic Keelboat, which it won convincingly....
- TopperTopper (dinghy)The Topper is an 11 foot sailing dinghy designed by Ian Proctor. The Topper is a one-design boat sailed mostly in the British Isles. It was recognised as an International class by the International Sailing Federation...
- WandererWanderer (sailing dinghy)The Wanderer is a 14 foot Fiberglass hull Bermuda rigged sailing dinghy designed by Ian Proctor. One of the main objectives of the design was to produce a robust safe and versatile dinghy that could be used for knockabout day sailing and cruising as well as racing, but was light enough to be...
- WayfarerWayfarer (dinghy)The Wayfarer is a wooden or fibreglass hulled Bermuda rigged sailing dinghy, often used for short sailing trips as a 'day boat'. The boat is 15 feet 10 inches long, and broad and deep enough for three adults to comfortably sail for several hours. Longer trips are undertaken by enthusiasts, notably...
- The Osprey is raced as a One-DesignOne-designOne-Design is a racing method where all vehicles or boats have identical or very similar designs or models. It is also known as Spec series. It is heavily used in sailboat racing. All competitors in a race are then judged based on a single start time...
class and despite the cosmetic improvements that have occurred since the designs inception, older boats can still (and often do) compete at the top end of the fleet. - KestrelKestrel (dinghy)The Kestrel was the first sailing dinghy especially designed to have a fibreglass hull. It was designed in 1955, by Ian Proctor. After a slow start, due to resistance to the new material, the Kestrel grew in popularity. This success led to more and more classes changing their rules to allow...
, the first dinghy designed to be built in glass fibre.
Honours and awards
- Royal Designer for Industry
- Fellow of the Royal Society of ArtsRoyal Society of ArtsThe Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
- Yachtsman of the Year, 1965. Unusually awarded for his work as a designer rather as a noted yachtsman.
- Council of Industrial Design Award, 1967
- Design Council Awards, 1977, 1980