ARROW – West Solent One Design (W1)Main Picture Credit - James Taylor Robinson Launched 1924 – Comprehensive Refit 1999 INTRODUCTION It is a genuine privilege to present ARROW, sail number W-1 – the very first of the celebrated West Solent One Designs launched at Lymington in 1924. An elegant and highly competent 1920s racing yacht, ARROW embodies the very spirit of inter-war Corinthian sport, combining poise, pace, and that unmistakable long-overhang charm of the era. She is the last of the class to have been restored by the late Peter Brookes during his revered Maldon period, completed to a standard that set a benchmark for classic yacht work of the time. In the quarter century since, she has remained one of the most successful, most visible, and unquestionably best-prepared West Solents afloat — her record in classic regattas throughout the Mediterranean and the English south coast speaks for itself. Uniquely, ARROW is offered with her own dedicated 19-tonne UK/EU-legal transport truck and cradle, enabling dry-sailing and effortless movement between regattas. For the sailor who wishes to arrive in style, prepared, and with the competitive edge, few packages come close. A fast, beautiful, historically important yacht — and one maintained with conspicuous devotion. A rare opportunity indeed. BROKER’S COMMENTS ARROW represents the very essence of the West Solent class: lean, lively, and entirely honest in her form. She is, in short, a classic yacht of the first order. Her present and previous custodians have upheld her heritage with a seriousness and affection that would delight her original builders at Berthon. As a regatta proposition she is formidable: optimised for both CIM and IRC, accompanied by an exceptional sail wardrobe, and maintained with the meticulousness one normally associates with museum exhibits. As a piece of maritime history, she has few equals. And as a travelling regatta yacht, her accompanying truck and cradle make her the most complete and self-contained classic racing package presently available. Those seeking either a purebred classic racer or a yacht of historical distinction will find ARROW a deeply satisfying and unusually complete offering. PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONSDesigner: H. Jacobs & Harry G. MayBuilder: Berthon Boat Company Ltd, LymingtonYear: 1924 (Major restoration 1999) LOA: 34 ft 6 in / 10.51 m LWL: 24 ft 0 in / 7.32 m Beam: 7 ft 6 in / 2.29 m Draft: 5 ft 3 in / 1.60 m Displacement: Approx. 4.25 tonnes Construction: Pine planking on oak frames Engine: None (as originally conceived) RESTORATION (1998–1999)A full, stem-to-stern rebuild was undertaken by Peter Brookes at Maldon, completed to concours standard. The work encompassed hull, deck, spars, interior, systems, and fittings. This was the final West Solent restored by Brookes before his relocation to New Zealand, and is widely regarded as one of his finest achievements. HISTORYYard Number: 199Class Sail Number: W-1 Commissioned for Mrs Ida Potter of Lymington — an accomplished helmswoman and a woman notably ahead of her time — ARROW began life among a spirited family of racers. Her husband, Major Cyril Potter OBE, banker and Royal Yacht Squadron member, was instrumental in founding the club that would become the Royal Lymington Yacht Club. The Potters’ enthusiasm for small-boat competition helped bring the West Solent class into being, and ARROW was their flagship. Her early career was marked by success, taking the overall class championship in her first season. Over the following decades she passed through distinguished hands, known variously as DART and later HUAHINE. Among her custodians were decorated naval officers, a celebrated motor-yacht owner, several committed amateur racers, and notably Frank G. G. Carr — former Director of the National Maritime Museum, intimately involved in the preservation of CUTTY SARK. Throughout the 20th century she sailed extensively on the south coast, the Medway, Chichester and Brightlingsea waters, and the East Coast rivers. Returning to Maldon in 1998 for her major restoration, she regained her original name ARROW. During the past 25 years she has been actively and successfully campaigned, winning admiration wherever she appears. At the 2025 Hamble Classics Regatta she received the Concours d’Elegance award — a fitting accolade for a yacht of such stature. CONSTRUCTION Carvel pine planking over oak frames Timber floors (no metal floors fitted) Painted, sheathed marine ply deck Varnished teak covering boards, toerails, coamings, and deck structures DECK LAYOUT & EQUIPMENTAft Deck Bronze fairleads port and starboard Backstay chainplate Teak and bronze centreline mooring cleat Bronze mainsheet horse Wooden blocks for mainsheet Running backstay hardware Rudder head with wooden tiller Cockpit Low traditional coamings Slatted helm seats Raw teak grating sole 2 × Lewmar 24 self-tailing bronze winches (refurbished 2025) 2 × Lewmar 16 bronze runner winches (refurbished 2025) Winch handles Side Decks & Foredeck 9 × Spinlock XC clutches (2025) Bronze headsail tracks Harken blocks (2025) Varnished forehatch Samson post Bronze fairleads Bronze anchor roller starboard of stem Ground Tackle Anchor with warp ACCOMMODATIONSimple, original, and entirely in keeping with a classic racer: Sliding coachroof hatch and skylight Varnished Douglas fir sole boards White deck head and bulkheads with contrasting varnished joinery Galley to port: small sink, lockers and shelves Chart table to starboard: lifting top with stowage, nav equipment Two settee berths with lee cloths and stowage below Blue berth cushions RIG, SAILS & CANVASRig Spruce mast with single spreader and jumper struts (A. Riva, 2016) New stainless masthead cap with LED nav light (2025) Spruce boom (Collars, 2016) Stainless mast collar to mast step Wooden spinnaker pole (Collars, 2024) for CIM Carbon spinnaker pole for IRC Running Rigging (mostly renewed 2024–2025) Continuous mainsheet (2025) Spinnaker sheets, jib sheets (2025) Dyneema reefing lines Adjustable backstay Traveller system (2025) New halyards throughout: main, fractional and masthead spinnaker halyards, jib (2025) Topping lift, downhaul, tackline (2024), vang purchases (2025) Sails (A notably comprehensive wardrobe for both CIM and IRC) North Mainsail (as-new condition, commissioned 2024/25) North J1 (2024, unused) Dacron and Mylar headsails (J1, J3, J4) Storm jib Full suite of CIM spinnakers (A1.5, A5, S1.5, S2) IRC radial spinnakers (S2, S5) Additional North S2 sails (70 m² & 75 m²) Covers & Canvaswork Full hull and deck cover (2025) Mainsail cover with ‘ARROW W-1’ lettering Hatch, skylight, forehatch and cockpit covers Boom-under cover Mast and boom storage covers Deck bags, padded washboard bag (2025) Cockpit cushions (blue) Protective bow fender ELECTRICAL 12V sockets Fixed battery charger with shore lead NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATIONSNavigation Original steering compass Raymarine depth/speed (2016) TackTick 20/20 mast display (2025) TackTick Race Master GPS receiver & electronic compass Raymarine chartplotter (2016) TackTick wind instruments (2016) LED masthead navigation light Communications ICOM DSC VHF with masthead aerial (2016) Fusion stereo with speakers SAFETY Manual bilge pump with cockpit/cabin selector (seals renewed 2025) Horseshoe lifebuoy 6 × customised Spinlock PFDs (2025) TRANSPORT TRUCK & CRADLEA major and unusual asset: DAF 19-tonne flatbed Fully serviced and MOT’d Custom welded cradle UK & EU-legal Smart 2 tachograph (2025) Kenwood stereo (2025) This combination enables ARROW to be transported safely between regattas and dry-stored indoors, preserving her hull to a degree rarely achievable for yachts of her age. OTHER EQUIPMENT 6 × fenders with socks (2025) Mooring warps Wooden passerelle Spinlock tiller extension (wood-effect) Helmsman’s seats (2025) Full set of code flags Battle flag