The Liverpool Bay Falcon Association
The Falcon Class (or to give it its official name: The Liverpool Bay Falcon One Design Class) was designed in 1952 by the late Harry Dennis (a member of West Kirby Sailing Club)
The boat was designed along the following principles:
o A strict One Design
o Capable of lying to exposed moorings at the mouth of the rivers Mersey and Dee
o Drying out without blowing over or damaging the boats
o Easy to sail without an acrobatic crew i.e. a family boat
o A performance good enough to appeal to the expert but not frighten off more inexperienced crew
o Positive Buoyancy
o Reasonable Cost
The Falcon was originally constructed in cold moulded ply and the prototype was launched in 1953.
The original sail plan was increased in 1990 with an additional panel in the Jib and Spinnaker.
The current major dimensions of the boat are as follows:
o Length overall 5.9 Metre ( 19ft 3in)
o Waterline Length 4.9 Metre ( 16ft )
o Beam 2.2 Metre ( 7ft 3in )
o
Draught 0.2 Metre (
8in) Centre Plate up
1.4 Metre (4ft 9in ) C/P down
o
Sail Area 15.6 M2
(170 Sq ft ) Main & Jib
14.0 M2 (150 Sq ft ) Spinnaker
Whilst the Falcon was originally constructed in cold moulded ply, in 1977 the Class adopted construction in glass-fibre. Current boats are built with an integral deck and side tank moulding which is fully bonded to the hull to provide sealed buoyancy tanks.
The Falcon fleet at West Kirby consists of 25 boats, and Falcons are also sailed at Fidlers Ferry S C ( on the upper reaches of the Mersey) with a fleet of 10 to 15 boats.
The West Kirby fleet enjoys a full racing programme with tidal racing most weekends. Additionally the Class takes part in all of the local regattas on both the Mersey and the Dee, and also travel to Anglesey for the Menai Strait Regattas fortnight.
Last Updated 03/01/09