ARROW – West Solent One Design (W1)
Main Picture Credit - James Robinson Taylor
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 DIMENSIONS
Designer: H. Jacobs & Harry G. May
Builder: Berthon Boat Company Ltd, Lymington
Year: 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.
HISTORY
Yard Number: 199
Class 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 & EQUIPMENT
Aft 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
ACCOMMODATION
Simple, 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 & CANVAS
Rig
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 & COMMUNICATIONS
Navigation
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 & CRADLE
A 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