Our local, East Coast fleet of Squib keel boats has recently seen significant growth and, proving Fox’s Marina & Boatyard is pleased to welcome boats of all shapes and sizes, we have become the go-to yard for pre-season preparation, having recently taken delivery of a fourth Squib for various work including topside spraying and hull bottom finishing/coating. We wish all our Squib customers an exciting, summer racing season.
The Squib was designed by Oliver Lee in 1967 as a scaled down version of the Ajax 23. The prototype was a cold moulded wooden hull, with an iron keel. It was extensively and successfully tested in 1967/68 and was used as a plug for the first GRP Squib launched in June 1968. The first production boat was No.11, called Squib.
The first fleet was formed at the Royal Corinthian YC in Burnham, where the first 150 or so boats were built by Oliver Lee. Soon Squib fleets were established elsewhere on the East Coast, at Waldringfield and Aldeburgh, and also spread to the South and South West Coasts, Brixham, and to Wales at Abersoch and Anglesey.
The total number of boats produced now approaches 900, of which two thirds are registered with the association. They are raced on the East, South, South West, and North East coasts of England, in Scotland, Wales and in Ireland (North and South), in nearly 30 fleets. Several clubs have between 20 -30 registered boats.
Find out more about Squib keel boats
