XOANON – “Not the New XOD”

Xoanon’s very first sail

STOP PRESS – Xoanon has now been raced at Yarmouth and is currently racing at Itchenor. Click here to see comments on her performance.

Since early January a small team of enthusiastic sailors have been constructing a boat very accurately to XOD design drawings using tongue and groove strip planks and West Epoxy Resins. The aim was to produce an ‘X’ that was competitive, had a very long life expectancy with reduced annual maintenance, be updated in construction detail and hence bring the new build costs into line with similar keelboats of this size.

Built in only 6 months, Xoanon [ A wooden image of a deity supposed to have fallen from heaven], is not only afloat but also sailing! She was named by Pippa Wilson (2008 Olympic Gold medallist crew in the Yngling class) on Wednesday the 8^th, after which Xoanon’s abilities were demonstrated by Pippa, Nick Rogers (2008 Silver medallist 470 class) & Ado Jardine (1968 Bronze medallist 5.5 metre class).

The intention has always been to enable as many supporters, XOD owners, potential XOD owners or crews to sail in her in order for them to be able to to judge whether her construction is a viable alternative to the current class rules. In the longer term, the shareholders would also like to use her to give an even wider range of people interested in sailing or in sailing XODs an opportunity to experience both the sport and XODs in particular.

The current intentions are that she will be available to be raced by Yarmouth owners for the Yarmouth Sunset Series 10th to 13th August and for the Yarmouth regatta on the 15th/16th August and by Itchenor owners at the Itchenor Points week, 24th to 28th August. It has also been suggested that Parkstone owners might like to race her during the Lymington Autumn series as they do not race during October.

Here is the current Sailing Programme.

Bookings - David Harris is Xoanon’s Sailing Project Manager and can be contacted on 07836 239 146 or email davidharris@easynet.co.uk.

Whenever possible, David will be available to crew and will normally be one of the crew when she is being raced by a non-XOD owner. We anticipate that XOD owners will sail her with their normal crew – but David will try to be available should they need to make up one of the crew or would like someone on board who has sailed her previously.

Non Racing Days - Strictly with prior agreement (insurance is invalid without permission/approval), experienced helms may use Xoanon at times when she is not being raced.

Shareholders and Sponsors.

More than 40 people bought shares in the project enabling materials and professional help to be purchased.

Sponsors included West Epoxy Resins who joined in the very early stages of planning and Steve Etheridge who gave a section of his boatbuilding shed in Sway and was always on hand to offer help and advice by answering the team’s many questions during construction. David Alan-Williams who not only produced all the digitised drawings so that the building frames could be accurately cut but also (between spells in the USA) helped us through many technical minefields. Other sponsors were – Barton Marine, Sanders Sails, Hyde Sails, and Funky Monkey boat names and not forgetting the many individual gifts of equipment from many boat owners.