Hire, Buy or Construct a COD

For any of the following please get in touch with our COD Class Association Secretary, Michael Leahy at: CODSailing@conwayyachtclub.com

If you are a confident sailor (e.g. RYA day skipper or equivalent) you can hire one of the COD Centenary Project CODs for a season or less. There are three Conwy One Designs available for hire through the Conway Yacht Club for a small donation to the Trust that covers berthing fees, insurance, and maintenance.

Hire a Conway One Design form (Link to hire form sailacod-info.pdf)

COD’s were designed to be built in wood, the material of choice in the early 1900’s.

The final design came after The Conway Yacht Club first experimented with sailing the ‘Conway River Restricted Class’ in 1910, of which none remain. The club then tried the ‘Fife One Design’ still sailed in the Menai Strait but their fine lines made them rather too wet and unstable for the local sea conditions. They finally decided on the current design in 1928. 

All but the last two COD’s were built on a keel of oak or Canadian rock elm, with the bow, stern, knee and floors of natural oak. Planking near the keel was of elm with the rest mahogany, all fastened with roved (riveted) copper nails to 38 steamed ribs that crossed the boat. American elm or pitch pine bilge and beam stringers provided fore and aft strength. Nail holes were filled with white lead putty and the hull planks caulked with ‘best cotton wick’ or thread.

It was said that the design of the keel was well ahead of its time being placed towards the rear of the boats.

The design is well suited to local waters and fortunately good looking too.

Interested in a project which can fill many happy hours? We know just the boat for you. 

Full designs are available (for a small charge) if you happen to be a skilled shipwright with your own boat yard. 

Money no object? A new wooden hulled COD will take about 6 months to build and cost less than a new Land Rover Defender.