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History
In the Roaring Twenties it was William Betts Donaldson from the family of the Ship owners out of Glasgow who dreamed of building a fleet of International Eight Metre Class yachts on the Clyde. With this idea in mind he ordered his first 8mR around 1927 with the legendary designer William Fife III and had him build Cluaran at the Fife yard in Fairlie, Cluaran still graces the waters of Marseille under her current name Rainbow III. Three years later in 1930, William Betts and his brother Norman Patrick honoured their father, William Falconer who was born in 1830, by commissioning another Eight Metre Yacht and christened her Falcon. By then the Clyde had an active fleet of Eights with Racing being plentiful making the Clyde a renowned hub for Eight Metre Class racing.After the brothers' passing and the turmoil of World War II, Falcon found a new home at the Vancouver Yacht Club in Canada. she was taken to the West Canadian coast together with William Fife Build Sistership Fulmar and als the 2 other Fife build Eight Metres Sulaire, and Concerto. As of 2024 all have become active again and are returning to sailing condition or even competing at the World Cups. In 2009, Falcon was rediscovered by her present owner.Laying still in the Vancouver area, she was transformed into a floating home, but he could see the beauty of her lines through the neglect and alternations of her deck.With dreams of the 2011 Newport World Cup in mind, she was taken to Narragansett Shipwrights in Newport, USA. Her decks were removed, her hull re-planked, and bronze stringers installed. However, fate intervened and the 2011 race was abandonedFalcon’s restoration was completed at Fairlie Restoration in the UK. She was meticulously prepared in time for the IEMA 2012 World Cup in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Falcon's restoration preserved much of her original charm.Nowadays competing in the Division racing for the Neptune trophy, she finished third in her first regatta at Cowes in 2012 and took the Neptune Trophy home in Helsinki the following year. Her success was a testament to the craftsmanship of Fairlie Restoration, Absolute Spars, North Sails, HYS rigging and of course the quality of her original build and design at William Fife’s yard at Fairlie on the Clyde.Since 2012, Falcon has been a regular contender in the Eight Metre World Cup regattas, proudly bearing her original sail number K20. She travels on her own trailer and is sailed by a dedicated crew.In 2022, Falcon returned to the Clyde for the first time in nearly 70 years, where she won her class in the Fife Regatta. Thanks to Eight Metres historian John Lammerts van Bueren, she now carries a bottle of Clyde water in her bilge, symbolising her enduring connection to her birthplace. In 2024, she raced against four other Fife-designed Eight Metres on the Clyde, Saskia, Carron II, Severn and Fulmar. For the first time in many decades, there were so many Fife-designed Eights at one regatta. It says a lot about the quality of design and build as these boats have been sailing for over 90 years. and all have their unique stories to tell of famous races and famous owners.Falcon will compete in the Turku World Cup in 2025 and her Owner and team intends to do many more races in the future. Her story is one of passion, dedication, and a timeless love for the sea.
