An Eye for Innovation

Austin ‘Clarence’ Farrar saw an opportunity for innovation in almost everything. Although not a well known public figure, he was known and respected by those who met him and worked with him. His work on dinghy design and building, and subsequently as one of the leading sailmakers of his day, stays with us today. His work on the design of spinnakers and wing rigs is still current and many of today’s sailmakers learnt the trade under Austin.

Coming from a family where invention was encouraged, Austin was fortunate to be yacht and dinghy racing in the heyday of the 1930s. He worked on the design of cutting edge offshore racers and developed torpedo nets to guard ships during the war. Later he was the most successful of the designers of the International 14 class and Seahorse Sails became synonymous with excellence and design development. This book tells the story of a fascinating man.