6 Foreword by Olin Stephens; 8 Introduction; 10 Creation of a Legacy; The 'golden years' of wooden boatbuilding in the early 20th century produced a wealth of beautiful designs and fine, highly-evolved construction. The rush for glassfibre in the 1960s, however, consigned timber to second place, and it seemed as if wooden boats had become a concept of the past. 42 The Revival is Born; The first seeds of the revival began in the United States, with a growing appreciation of handcrafted and sustainable wooden craft. It soon spread to Europe, however, where a rich legacy of traditional boats was rediscovered on the coasts of France, Holland, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom. 72 In Search of Authenticity; By the early 1980s the movement had spread to the mainstream, with a growing number of specialist yards catering for the growing classic yacht market. Restoration techniques became increasingly refined, and the relaunch of such masterpieces as Altair and Tuiga put the issue of authenticity at the heart of the debate. 102 Spreading the Word; The status of classic yachts reached a new peak as they became 'collectibles' and were referred to as 'floating paintings'. In the space of just ten years, standards of restoration worldwide underwent a dramatic improvement, with the purists once again winning the argument. 130 Setting the Standards; As the world approached a new millennium, the retro boom helped focus attention on the last survivors of our rich maritime heritage. Rules were introduced to encourage appropriate restorations, and a string of major regattas and festivals all around the world confirmed that wooden yachts were back with a vengeance. 158 Instant Classics; Not everyone necessarily linked 'classic' with 'old'. For some, traditional replicas combined the aesthetics of the past with the convenience of the present. Meanwhile, a new generation of 'modern classics' was seeking a place within the magic circle. Where does the future for classic boats lie? 188 Appendix - timeline of key launches, restorations, regattas and other events in the classic yachting scene; 189 Bibliography; 190 Index; 192 Acknowledgements
