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50-480: In the early 20th century 18-foot skiff racing had gained ground as a spectator sport. The radical innovations introduced by Aberdare in 1933 (a narrow beam, reduced sail area, reduced crew, and flat bottom) made it significantly faster than contemporary designs, leading Aberdare to win four consecutive Australian championships. The Sydney Flying Squadron , at that time the leading organizer of 18-foot skiff racing, promptly banned Aberdare ' s innovations, fearing

100-635: A new hull, then make a complete set of sails for the new skiff in New Zealand. On completion they had it shipped to the US, gained a partial sponsorship from the Travelodge organization, then took it to Sydney for the 1973 regatta, where Roger Welsh skippered it as Travelodge International . In complete contrast to the previous series, the 1973 regatta in Sydney was so wide open that it wasn't decided until

150-510: A private team of 18 footers to the 1949 championship in Sydney. The League agreed and even assisted the kiwis with their shipping costs. The kiwis put up a good showing with their top boat Takiri finishing third overall behind Marjorie Too (Tony Russell) and Top Weight (Bish Bolton) of Australia. New Zealand's Jack Logan believed he would never beat the Australians in his boat, so began to browse through old plans of his late father, who

200-461: A race at the Giltinan when he brought Travelodge International home a seven minutes winner over Willie B in the atrocious conditions of race 4. The predicted Farr design breakthrough finally came in 1972 when Don Lidgard's Smirnoff totally dominated the 1972 series on Waterloo Bay at Brisbane. Smirnoff scored easy wins in each of the first four races when Lidgard and his crew successfully used

250-468: A second placing for a well deserved win. Bob Holmes and his Travelodge team returned to their consistent best to take out title number four at Auckland in 1971 but the writing was on the wall that the Bruce Farr design was starting to become a real force in 18 ft skiff racing and New Zealand were about to make a comeback. Roger Welsh again showed the US flag and became the first American to win

300-581: A small paragraph appeared starting: “Sydney Flying Squadron Yacht Club” A meeting of sailing men was held at Rainsford's Cambridge Club Hotel last night for the purpose of re-establishing this club. Mr F.J. Donovan was voted to the chair, and called on Mr M. Foy to explain the object of the meeting. That gentleman then states his ideas on the matter, after which it was decided that the club be formed, and that it be open for boats from 18 ft to 26 ft’. At its first meeting in August 1894, members voted to name

350-489: Is Australia's oldest open boat sailing club on the shores of Sydney Harbour. Sydney Flying Squadron is located at the end of Careening Cove , Milsons Point in Sydney, NSW ; the Squaddy features spectacular water views and is situated next to Milsons Park which provides a large grassy rigging area during summer months. Racing takes place from October to Easter with a break over Christmas. Sydney's open boat scene boomed in

400-717: Is a development class that is sailed in NSW, QLD and New Zealand The main regattas are the State, Australian and Interdominion championships. NSW also holds interclub regattas during the season at Lane Cove, Saratoga, Abbotsford, SFS and Greenwich. International 14's The International 14 is a high performance development skiff with two crew on trapeze supporting 50+ sq m of sail area including an asymmetric kite. I14's are sailed throughout Australia as well as worldwide in Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland,

450-666: The 1951 series in Myra Too , the 1952 contest was hosted for the first time at a venue other than Australia and New Zealand - the Royal Suva Yacht Club in Fiji. After a closely fought series Peter Mander's Intrigue won the title back for New Zealand. This contest was also memorable for the fact that Intrigue ' s crew introduced the use of trapeze. Peter Mander then became the first skipper to win two Giltinan Championships when he again skippered Intrigue to victory in

500-483: The 1954 regatta at Auckland. New Zealand's domination resulted from the team's use of new cold-moulded hulls with two and three skins of diagonally laid planking and the fact that they carried three of the five crew on the trapeze wire. New Zealand designers and sailors were becoming great innovators in the class during the 1950s. Not surprisingly, these moves immediately changed the style of 18 footers in Australia. It

550-470: The 1960 contest at Auckland the regatta was anything but uninteresting. As one leading New Zealand yachting journal said: "The 18s are still the glamour boats with the general public. Even the weekday races saw the waterfront road and headlands thick with spectators and the starting wharf completely packed". There were great dramas even before the racing began when Bob Miller (later famously known as Ben Lexcen) arrived with his radically designed Taipan , which

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600-455: The 1964 contest on Sydney Harbour, the overall consistency of Toogara proved the winning formula for Cliff Monkhouse and his crew. The following regatta at Auckland in 1965 began a wonderful era for Australian skipper Bob Holmes who took the championship in Travelodge , which was the same boat Ken Beashel had sailed as Schemer to win the 1963 title, also at Auckland. Holmes successfully defended his title with Travelodge in 1966 (to become

650-521: The Australian season and elected to sail the Taipan - Venom type boat while handing over the more conventional four-man boat to Beashel. Beashel and his crew recorded three wins and a second placing over the five races; their record could have been even greater but for an unfortunate incident in race three when she was hit by a Royal New Zealand Air Force launch, which was carrying a TV cameraman. In

700-483: The Australian team, as two protests were lodged against fellow team members. Bob Holmes' Travelodge won each of the first two races only to be disqualified from the second following a protest by Ken Beashel in Daily Telegraph for a breach by Holmes against another Australian boat. Daily Telegraph then won races three and four, but had to survive a protest by Holmes in race three, before Beashel could regain

750-579: The Flying Dutchman class race from 2:30 pm. On Sundays TBA. 18 Foot Skiffs Carrying over 1200 sq feet of sail power, the high performance 18-footer is recognised as the "formula-one" of sailing. It is the apex predator of sailing with nothing in its like harder or faster. It is recognised worldwide. And it's right here at the Sydney Flying Squadron. Historical Skiffs The Historic 18 Footers are replicas of famous 18's from

800-528: The Kiwi fleet of 21 boats. Unlike the original, this contest proved to be one of the most bitterly contested in the history of the championship. While the crowds on the foreshore were estimated at 25,000 people, it was marred by several protests, the latter of which saw the defending champion and provisional 1939 winner, Taree , being disqualified. Gordon Chamberlain's Manu was then declared the winner. Taree ' s skipper Bert Swinbourne lodged an appeal against

850-537: The League sailors refused to agree to the change and wouldn't allow the new boats to be registered in their events. The New Zealand governing body of the time tried to incorporate these new boats into the Giltinan Championship, a move which angered the League and resulted in the New Zealand body withdrawing its support of the championship. Several New Zealand sailors contacted the League, offering to take

900-464: The Maori word for "surprise". When the Australians went to Auckland in 1950 they were unable to match the phenomenal speed of this most unusual boat and were convincingly defeated in the three race championship. The 1950 contest was significant for the introduction of a third competing country when Fiji was represented by O'vuka , skippered by Alex Bentley. After Australia's Bill Barnett totally dominated

950-413: The club, the Sydney Flying Squadron. Mark Foy was elected Commodore with Vice-Commodores, Messrs A. Roderick and Billy Golding. Club colours were to be a blue burgee with a white triangle. All boats were to carry ‘Large distinguishing colours on sails.’ This was a radical step. Sailing clubs and yacht clubs of the time restricted sails to plain colours and no insignia. There was considerable opposition from

1000-631: The decision, but when the appeal wasn't heard before the Australian team returned home, Swinbourne decided to hang on to the trophy. The Australian Board of Control later upheld the New Zealand decision in the best interests of keeping good will, but Swinbourne didn't agree and refused to hand over the trophy. He was expelled by the Australian League and for the next four years the Giltinan trophy remained hidden in Swinbourne's possession. Swinbourne later apologized for his actions and returned

1050-615: The eponymously named contest was held in Sydney Harbor in 1938, won by Taree skippered by Bert Swinbourne (AUS), while Aberdare took third. Advertisements were placed in major newspapers throughout the world with positive replies being received from England, the US, Hong Kong and New Zealand. Unfortunately, due to unsettled conditions in Europe at the time, only the New Zealanders were able to compete, sending three boats to

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1100-450: The establishment. Another radical step was to introduce a scratch start. This meant the fastest boat started off scratch, or at a particular time, and every other boat had a handicap. They started a number of minutes before the scratch boat. A boat with a 10-minute handicap started 10 minutes before the scratch boat. The intention was that all boats would finish at the same time. Previously racing had all boats starting together. The handicap

1150-422: The ferries, but by the time the ferry had slowed down enough to allow the police boat to come alongside, mysteriously no money would be in site. Just a bunch of avid spectators. Sydney Flying Squadron conducts racing on Sydney Harbour for senior skiff classes on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer months, September through April. On Saturdays, the flying 18 Foot Skiff class, both Modern and Historical as well as

1200-557: The first Australian two-time winner), but his attempt to win a third consecutive championship was thwarted in 1967 at Sydney when Don Barnett narrowly and dramatically took the championship in Associated Motor Club. Barnett and team's consistency and good seamanship in very testing conditions won a hard-fought regatta against Holmes and Len Heffernan. Auckland was the venue in 1968 and again three Australian boats dominated this series. There was, apparently, little harmony in

1250-483: The first two races robbed the young skipper who recorded two wins and a second placing in the final three races. International competition took a major step forward in 1970 when a US entry competed in the Giltinan Championship for the first time. Roger Welsh skippered the 1969 champion Travelodge skiff as Travelodge International and sailed consistently to finish fourth overall behind three Australian boats. Hugh Treharne, skippering Thomas Cameron , scored four wins and

1300-576: The following two races kept KB near the lead. Unfortunately for Porter the final two races were costly and once again it was the Holmes team's consistency which won the day to secure title number five. New Zealand came back strongly at Auckland in 1974 when Terry McDell's Travelodge New Zealand dominated the series with four wins from the five races. Unfortunately for the kiwis it was their last Giltinan Championship victory to date. Travelodge New Zealand ' s wins were dramatic as she totally dominated

1350-434: The huge sail carriers totally dominated the smaller New Zealand 18s to finish first, second and fourth overall. Hayward took the title with two wins and a fifth placing from the three races. Drama and conflict seemed to be a fact of life in the history of the 18 footer class and the late 1940s were no exception. Queensland was suffering from rising costs and went to 6 ft beam boats with a further reduced number of crewmen;

1400-576: The impact of these innovations on the established class. The desire to race these faster skiffs using Aberdare ' s innovations led J. J. Giltinan to found the New South Wales 18-Footers League in 1935 as a rival club to the Flying Squadron. With the success of the new league Giltinan planned a world championship event for 18-foot skiffs on Sydney Harbour to coincide with Sydney's 150th anniversary in 1938. The inaugural edition of

1450-439: The inaugural regatta in 1938, which produced a total fleet of 20 boats. The carnival was a great success. A local newspaper reported on the day following the first race: "The crowd at Circular Quay (ferry wharf) was so large that extra steamer accommodation had to be provided at the last moment, while craft of almost every conceivable description were in attendance. The foreshores were also thronged with spectators." The total crowd

1500-488: The local champion Bulletin, owned and skippered by James Whereat, and Sydney's Irex, owned and skippered by Nick Johnson. A re-match in Sydney was promised and set to coincide with the 1895 Anniversary Regatta. The advent of inter-colonial open boat racing set the Sydney scene humming. Every yacht club wanted to be involved, even a recently deceased one. In the Sydney Morning Herald 12 April 1894, on page 6,

1550-487: The long tacking downwind runs, was the winning factor and thrilled the large spectator following on the water and river banks. Sydney Flying Squadron Sydney Flying Squadron Yacht club was founded in 1891 by Mark Foy in the birthplace of the famous Sydney Harbour sailing skiff classes. It was founded to allow people to enjoy skiff sailing regardless of financial background. The Sydney Flying Squadron, affectionately called The Squaddy by its members and locals,

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1600-471: The mid-1890s and the Johnstone's Bay Sailing Club had become the most vibrant and progressive club on the harbour. Races were held for all open boats up to 26 feet including several of the new 18-foot type that has begun to emerge. In January 1894, Mr T. Goodall, owner of the crack Brisbane 22-footer Caneebie, was in Sydney to follow the anniversary Regatta and discussed with Billi Golding, Caneebie's builder,

1650-588: The period between 1900 and 1950. They are constructed and sailed by members of the Australian Historical Sailing Skiff Association (AHSSA) which was formed in 1991 by a group of ex-skiffies with the aim to preserve the history of Sydneys classic open skiffs. Flying Dutchman Flying Dutchman are raced all around Australia and in 44 other countries. World Championships are held annually, as are Australian National and State Titles. 12 Foot Skiffs The 12 ft skiff

1700-473: The possibility of an inter-colonial sailing contest between NSW and Queensland 22-footer. Golding placed the matter before the energetic Johnstone's Bay Sailing Club who immediately opened negotiations with Queensland Yacht Club, and in March sent its three best 22-footers, Latona, Portia and Irex up to Brisbane for the first inter-colonial yacht races for open boats. Honours were shared in a two race series between

1750-441: The race. The fastest boats had to work their way through the fleet and hopefully catch the slowest boats on the last leg. There was another benefit. Gambling. At the time, there were anything up to 10 or 12 ferries following the racing. Each would have bookmakers on the boats illegally taking bets. Which boat would round the next mark first? Could one boat pass another on a spinnaker run? Who would win? The police would regularly raid

1800-487: The racing as each skipper scored two wins in the five-race regatta. Only another local, Cliff Monkhouse ( Toogara ), was able to record a race win. In the end the overall result was determined by an error from Barnett in the first race. SMV was leading by two minutes when Barnett failed to round the correct mark, allowing Heffernan through to take the win and title in Jantzen Girl . Although only six boats contested

1850-556: The spinnaker run home in the final race. Bob Holmes took his fifth Giltinan Championship when Travelodge narrowly defeated Dave Porter's KB and Smirnoff . Welsh finished fourth in Travelodge International but could have been a challenger for overall victory with one race win and two second placings. Unfortunately, the skiff had gear failures in two races which led to retirements. KB took race one by just 2s from Travelodge International , then moderate results in

1900-469: The strong fleet with winning margins from 1m 45s to 5m 2s. The crew conceded starts to their rivals in most heats but were so much faster they soon worked their way to the lead with precision sailing. Dave Porter ( KB ) was the only Australian to threaten the New Zealand contingent, finishing second overall with a last race win and three second-place results, but never had any chance of beating Travelodge New Zealand . An unfortunate sidelight to this contest

1950-437: The tactic of tacking downwind to make the skiff almost unbeatable off a wind. Their only defeat came in the final race when they were recalled at the start. They managed to get back into the lead but capsized then recovered once more to finish an incredible second - only 16s behind Denis Lehany's Nick & Kirby , which took second overall. The US team was so impressed with Farr's design it commissioned him to design and build

2000-423: The time and Miller was forced to do a major reconstruction job prior to the start of the regatta, reducing her deck by around fifty per cent, which made her very vulnerable in choppy conditions. Bernie Skinner's Surprise won the title back for the kiwis with five good placings while the Australians couldn't match this consistency and suffered the consequences. Unfortunately for the New Zealanders, Skinner's victory

2050-541: The title he first won in 1963. The 1969 series on the Brisbane River produced the championship's first tie which required a sail-off between two Australian boats Travelodge (Bob Holmes) and Rod Zemanek's Willie B. Again . A protest had a major effect on the overall result when Willie B. was disqualified for a breach of the port and starboard rule against Guinness Lady , after winning race three. The special match race sail-off between Travelodge and Willie B.

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2100-452: The trophy to the League. It was then handed over to New Zealand and presented to the Manu owners. A third contest took place at Auckland in 1948. Due to the bad feelings which had resulted from the 1939 regatta, the League was determined to send the strongest team possible and recruited the great Billo Hayward to sail its top boat Crows Nest . This regatta was a triumph for the Australians as

2150-441: Was a gripping race as the two skiffs were separated by just a few seconds around the entire course and the lead changed many times. Travelodge finally took line honours by just 26s which gave Holmes his third Giltinan title – the only skipper to do that at the time. Bruce Farr skippered Guinness Lady into third place behind Holmes and Zemanek but was certainly unlucky not to be an even stronger challenger. Gear failures in each of

2200-405: Was a master designer and builder. On a piece of 50-year-old parchment paper he saw a design which gave him an idea. He drew it out, chopped off the bow and gave her a transom in place of a pointed stern. The public called her a skimmer; Logan called her a frying pan, complete with handle. Logan rigged her with the latest Bermudan rig, polished her hull to a mirror-finish and christened her Komutu ,

2250-401: Was applied after the race finished so until the officials had worked out each boat's finish time and handicap, nobody knew who had won. The scratch start provided a much more exciting race. The fleet was often close together at the finish line. Of course, spectators loved this approach. Sails with colourful insignia enabled them to tell boats apart, and you could see where any boat actually was in

2300-415: Was back to Australia (Waterloo Bay, Brisbane) for the 1956 series and for the first time the regatta was sailed over five races and included the use of a discard. Queensland's Norm Wright used local knowledge to his advantage to win with Jenny VI . Once again locals dominated the championship when the 1958 regatta was sailed on Sydney Harbour. Len Heffernan ( Jantzen Girl ) and Bill Barnett ( SMV ) dominated

2350-492: Was estimated at more than 10,000 people. Bert Swinbourne's Taree took the first championship with two wins and one second placing from the three-race regatta. Australia filled all three placings with Victor (Vic Lucas) in second place and Aberdare (Vic Vaughan) third while New Zealand's best performer was Irina , which finished in fifth place. The success of the 1938 regatta led to a second championship being staged at Auckland in 1939 when three Australian 18 footers took on

2400-402: Was the biggest break in tradition since the skimmer. She was a three-man boat, hard chine, plywood construction, reverse sheer, half-decked, heavily flared topsides and narrow (4 ft 3in) beam on the chine. She also had a smaller rig (similar to a Flying Dutchman), a big genoa and bending spars and was referred to by Miller as a supercharged FD. Taipan had, however, far too much decking for

2450-435: Was the news that Roger Welsh, who had shown such ability during previous challenges, was suffering from an incurable disease and was near death as this regatta was being sailed. After being runner-up in the previous two Giltinan Championship contests, Dave Porter finally won the title when he successfully steered KB to victory in the 1975 series on the Brisbane River. The sail handling by Porter and his crew, particularly on

2500-533: Was their only one during the 1960s. Despite the problems experienced by Miller at Auckland, there was little doubt about Taipan ' s design, and the follow-up Venom proved this emphatically by dominating the 1961 contest on the Brisbane River. At the 1963 contest in Auckland, the 1958 champion Len Heffernan played an unusual role when he was responsible for the design and construction of Ken Beashel's winning skiff, Schemer . Heffernan had built two skiffs for

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