1837-2014 Australia Day Regattaaustraliadayregatta.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/...1315-1800...

Endorsed by

Australia Day Regatta

1837-2014

178th

92 YEARS OF BUILDING SUCCESSCelebrating

White Bay Cruise TerminalRAS Main Arena (Skoda Stadium)

Newington CollegeLiverpool Courthouse

www.awedwards.com.au

This has been a time of double celebration for Sydney Harbour. In early October 2013, the International Fleet Review, which hosted ships from twenty nations, was a spectacular celebration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Australian Navy and commemorated the arrival of the first seven ships on 4 October 1913.

Today’s celebration on Australia Day reminds us of our history, honours those who contributed to that history and celebrates the foundation of our nation. In doing so, we acknowledge the first Australians and pay respect to the Gadigal and Cammeragil people, recognising them as having been fine custodians of Sydney Harbour.

On this 178th Australia Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour, hundreds of sailors and their families will participate in a wonderful spectacle on one of the world’s greatest waterways. The Anniversary Regatta, as it was then known, commenced in 1837 just one year after South Australia was proclaimed a colony and before Victoria, Queensland or Tasmania (it was still called Van Diemen’s Land) were formally declared provinces.

There is no better way to mark the birth of a nation surrounded by sea and developed through our great maritime heritage than by participating in the Australia Day Regatta. We welcome all those who have entered their craft, large or small, old or new. With the

support of our host clubs they will celebrate Australia Day on more than 20 different waterways. If you are not able to participate on the water, please join the many people who line the Harbour foreshore as spectators.

Among the extensive fleet of vessels on Sydney Harbour will be tall ships, modern yachts of all descriptions, classic heritage gaff-rigged boats, modern and traditional skiffs as well as the famous Sydney ferries, naval and merchant ships and hundreds of spectator craft, all flying the Australian flag.

I again acknowledge the Armed Services for their continuing support of our nation. Their participation in the Australia Day celebrations demonstrates their capability and enables us to express our appreciation for all that they do for the Australian community. I particularly thank the Royal Australian Navy for the provision of the flagship for the Regatta and in doing so, again congratulate the Royal Australian Navy on its recently celebrated centenary.

To all participants, we extend our best wishes for a happy and successful Australia Day.

Charles Curran AC President

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178th

From the President

0830 P&O Cruises’ Ships, The Pacific Jewel at Athol Bay and Pacific Dawn at Point Piper

0830 The Body Science Great Australian Swim Series Final, Farm Cove

1100 Ferrython – Start Fort Denison, around Shark Island return under the Harbour Bridge

1100 NRMA’s BBQ by the Bridge – Dawes Point Park

1145 Picnics on the Point – Sydney Harbour Foreshore

1200 21 Gun Salute at Mrs Macquaries Point, Farm Cove

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178th

Australia Day Regatta Schedule of Events

1230 Tug and Yacht Ballet – central and eastern Harbour

1300 Tall Ships – sail from Bradley’s Head and finish under the Harbour Bridge

1300-1400 Harbour Concert at Blues Point Reserve

1400 Awesome Forces – RAAF FA18 Hornets – Sydney Harbour

1400 Tinnie Muster – Athol Bay

1800 Harbour Concert at Darling Harbour

1900 Darling Harbour Australia Day Spectacular

Other Australia Day Harbour Events

Saturday 18 January 2014 1230-2030 Botany Bay – Navigators’ Cup short ocean race. Start off Kurnell. Div 1; to Bondi and then Port Hacking. Div 2; to Wedding Cake Is and then Port Hacking. Conducted by Cronulla Sailing Club

Sunday 26 January 2014 1100-1800 City of Sydney Sesquicentenary Trophy short ocean race, Sydney to Botany Bay and return, conducted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Starts north of Shark Island, finishes south of the Flagship moored off Rushcutters Bay

1315-1800 178th Australia Day Regatta, Sydney Harbour, conducted by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron on behalf of the Australia Day Regatta Inc. Open to all classes of keelboats, old and new, fast and slow, small and large, spinnaker and non-spinnaker divisions, and including boats from the RSYS, SASC, SFS, CYCA, RPEYC, MHYC, GSC and RANSA fleets

1430-1800 Lord Mayor’s Cup for modern 18-footers – Australian 18-footer Sailing League

1300-1700 Centreboard Regatta, Rose Bay – Woollahra Sailing Club

1300-1700 Botany Bay – Botany Bay Regatta incl Councillors’ Challenge – Botany Bay Yacht Club, Georges River Sailing Club, Kogarah Bay, Sailability, Kurnell Catamaran Club, St George Sailing Club and Yarra Bay 16ft Sailing Club

1900-2000 Botany Bay – Families Afloat Flotilla

1350-1600 Brisbane Waters – Gosford Sailing Club

1200 Hobart, Tasmania – Sandy Bay Sailing Club

1000-1600 West Harbour, Sydney – NSW Radio Yacht Association Regatta, Drummoyne Sailing Club

1300-1600 West Harbour, Sydney – Centreboard Regatta, Greenwich Sailing Club

1300-1630 West Harbour, Sydney – Centreboard and Twilight Keelboat Regatta, Greenwich Flying Squadron

1300-1700 West Harbour, Sydney – Keelboat Regatta, Parramatta River Sailing Club,

1300-1700 West Harbour, Sydney – Centreboard Regatta, Hunters Hill Sailing Club

1400-1700 West Harbour, Sydney – Dobroyd Aquatic Club

1230-1630 Lake Illawarra – Centreboard, Sailboard and Trailable Yacht Regatta, Illawarra Yacht Club

1300-1600 Lake Macquarie – Wangi Wangi RSL Sailing Club

1130-1400 Manly – Sailability Regatta, Manly Yacht Club

1300-1700 Pittwater – Keelboat and Dingy Regatta, Avalon Sailing Club

1330-1600 Pittwater – Multihull and Keelboat Relay Regatta, Royal Motor Yacht Club Broken Bay

1300-1600 Chipping Norton Lakes – Centreboard Regatta, Chipping Norton Lakes Sailing Club

Supporters of the 178th Australia Day Regatta

The Australia Day Regatta Committee again expresses their sincere thanks to all who have contributed to the planning and running of the 2014 Australia Day Regatta, the financial supporters, the yachts and sailing clubs who support them, the volunteer race officers and most of all, those who participate on Sydney Harbour or on one of the many waterways around New South Wales.

We also acknowledge the supporters of this historic event, especially the Royal Australian Navy, and in particular, the captain and crew of the flagship for this year’s Regatta. We also express our thanks to the Royal Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force for their special contribution to the spectacle on Sydney Harbour.

As always, special thanks go to the City of Sydney and the Lord Mayor, Councillor Clover Moore, who hosts the annual prize giving for the Australia Day Regatta in the historic and splendid Sydney Town Hall.

A major contributor to the management of the Regatta is again the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, ably assisted by the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club.

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Management Committee Members 2013-2014President, Charles Curran, ACChairman, Mr John JeremyDeputy Chairman, Mr Charles MaclurcanHonorary Secretary, Mr Peter HemeryTreasurer, Mr Fred BevisAssistant Secretary, Ms Bernadette Kerrigan

Committee Members

Mr John Biffin OAMMr Colin ChidgeyMr John CurtinJudge Colin P Davidson, OAMMr David DavisMr Bruce GouldMr Steve OomMr David SalterMr Peter Scott Mr André van Stom

Honorary HandicapperMr John Maclurcan

PatronHer Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales

Advisory Council Members 2013-2014Mr Charles P Curran, AC (President) Mr John Jeremy, (Chairman) Rear Admiral Timothy Barrett AM CSC RAN, Commander Australian Fleet Mr Mark Bethwaite, AM Mr Phillip Black Mr Howard Elliott, President Yachting NSWMr Angelos Frangopoulos, Chairman Australia Day Council Mr Adrian Gruzman, Commodore RANSASir James Hardy, Kt OBE, Life Member Australia Day RegattaAir Vice-Marshal Mel Hupfeld, DSC Air Commander Australia Mr Malcolm Levy, Commodore Royal Sydney Yacht SquadronCouncillor Clover Moore MP, Lord Mayor City of SydneyMr Graham Nock, AM OBE

Mr Howard Piggott, Commodore Cruising Yacht Club of AustraliaMajor General Michael Slater, AO DSC CSC Commander Forces CommandMr Liam Timms, Commodore Sydney Amateur Sailing ClubMr Nicholas Whitlam, Chairman Sydney Ports Corporation

The 178th Regatta Program

Honorary Editor: David Salter, ADR Management Committee

Photography: John Jeremy and Steve Oom

Design: Jan Harper

Printing: We Print it

Australia Day Regatta Inc.,PO Box 1682 Neutral Bay NSW 2089Phone: 0419 695922Website: www.australiadayregatta.com.auEmail: [email protected]

178th

Advisory Council

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178th

Chairman’s Welcome

On 26 January 2014 we will celebrate the founding of modern Australia by conducting the 178th Australia Day Regatta on the waters of Sydney Harbour, the coastal waters of New South Wales and other enclosed waters including Lake Macquarie, Pittwater, Botany Bay and Lake Illawarra. Boats taking part will range in size from radio-controlled model yachts to state-of-the-art ocean-racers. Every Australia Day the hundreds of boats that participate ensure a spectacle of sail on our waterways and help make the day a great pleasure for everyone on, or near, the water.

In October 2013 Sydney Harbour was the scene of a spectacular celebration of the centenary of the arrival of the Australian Fleet Unit, led by the Flagship HMAS Australia, in Sydney Harbour for the first time on 4 October 1913. The many warships and tall ships on the harbour for the International Fleet Review were a memorable sight and the flypast of aircraft and helicopters added to the excitement of the occasion. Sydney Harbour is an ideal location for a maritime event of this type and the focus on ships and the sea reminded us that Australia is a maritime nation. We are surrounded by water and we are as dependent today as we have ever been on ships for the transport of our exports and imports, and for the defence of our country and its people.

The Australia Day Regatta has been sailed every year since 1837. Originally known as the Anniversary Regatta, it is a remarkable celebration and a great opportunity for sailors young and old to get out on the water and enjoy the day with family and friends.

Many people help make the Australia Day Regatta a success. The yacht clubs which organise the various events, the volunteers who give their time throughout the year and on the day and the advertisers in programme. In particular, the Australian Defence Force provides enormous support by providing the Flagship for the Regatta and displays for the people of Sydney. The Management Committee thanks everyone who helps create such an outstanding and memorable event.

Come and sail with us in the 178th Australia Day Regatta on 26 January 2014, enjoy a day of fun and spectacle, and continue an important Australian tradition.

John Jeremy ChairmanAustralia Day Regatta Management Committee

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Perpetual Trophies and Medallions won in the 177th Australia Day Regatta held on Sydney Harbour on 26 January 2013 and at satellite Australia Day Regattas on other waterways in New South Wales were presented at the Sydney Town Hall where winners were guests of the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Councillor Clover Moore.

178th

Perpetual Trophy and Medallion Winners

City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s CupLine honours 18 Footer: SMEG Nick Press

Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club Trophy1st on handicap in division having the greatest number of starters on Pittwater: Satchmo Peter Kinder

Australia Day Council Youth Sailor’s TrophyLodka Julian Valaire

Bass & Flinders TrophyFastest Boat on Yardstick, Botany Bay Regatta: Into the Mystic Neil Tasker

City of Sydney Sesquicentenary Ocean Race TrophyHandicap winner SOPS Div1 PHS: Balance Paul Clitheroe

Geoff Lee Ocean Racing TrophyLine honours CYCA Ocean Race: Vanguard Richard Cawse

Hunters Hill Council Trophy1st on scratch in the division with the greatest number of starters: Little Demon Too: SangJin Goodridge

Hood Sailmakers Senior Sabot ShieldLine honours One Up Div, Senior Sabot: Little Demon Too: SangJin Goodridge

Northam Family Junior Sabot TrophyLine honours Two Up Div, Junior Sabot: Back in Action Tahlia Phillips and Ryan Ewings

Switzerland Insurance Australia Day Challenge Cup1st on handicap Division 1 RSYS: Akela Alan Mather

Davidson Family Trophy1st on handicap Division 2 RSYS: Jedi Sandra Entwistle

RANSA Trophy1st on handicap Division 3 RSYS: Dreamtime Lyndsay Brown and Jim Littlefield

H. C. Dangar Memorial Cup1st on handicap Classic Division 2: Sana David Mathlin

Centenary of Federation Medal1st on handicap Classic Division 2: Sana David Mathlin

Australia Day Council Trophy1st on handicap Classic Division 1: Gretel II Michael Maxwell

Victor Everson TrophyScratch winner Historical 18ft skiff: Mistake Harold Cudmore

TNT Trophy1st on handicap Historical 18ft skiff fleet: Mistake Harold Cudmore

Avalon Sailing ClubHandicap Optimist: Ripple Brooke WilsonHandicap Flying 11: Wave Runne Sarah Parker and Lewis MolloyScratch Laser: Seedy Chris DalisonScratch 29ER: Maelstrom Andrew Barker & Brenden JamesHandicap Wooden Yacht Division: Garriad Mick MorrisHandicap Open Yacht Division: Satchmo Peter Kinder

Botany Bay Yacht ClubHandicap Division 1: In Tune David CraddockHandicap Division 2: Wayfarer V Peter Richardson

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Handicap Division3: Vaya Con Dios Ian AndersonHandicap Division 4: Stelle Tony Brauer

Chipping Norton Lake Sailing ClubScratch Seniors: Puffed Out David Cox

Dobroyd Aquatic ClubScratch Flying 11 Junior: Shark Bait Finn Stewart and Oliver AshtonScratch Radial Senior: Grey Beard John FullerScratch Optimist Junior: Lodka Julian ValaireScratch Laser Senior: Ikara Greg Phillips

Greenwich Flying SquadronScratch Sabot One-Up: Flat Chat Matt BurkeScratch Sabot Two-Up: Miss Behaving Sarah Imlay and Meggie StruthersScratch Twilight Yellow: Disco Trooper Ross MacKayScratch Twilight Red: Dolphin 11 Johan BrinchScratch Twilight Green: Tana Pam JoyScratch Twilight White: CavSav John VealeScratch Twilight Blue: Avanti Peter ClarkScratch Division 1: Forte Forever Jim LelliotScratch Division 2: Out of Africa Harvey PorterScratch Junior Laser 4.7: Breakwind Ben Struthers

Georges River Sailing ClubScratch Laser: Sterile Virgin Frog Martin WilsonScratch NS14: Einhorn Tim Dunstan and Christina Dunstan

Gosford Sailing ClubHandicap Laser: Fowl Play Riley PikeHandicap Mixed Fleet: Impulse Ross BradleyHandicap Etchells: Turner’on Iain TurnerHandicap Yachts Division 1: Inception John SpragueHandicap Yachts Division 2: Zen Graham Puglisis

Hunters Hill Sailing ClubScratch Sabot One-Up: Little Demon Too SangJin GoodridgeScratch Sabot Two-Up: Back in Action Tahlia Phillips and Ryan EwingsScratch Laser: 181099 Paul Miller

Handicap Laser: Banana Custard Craig BirdsallHandicap Mirror: Celia May Declan Curtin

Illawarra Yacht ClubTrailable Yacht: Rostered Off Jim CurryOpen Mono Hull: Energy Australia Dante OlivieriOpen Multi Hull: Silver Fox Paul LeauadaisAccess Dinghy: Amy SnowdenJunior: Purple Haze Patrick Corbett and Brad BowerWindsurfers: Peter Demol

Kurnell Catamaran ClubHandicap Division 1 Senior: Digital Tour Guide Glen BillingtonHandicap Division 2 Senior: Taipanic Peter Blackhouse

Manly Yacht ClubScratch 303 Access: Ing Jude Cole and Tony Jones

NSW Radio Yachting AssociationScratch A Class: Warren NorrieScratch Soling One Metre: Paul DerwentScratch Marblehead: Pat O’BrienScratch 10 Ratter: Pat O’DonnellScratch IOM: Matthew McAnnaScratch RC Laser: Graham Brown

St George Sailing ClubHandicap MG14 Senior: Into the Mystic Neil TaskerHandicap Skate Senior: Grey Ghost Keith Sington

Wangi RSL Amateur Sailing ClubScratch Division 1: My Kindy Paul SharpScratch Division 2: Three Blind Mice Mark HortonScratch Division 3, Non Spinnaker: Yes Dear Michael PaullScratch Trailer Sailors: Upshot Colin CainScratch Multihull: Madneeka John Fairfull

Yarra Bay 16ft Skiff Sailing ClubScratch Skyrider 2nd Season: Ferg Harrison MoreScratch Skyrider 1st Season: Ullman Sails Jessica ShelleyScratch Bics: Jenko Alexander ChestermanScratch Mono Hull: Spellbound Doc Davidson

178th

177th Australia Day

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178th

177th Australia Day

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Many yacht and sailing clubs contribute to the success of the Australia Day Regatta, not only in conducting the traditional regatta on Sydney Harbour but in organising and conducting regattas to mark Australia Day on other waterways in New South Wales, from Lake Macquarie in the north to Lake Illawarra in the south and inland to the Chipping Norton Lakes.

Local civic and municipal authorities also support these regattas and the Australia Day Regatta Inc is appreciative of their contribution to the success of these events.

Host club mailing addresses:Australian 18ft Sailing League, PO Box 42 Double Bay NSW 2028

Avalon Sailing Club, PO Box 59 Avalon Beach NSW 2107

Botany Bay Yacht Club, 44 Endeavour Street San Souci NSW 2219

Chipping Norton Lakes Sailing Club, PO Box 358 Moorebank NSW 1875

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, New Beach Road Darling Point NSW 2017

Dobroyd Aquatic Club, PO Box 70, Five Dock NSW 2046

Georges River Sailing Club, PO Box 111 Sans Souci NSW 2219

Greenwich Flying Squadron, PO Box 5092 Greenwich NSW 2065

178th

Host Clubs on Australia day 2014

Greenwich Sailing Club, PO Box 5110 Greenwich NSW 2065

Gosford Sailing Club, PO Box 187 Gosford NSW 2250

Hunters Hill Sailing Club, PO Box 11 Hunters Hill NSW 2110

Illawarra Yacht Club, PO Box 148 Warrawong NSW 2505

Kogarah Bay Sailing Club, PO Box 242 Sylvania Southgate NSW 2224

Kurnell Catamaran Club, PO Box 255 Caringbah NSW 2229

Manly Yacht Club, PO Box 22 Manly NSW 1655

NSW Radio Yacht Association 25 Fiona Road, Beecroft NSW 2119

Parramatta River Yacht Club, PO Box 227 Gladesville NSW 2111

Royal Motor Yacht Club Broken Bay, PO Box 78 Newport NSW 2106

Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, PO Box 484 Milsons Point NSW 2060

St George Sailing Club, 2 Riverside Drive Sans Souci NSW 2219

Sydney Amateur Sailing Club, 1 Green Street Cremorne NSW 2090

Wangi RSL Amateur Sailing Club, PO Box 100 Wangi Wangi NSW 2267

Woollahra Sailing Club, Vickery Ave Rose Bay NSW 2029

Yarra Bay 16ft Sailing Club, PO Box 198 Matraville NSW 2036

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Launching of ‘Nerida’ at Port Adelaide SA, 18 October 1933L-R: R. T. (Dick) Searles (boat builder), Eileen Hardy, Tom May� eld Hardy

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178th

The Unsung Men Behind the Boats

We all admire the extraordinary range of yachts that grace Sydney Harbour for the Australia Day Regatta, but who among us consider how they came into existence?

David Salter recalls some of the great designers and builders behind the Sydney fleet.

In many ways a yacht is like a house. When it’s finished and functional, few people remember the architect or builders who transformed it from the original abstract idea into practical reality. On the water, this failing has been magnified by the rise of the fiberglass, factory-made boat. Thousands of identical sloops are manufactured every month on Detroit-style production lines in France, Germany, Scandinavia and the United States. Their designers may be vaguely recognized, but the maker is now a brand, not a person.

It wasn’t always thus. Until a generation ago, yacht designers (more accurately, if they had qualifications, “naval architects”) were genuine waterfront celebrities. Everyone in the sailing community was familiar with the names of the major designers, and the craftsmen who built their boats. Often those roles were combined, so that the builder was also the designer – and then raced the yacht he’d created. It was a close-knit community in which the paths of these gifted men often crossed. Together, their talents helped shape the unique character of Australian yachting.

The DesignersWalter ReeksAlthough not the first professional naval architect in Australia, Walter Reeks (1861-1925) was the first to make a lasting impact on local yacht design. He migrated from England in 1885 and was soon prominent within the fraternity of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron at Kirribilli. Two of his best-remembered yacht designs were Era (1887) and Thelma (1889). A syndicate of Squadron members sent him to the US in 1888 with a plan of challenging for the America’s Cup, but the project was abandoned. A few years later, the Balmain Ferry Company commissioned Reeks to design a new and more agile style of ferry for harbour work. The original double-ended, screw-driven ferries that Reeks produced became the distinctive template for all large Sydney ferries until 1984.

Cliff GaleEdwin Clifford (“Cliff”) Gale (1886-1968) was entirely self-taught yet his boats have endured for more than 80 years. He left school at 12, and by 14 was designing sailing craft using the ancient technique of carving small models to scale. By the age of 19 he’d produced 150 such models. A dental mechanic by trade, Gale was an active

racing sailor in the various Sydney Harbour skiff classes. His first yacht design of note was Vagabond II (1915) but he is best remembered for Ranger (1933), the sturdy raised-deck 24’ gaff sloop that spawned 9 or 10 copies and which still race as a class. Maluka (1934) was designed by Gale to have true sea-keeping qualities, and sailed to Tasmania, Lord Howe Island and Cooktown. Restored by Sean Langman in 2009-10, Maluka has completed two Sydney-Hobart races.

Alan PayneAlan Payne (1921-1995) is generally considered the first modern Australian naval architect to be known for the racing yachts that emerged from his design studio. London-born, he emigrated to Australia aged four and received his formal training at Sydney Technical College and the Cockatoo Island Naval Dockyard. His breakthrough design was the light-weight 35-foot cutter Nocturne which confounded the experts by winning line honours in the 1952 Sydney-Hobart. Solo, a much larger Payne sloop built in steel, won outright in 1956 and Janzoon II (an early Australian fiberglass yacht) was runner up in 1961. The popular Tasman Seabird class of 1959 proved to be one of Payne’s most durable designs, with Cherana winning the Sydney-Hobart that year. Payne became internationally known for his elegant 12-metres Gretel (1962) and Gretel II (1970), both of which raced with distinction in the America’s Cup.

Ron SwansonThe son of a Norwegian rigger who jumped ship from a disabled four- masted whaler at Fremantle, Ron Swanson is perhaps better known as an offshore sailor and boat-builder than a designer. Adopting Alfred Turner’s “metacentric shelf” theory in collaboration with Wally Ward, Swanson designed a string of trademark double-enders that dominated local ocean racing during the 1960s. Among the best known are Camille, a 36-footer that represented Australia in its first Admiral’s Cup campaign in 1965, and Peter Kurts’ first ocean racer Mister Christian.

Cadence, a 30-foot Carmen classer designed and built by Swanson won the 1966 Sydney-Hobart, with Swanson himself coming second in Salome. In 1967 Swanson yachts took the first five places in the Montagu Island Race. He died in 1990, by which time his name had become synonymous with strong, sea-kindly and remarkably fast yachts.

Bob Miller (later Ben Lexcen) Ben Lexcen (1936-1988) became a yacht designer literally by accident. At the age of 22, while working as a sailmaker

Mister Christian

Gretel II

Ranger

Era

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178th

The Unsung Men Behind the Boats

at the Brisbane boatyard of Norman Wright, he fell from a mast and was laid up in hospital for months. To help him pass the time, Wright made Lexcen (then still using his original name of Bob Miller), a drawing board. Miller drew a radical three-man 18-foot skiff

called Taipan. Its successor, Venom, won Miller the world championship – and another self-taught designer was born. He created the first Apollo for Alan Bond, then Gingko, Ceil III and Rampage, all of which had outstanding offshore records. For Bond’s 1974 America’s Cup challenge he designed Southern Cross, then Australia, and in 1983 the winged-keel Australia II which won the Cup for Australia. Lexcen died in Sydney aged 52 from a heart attack.

The Builders George Griffin Nicknamed “Gorilla” because of his sometimes gruff exterior and extraordinary feats of strength and agility, George Griffin

was one of Sydney’s most influential mid-20th Century yachtsmen and boat builders. His boatshed at The Spit was the centre of local sailing activity and eventually formed the first premises of what became the Middle Harbour Yacht Club. These days, Griffin is best remembered for the sequence of fast little fractional sloops he built for harbour racing – Julnar, Eventide, Bimini, Ariel and Eudoria. But he also ran a charter and hire business from his boatshed,

and built some sturdy larger yachts for that trade. They had such distinctive features that for 30 years the phrase “Griffin boat” stood as shorthand for a whole style of yacht. Today they are much sought-after by classic boat enthusiasts.

Billy FisherSome craftsmen build yachts, others just build boats. Bill Fisher was firmly in the latter class. His yard at La Perouse on Botany Bay was most active in the pre-WWII period and built everything from fishing boats and ferries to dinghies, 18-foot skiffs and proper yachts. Billy had no pretentions about the fancy details of the shipwright’s craft. With few exceptions he designed and built his boats by eye – the traditional “rule of thumb”. Anyone wanting a boat would just be asked what overall length they had in mind, and what use they intended for the new boat. From that point they simply had to trust Fisher to build them a craft to meet their expectations. The notable exceptions were the yachts he built to the designs of Cliff Gale. That so many of these are still sailing is a testament to his craft skills and choice of materials.

The Halvorsen BrothersFor more than 40 years Trygve, Lars, Harold, Carl and Magnus Halvorsen ran two of the largest independent boat-building business in Australia, yet still found time to design and race some of the most successful powerboats and offshore yachts in Australian sailing history. Trygve was the inspired, instinctive designer of a string of champion ocean-racing yachts – Saga, Peer Gynt, Solveig, Anitra V, Norla and Freya which won an unprecedented (and so far unequalled) three Sydney-Hobart races in succession. All were built by the Halvorsen boatyard. Magnus was the master navigator and tactician. But as builders, perhaps the crowning achievement of the Halvorsens was the construction of Gretel (1961-62), Australia’s first 12-metre, at their huge shed on the Parramatta River at Ryde.

Cec QuilkeyBetween 1965 and 1985 – a period now recognized as the golden era of Australian offshore racing – the words “built by Quilkey” were an accepted guarantee of world-class workmanship. The boatyard of Cecil George Quilkey at Dolls Point produced some of the finest wooden yachts ever made in this country – Salacia II, the original Ragamuffin, Vittoria, Mercedes III and IV, Koomooloo and the incomparable Love and War. Apprenticed to Lars Halvorsen & Sons at age 14, Quilkey was quick to master the demanding fundamentals of the trade. But young Cec wanted to take his skills to another level. At one stage his business employed 17 tradesmen and their work was of such high quality that he was the “boatbuilder of choice” in Australia for Sparkman & Stephens. His trademark construction style was three skins of 3/8” Oregon over laminated Queensland maple ribs, with a Honduras mahogany fit-out.

Bill BarnettBorn into a family of boatbuilders and shipwrights, Billy Barnett is in many ways the archetypal Sydney Harbour waterman. He’d built his first dinghy by the age of 14, and all his waking hours were spent either sailing or making boats. In adulthood he acquired a small portion of waterfront at McMahon’s Point where he built his own house and boatshed. Barnett was a leading skiff sailor and in 1951 made headlines with Myra Too, an 18-footer he’d designed, built and then skippered to win state, national and international titles. Much of his business time in the 1950s and 60s was devoted to building surfboats and immaculate Dragon-class sloops. Barnett-built Dragons are now collectors’ items. Perhaps the highlight of his career was the period (1966-70) during which he built the 12-metres Dame Pattie and Gretel II.

Anitra V

Eudoria

Australia II

Thursday the 26th dawned disappointingly. Grey, windless and showery. How many skippers would be convinced that a picnic sailing day on Sydney Harbour could be fun in those conditions? Turns out we needn’t have worried. More than 80 yachts sailed in eight groups combining classic and gaff yachts, non-spinnaker entries and the Historical Skiffs.

We set off in the RSYS Gitana early, as usual, and set up a start line east of the flagship. The weather had reduced the number of recreational motor vessels. But as always seems the case, no sooner had we setttled into position than our water was disturbed. The spectator fleet accompanying the Ferrython steamed right through our line. Fortunately, the special Commonwealth Bank labeled buoys are quite large and – despite our concerns – the pin mark survived unscathed.

Competitors soon arrived. Sponsors flags were dispensed to them as requested. The wind remained stubbornly absent. Meticulous risk management-style pre-planning ensured that we had an ace up our sleeves for this very situation: out came the specially ordered curried egg sandwiches. Delicious.

Immediately post consumption wind arose and, almost miraculously, the 40 minute start sequence commenced exactly on time with 5 to 8 knots of breeze. The boats were away and a result guaranteed. It was quite an effort to keep track of all the contestants. Most starts were spot on with the occasional contestant a little early. In an effort to simplify our calculations after-wards one boat was informed that she was starting in the wrong division. She restarted correctly.

Sequence completed it seemed no time at all before the first finishers were approaching. Most were easily identified but a few boats had sail numbers either non-existent or very difficult to read. With the fleet finished it took some time to confirm and computerize the results, and I specially thank the two volunteers involved, Maggie Stewart and Kevin Dixon.

A pleasant wrap-up took place on board Gitana once safely back at her berth and the Day declared a success by all. Next morning I was able to return to the ship to vacuum up detritus left after numerous biscuits and cheese – and the occasional glass of wine. Charles Maclurcan

Race Officer: Charles Maclurcan (timer) Flags: André van StomRecorders: David Davis, André van Stom, Kevin Dixon, Maggie Stewart

178th

The View from the Start Boat

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