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A spectacular
weekend awaits skiff and dinghy sailors attending
the Squaddy Brass Monkey Regatta sponsored by
Dinghy Solutions Sailing School.
All major senior skiff classes
have registered their interest in sailing at the
event hosted by the Sydney Flying Squadron. Sailors
should see the 12, 14, 16 and 18 foot skiffs,
along with the B14 and 49er classes all jostling
for room on the same start sequence and course.
To add to the excitement,
the club is considering breaking away from the
traditional class or division starts, and hosting
one single mass start for each race instead. This
will see the relatively smaller skiffs like the
12 footers fighting for space on the start with
the massive 18s.
Skiff sailing in Australia
tends to see different skiff classes racing out
of their own clubs and it is rare that the sailors
will get to test their boat speed and skills against
the others. The regatta will put to rest a lot
of bar and club house talk, where rumours as to
who’s the fastest boats or the best crews.
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Cameron
McDonald and Darren McKavenagh on their
49er "Landscape" are looking
forward to competing against the other
skiff classes.
Photo
by Glen Stanaway.
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It’s accepted that the
18 footers should be the fastest, but there is
much conjecture about which of the other classes
of skiff will come out on top.
Perhaps better for sailing
on a whole will be the opportunity that the regatta
offers junior and intermediate sailors. With another
break from traditional regattas, the major prizes
will be presented to intermediates and juniors,
instead of the premier senior classes.
Dinghy Solutions Sailing School
run by Richard Scarr at Woollahra Sailing Club
will be offering skiff courses worth $250 to prize
winners from the less skilled or younger sailors.
In addition to the opportunity
of a fantastic prize, never before have young
sailors been able to see all the skiffs all at
once.
Race organisers have been
careful to promote this part of the regatta by
heavily encouraging skiff classes to offer newcomers
a chance to meet the sailors, learn about the
class and maybe even get to have a test sail on
one.
This active support of youth
is encouraging for Australian sailing on a whole.
It should be noted that many of Australia’s
best sailors have spent time in the skiff classes;
Iian Murray, Julian Bethwaite, Greg Hyde, Emmett
Lazich and the famous Beashel family to name a
few.
Successful offshore racer
Sean Langman is still racing 18 footers, and current
Australian Sabot Association president, Adam South
is also an illustrious 18 footer sailor from “not-so-long-ago”.
Skiff racing has given Australia
a wealth of sailing talent, and is set to continue
this gift for generations to come.
For more information about
Dinghy Solution Sailing School’s skiff course,
go to http://www.dinghysolutions.com.au/.
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