• Notice of Annual General Meeting
• Nomination form 2011
• Annual Report 2010-2011
• Annual Report 2009-2010
• Important information for members
• SFS Annual Report 2007-2008
• Return of the Taipan's
• Galloping Ghosts

Return of the Taipan's

     At the time the Taipan concept was very revolutionary and controversial and was rejected by the NSW 18 Footers’ League Double bay Club. In fact one of the Legends in the 18 Ft League, Cliff Monkhouse, owner/skipper of “Toogara” was suspended from racing his 18 at the League in the 1961-62 season when he took his four handed 18 to Cairns for the Australian Championship to race against the Brisbane and Sydney Flying Squadron three handed Taipan’s and four to five handed conventional 18’s.

     A history has it Len “Heffo” Heffernan the SFS Champion had re-built the original “Taipan” re-named        “Crystal Lad “ to conform with SFS nine inch maximum deck restrictions and won the 1961-62 season Australian Championship in defeating 1961 World Champion “Venom” skippered that season by Queensland Champion Kev Martin. At the time SFS did not completely accept the Taipan chine and three handed development and SFS had two classes, “A” Class original 4-5 handed round bilged and chine cold moulded 18 Footers, and the chine plywood Taipan’s racing as “B” Class. There were four Taipan’s “Colleen K” Bob Kirk, “Kamulla” Jack Boyd, “Crystal Lad” Len Heffernan, and “Bandit IV” Peter Macleod. Three of the four had been purchased from Queensland.

     The next season Len Heffernan built a round bilge cold moulded 18 which had the basic Taipan sail plan but could be crewed by three or four hands depending on rig and sail area. In the 18 Ft League this had to be accepted as it conformed to their rules of round bilge and four hands. The league continued to refuse to sail against the SFS chine three hander’s and would not recognise them as starters, in the World Titles test races. However they would still race against the Queenslander’s and New Zealand three handed Taipan type boats in the World Championship.

     The trend went back to four handers until Dennis Lehaney built “Kaiser Bill” a NZ designed chine three hander, the 1^st successful 18 to race with the skipper on a trapeze wire. Australian Champion 1967-68 season. After that the four handers couldn’t compete successfully and the development was back to three handers as it remains today

     In 2006 Alan Pike completed and launched his “Taipan 2” a Ben Lexen design 1962 modification of the original Taipan, however this plan did not have any boats built off it in the 60’s. In 2008 Carl Ryves, one of Ben Lexen’s best friends who sailed the “Taipan” successfully in 1960 at a challenge race with 16’s and the 18 ft Ampol at Georges River Sailing Club at Botany Bay, built a replica of the 1961 World champion “Venom” to coincide with the restoration and re-launching of the original “Taipan.” With Fergy’s replica of “Bandit IV” this completes three replicas which can race from time to time commencing the 2010-2011 season at the Sydney Flying Squadron in September.