The NSW 12ft Skiff Fleet contested the Port Jackson Championship yesterday in 14-18 knots Westerly on an unusually empty Sydney harbour. The event marks the last interclub of the season and a final tune up before next month’s Australian Championship in Brisbane.

The crew from Abbotsford Arrogant Frog (Peter Hill & Steve Hill) nailed a classic port hand start to lead the fleet away. Terms and Condition (Brad Phillips & Tim Barraclough) showed some blistering speed to gain the lead by the top mark closely follow by Geotherm (Brett Hobson & Jeremy Jones) in 2^nd and LCC Asia Pacific (Jono Temple & Richard Jones) in 3^rd.

The first run was epic with the breeze clocking WSW making it a tight run from Kurraba point all the way down to Roe Bay. Sydney Sailmakers (Nick Press & Andrew Hay) had a great run getting carted low just scrapping over Bradleys head and dropping their kites hot on the heals of the leaders to come up around shark island. Running over the top of both LCC Asia Pacific and Terms & Conditions to lead around the bottom mark. Sydney Harbour played its usual hand – A Manly ferry rounded Bradleys head just as the lead 4 boats were also rounding, blinded by the headland until the last minute. Geotherm had to gybe to avoid a ferry half way down the run pushing them back to 4^th. At the bottom mark rounding, Skoll (Nick Bernard & Robbie Polec) still sitting in 5^th had made significant gains on the lead pack.

Sydney Sailmakers turned on the speed on the short work back to Clarke Island, opening up a significant lead on the rest of the fleet. They were never troubled over the next lap and half of the race and went on to record a well-deserved victory in some tricky conditions.

The race for 2nd place was a lot closer. LCC Asia and T&C were quite unlucky heading back to Rose Bay. Both boats were becalmed for several minutes, allowing Geotherm to move into 3rd and close significantly on LCC in 2nd.

Up the long final work to the finish at Karraba, Geotherm and LCC were neck and neck, closely followed by T&C. Geotherm jumped ahead of LCC with only a few hunderd meters before the finish, T&C 4th, only a few seconds separating the 3 boats.

The mid field battle was hard fought with The Bird (Jamie McCrudden & Glen Farguar), Gizmo (James Birdsall & Ewan Duckworth) and Arrogant Frog crossing tacks for most of the race.

Proving the handicapper doesn’t always win Term & Conditions took out the handicap trophy.

Both Southport Sailmakers (Murray Press & Scott Lanham) and Custom Cover (Joel Aynscough & Brad Madders) had DNFs after gear failures.

Today’s presentation was attended by Phil Colless (Curlys son) representing Colless family. Phil handed out the trophies and enjoyed a few stories about a true legend of our class

Results

Sydney Sailmaker winning streak continues with 12ft Skiff Port Jackson Championship

Sydney Sailmakers (Nicholas Press and Andrew Hay) took a dominant victory in the 12ft Skiff Port Jackson Championship. The Sydney Flying Squadron hosted the championship in beautiful 3^rd rig conditions.

Arrogant Frog (Peter Hill & Steven Hill) from Abbotsford 12ft Skiff sailing club won the start with a beautiful port hander. Geotherm (Brett Hobson & Billy Lusty) was the best of the rest leading the fleet the Bradleys head the first time.

After crossing tacks up the first work Sydney Sailmakers lead narrowly from Geotherm with Terms & Conditions (Brad Phillips & Tim Barraclough) roughing in 3^rd. After manoeuvring through a tricky bear away Terms & Conditions hit the tide with the crew knocking the skipper clean off the skiff! Once upright the boys sailed a great race to work their way back into 3^rd place.

Sydney Sailmakers extended the lead around Shark Island down to Clarke and on the long work up to the Beashel Bouy. Geotherm kept pushing all day breaking away to the Eastern side of the Harbour in an attempt to close the gap, but wasn’t able to reel the lead Skiff in.

The fight for 4^th and 5^th raged all day between The Bird (Jamie McCrudden & Glen Farquar) and Lincoln Crowne (Jonathon Temple & Richard Jones). Jamie McCrudden showing great skills as a Rookie skipper to hold and the experienced campaigners aboard Lincoln Crowne for most of the race. The Bird final succumbed to the pressure down the final run but managed to come home equal first of Handicap for the day.

The final event for the year is the Australian Championships hosted by Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club. The event will be held over the Easter long weekend 14^th April and is Sponsored by The Kitchen Maker with upwards of 30 Skiff expected to participate. To follow the 12s go to www.skiff.org.au or Facebook ‘Australian 12ft Skiffs’

Top five results:

1. Sydney Sailmaker (Nicholas Press & Andrew Hay)
2. Geotherm (Brett Hobson & Billy Lusty)
3. Term & Condition (Brad Phillips & Tim Barraclough)
4. Lincoln Crowne (Jonathon Temple & Richard Jones)
5. The Bird (Jamie McCrudden & Glen Farguar)

Photos from Vita Williams

Son and father finish top two at Australian 12ft Skiff Championship

With five straight bullets, the Sydney Sailmakers crew of Nick Press and Andrew Hay has decisively collected the 12 Foot Skiff Australian Championship title, sponsored by Captain Morgan and sailed on Sydney Harbour over the Easter weekend in light and variable conditions.

Big Foot Custom Trapeze Harnesses, skippered by Nick Press’s father Murray and crewed by Scott Lanham, finished second overall, but 10 points behind, with a mixture of second, third and fourth places in their tally, Murray Press also winning the Veteran trophy.

Lincoln Crowne, crewed by Jonathon Temple and Richard Jones, filled out the top three, the only one to nearly rob Sydney Sailmakers of a faultless scorecard.

Defending champion skipper, Brett Hobson, was ashore awaiting the birth of his second child, so left Geotherm in the capable hands of James Francis and Hobson’s usual crew, Billy Lusty, who sailed Geotherm to fifth overall. It left the path somewhat clear for Press/Hay, as the two crews are highly competitive and push each other to the limit.

“It wasn’t as easy as it looks on paper,” commented Gladesville skipper, Press, who went on to say that he and Andrew Hay, from Kirribilli, were pushed by their nearest opponents.

Racing was abandoned on the opening day, Good Friday’, which was not so good for sailing – it was extremely light and shifty, so the 24 crews were raging to get on the water on Saturday when the two planned races were sailed in east and north-easterly winds.

“We sailed the easterly course in the first race, and then the north/easterly in the second race. It maxed out at 9 knots, enough to power up with our big gear with two on the strings (trapeze),” Press said after beating Lincoln Crowne to the line by a minute and a half in the first race and his dad, Murray, by over two minutes in the second race.

Sunday’s two races were held in easterly winds of up to 12 knots and things were livelier in terms of closer finishes.

“Racing was tighter,” admitted Press, who only beat Big Foot Custom Trapeze Harnesses by 35 seconds in the first race of the day. “We had a really good tussle with Dad and Scott.”

Terms & Conditions gave Sydney Sailmakers a run for their money in second race, finishing only 16 seconds behind.

“We had really good racing with Brad and Tim,” offered Press of his fellow Lane Cove 12 Foot Sailing Skiff Club members aboard Terms & Conditions.

“They were using my last year’s big rig. They mixed it nicely on the weekend and finished fourth on scratch in their first competition. They’ll only get better, so it’s good for the class.”

Monday came and it was hoped two races could be held to make up for Friday’s abandonment, but the weather dictated otherwise. Crews drifted for 45 minutes waiting for the light and shifty easterly that filtered in turned to the south/east at a maximum of 8 knots.

Light weather specialists Temple/Jones on Lincoln Crowne won the start and led around the course, looking unstoppable. Terms & Conditions, Big Foot Custom Trapeze Harnesses, Geotherm and Press’s crew gave chase, until Sydney Sailmakers spotted a zephyr near the finish and took advantage to win the race by 27 seconds.

“It’s not over until they honk the horn – it’s still on, so you don’t give up,” Press said.

The breeze died after that, so no second race.

“It was a good way to end the season,” Press said. “And it was good sailing with Noddy (Andrew Hay) again. We hadn’t sailed together since the Interdominion in January.

“It was good to have 24 boats on the line, including those that travelled from Queensland. They have a good fleet there, which is going from strength to strength, and we appreciate four of their crews coming to Sydney to race,” he said of those on Donkey on the Edge, Skiffropes.com, Squid and Wingman.

Press, who comes from a long line of 12ft skiff champions, says only one week of sailing, at Lane Cove 12’s, his home club, remains. “We’ll be taking the next generation out on the water next weekend, and that’s it for the season,” said the Sydney sailor, who is proud of his sailing heritage.

“I have pictures of all the Press’s (often referred to as the ‘Press Gang’, going back to my great grandfather, but I think the sailing goes back one generation further – I just don’t have a photo to confirm it,” he said.

Internationally respected offshore navigator, Adrienne Cahalan, won the Handicap event with her crew Cameron McDonald. Cahalan was the only female in the 24-boat fleet and was crewed by Cameron McDonald on Panadol.

Cahalan’s various other sailing commitments keeps her away from being a regular in the class, so her handicap win and 12th in the scratch results was a credit to her and McDonald.

All crews enjoyed sampling the sponsor’s rum after their long afternoons on the Harbour and thanked Captain Morgan for its sponsorship of the 2016 12ft Skiff Australian Championship.

The winners of the Sydney Flying Squadron hosted Australian Championship will now have their names engraved on the Norman Booth Trophy, while the handicap winners’ names will be added to the Colin Clark Memorial Trophy.

Top five scratch results:

1. Sydney Sailmakers, Nick Press/Andrew Hay-LC-1 -1 -1 -1 -1, 5

2. Big Foot Custom Trapeze Harnesses, Murray Press/Scott Lanham-LC-3 -2 -2 -4, 15

3. Lincoln Crowne, Jonathon Temple/Richard Jones-SFS-2 -5 -5 -3.5V -2, 17.5

4. Terms & Conditions,-Brad Phillips/Tim Barraclough-LC-3 -2 -6 -3 -8, 22

5. Geotherm, James Francis/Billy Lusty-SFS-5 -6 -4 -6 -3, 24

Full results

http://www.topyacht.net.au/results/2016/12ftskiffnats/index.htm
– Di Pearson

The Geotherm crew of Brett Hobson and Billy Lusty led the 12ft Skiff Parramatta River Championship almost to the end, only to be pipped to the post by the Sydney Sailmakers crew of Nick Press and Andrew ‘Noddy’ Hay in the Abbotsford Sailing Club hosted event late yesterday afternoon.

Lincoln Crowne (Jonathon Temple/Richard Jones) and Arrogant Frog (Peter and Steve Hill) were fastest off the start, but Geotherm’s crew quickly headed east and hooked into a nice lift up the first beat, leaving the rest in their wake.

Hobson, who lives at Abbotsford, and Lusty, from Berowra, looked to be in unstoppable form until the very end. They made the best of a near-perfect 15-16 knot north-easterly breeze and flat water, which suits the skiffs to a tee.

“Geotherm did a great job in the conditions. It was quite gusty and shifty, so there were lots of overtaking opportunities – some of your own making – some just luck,” Press, from Gladesville said, after Hobson and Lusty kept all-comers at bay, while there were changes in positions further down the course.

“They rounded the final mark in front of us, but we were on his hammer by that stage. Brett elected to stay on port tack, while we got into a line of pressure and tacked, and we led to the finish,” Press said.

Hobson and Lusty threw everything they could at Press/Hay to prevent them from winning, but could not find the runway, so were forced to play second fiddle to Sydney Sailmakers once again, after being beaten by them in the Upper Harbour Championship last week. Just 31 seconds separated the two boats at the finish line.

“Of course Brett and Billy weren’t happy with the end result, but this is only the third time they’ve sailed together, so I think better things are to come,” said Press, whose own crew, Hay, joined him for a fourth time yesterday. “Yeh, I guess we’re still a bit rusty, but we’re getting better too,” he said.

A further 20 seconds behind, Lincoln Crowne completed the podium, as it also did last week. In fact, last week’s top five were replicated exactly yesterday.

The Parramatta River Championship was a preview of things to come in the 12ft Skiff NSW Championship, which gets underway on the last weekend of November at the Sydney Flying Squadron at Kirribilli.  It should suit Kirribilli resident Andrew Hay nicely.

Top Five Scratch Results:

1. Sydney Sailmakers (Nick Press/Andrew Hay)
2. Geotherm (Brett Hobson/Billy Lusty)
3. Lincoln Crowne (Jonathon Temple/Richard Jones)
4. Bigfoot Foot Custom Trapeze Harnesses (Murray Press/Scott Lanham)
5. The Bird (Dave Lusty/Glenn Farquhar)

Full scratch and handicap results here

Photo’s from Vita

Photos

With rigging space aplenty due to a smaller fleet, Race 3 of the season at Lane Cove 12ft Skiff Club started on a scratch start without a hitch. With a strong Southerly forecasted and plenty of cold gusts hitting during rigging up nearly all of the fleet opted for their 2^nd rigs. After a clean start to the South #3 Course, with about 10 kts of wind, the fleet quickly spilt into two groups by the 1^st mark at Woodford Bay. It was then a battle to get to the wind first with the boats that went wide along the river getting to it first. The famous “Humbung” was feeling kind so let most through without incident. With an incoming tide against the fleet up to the top mark at Goat Island, Big foot Custom Trapeze Harnesses (Murray Press and Charlie Gundy) were leading the pack. The breeze started to kick in to about 15kts gusting 20kts which lead to some interesting rides downhill, and a few confirmed that the water is still very cool this time of year.

After suffering some minor set backs on board Big foot Custom Trapeze Harnesses which put them back to third position, Sydney Sail Makers (Nick Press and Jeremy Jones) overtook them and then lead for most of the rest of the race before briefly giving up the lead around Humbug to Lincoln Crowne (Jonathon Temple and Richard Jones) before regaining it on the run to the finish.

Lots of father vs son competition in the top 3 boats which shows the 12ft skiff can be sailed by all ages. No Lasers were harmed in the making of this story.

http://www.lc12ftssc.org.au/results/2015-2016/Skiff/12ft%20Skiff%2015-09-26%20173447.pdf

A big rig sail North Easter greeted a healthy fleet to 13 Skiffs to kick off the season at Lane Cove. With lots of new crew combinations and a few new rigs in the park the light tricky conditions on the long North East course would test the fleet.

Slippery When Wet (John Williams & Charlie Gundy) won the start the lead the fleet closely followed by Lincoln Crowne (Jonathon Temple & Richard Joans). With the rest of the fleet fighting hard to get a clear lane out of the river. At the first turn mark Lincoln Crowne had a 50m lead over Sydney Sailmakers (Nicholas Press & Andrew Hay) with Slippery When Wet in 3^rd.

Working up the following upwind leg with the breeze settling at a consistent 8-10knots Sydney Sailmakers took to lead. A fierce battle had also erupted behind the 2 leaders for 3^rd place. The race between Chapman High Performance (Jack Winning & Brett Phillips), Slippery When Wet, Hey Charger (Nick Bernard & Oscar Wilsons) and The Bird (Dave Lusty & Glenn Farquhar) lasted all day with Chapman High Performance Sailing cementing 3^rd spot with the aid of a brand new #1 rig.

The two leading skiffs swapping tacks and gybes around the course each building 200m leads only to see it disappear, with the dying breeze providing plenty of passing lanes. Sydney Sailmakers despite leading into humbug lost the lead to Lincoln Crowne at the last mark who carried better spend through the light conditions. With the breeze dying out the 2 leaders crossed the finished line almost 28mins ahead of 3^rd place.

With a couple of boats still to hit the water from their winter maintenance programs and the new builds still a month away, the fleet is building nicely.

Thanks to Stay Connected Electrical (Jakub Ronowicz & Craig Nicholson) and Citadel (Martin Debelle & Ian Terley) from the Sydney Flying Squadron for attending the day.

Results attached

http://www.lc12ftssc.org.au/results/2015-2016/Skiff/12ft%20Skiff%2015-09-12%20Update1.pdf

Photos provide by Vita Williams

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sn1gj4q4g7zxzws/AACAf-LANemkmcsJQB0rewHAa?dl=0