Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo S Series

Manly 16ft Skiffs- Chris Thomas had an offer to good to refuse

by James Bury on 25 Oct 2011
Fleet - Manly 16ft Skiff Club Harken Trophy. Joe Murphy
Manly 16ft Skiff Club Harken Trophy.

It was an offer simply too good to refuse.

For Sale: One near new 16ft skiff with experienced sheethand and for'and thrown in for good measure.


Skipper Chris Thomas, returning to the 16ft class after a two-year absence, couldn't walk past such a great deal.
He paid his money and took the helm of Southerly for Manly's 16ft Skiff Club season - and it's already proving a smart business transaction.

Southerly has been more than competitive over the first two months of the 2011/12 campaign, winning the handicap division and finishing third on scratch in Saturday's Harken Trophy spring pointscore race.

'It's the running joke at the club that I bought Southerly and inherited the crew with it,' Thomas laughed.

'I'm very happy to be back and very happy with the way the boat's going and the crew (Ben Plummer and Steve Cotton) is great.

'I didn't expect to be going this well so early but I'd like to think we could be a consistent top four, top five boat.'

'A few more podium finishes (top three)...I'd be happy with that.'

Southerly, Fire Stopping (Ben Bianco) and Altis Consulting (Phil Cooke) got off to a terrific start in Saturday's tricky 6-11 knot nor easter to have the race pretty much to themselves after the first work.


Fire Stopping and Altis then waged a tremendous attack and counter-attack race, with Fire Stopping just getting the cash by the slimmest of margins - two seconds.

Southerly was a gallant third and clear winner on handicap.

'We got out of the blocks well on the first downwind run and (the three boats) had a big gap on the rest of the fleet and stayed there,' Thomas said.

'Everything went very smoothly. If you are coming top three at Manly in such a competitive fleet then you've got to be very happy.'

Thomas enjoyed a double win, collecting on a side bet with veteran Typhoon skipper Craig 'Fast Eddie' Nicholls.

Attention next weekend swings to heats one and two of the NSW 16ft Championship on Lake Illawarra.

Sea Sure 2025North Sails Loft 57 PodcastAllen Dynamic 40 Footer

Related Articles

Marine Auctions: Two Online Auctions in July
Also Jacob Seiffert has been appointed as the Area Representative for the Port Lincoln Region Marine Auctions are proud to announce that Jacob Seiffert has been appointed as the Area Representative for the Port Lincoln Region in South Australia. Jacob is a local Commerical Fisherman.
Posted today at 2:43 am
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta 2025 Preview
The fourth stop of the five series Sailing Grand Slam circuit Over 200 elite athletes from 42 nations have converged on Long Beach to test their skills on the same waters that will host sailing events during the LA2028 Olympic Games as they compete in the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta July 12-20
Posted today at 12:11 am
Best Buddies from Germany win the AEGEAN 600 2025
The second wave of finishers benefit from last night's steadier breezes Behind the first wave of finishers yesterday morning, yesterday and last night's steadier breezes helped sweep in another wave of Monohull and Multihull finishers to the race finish at Cape Sounion.
Posted on 11 Jul
Tough conditions test Morris
As iQFOiL World Championships wrap up The iQFOiL World Championships have drawn to a close in Aarhus, Denmark, following a week of light and unpredictable wind that tested both race officials and athletes to the limit.
Posted on 11 Jul
International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 4
Balanger dominates qualifying, storm cuts Gold fleet racing short Day four of the 2025 Moth World Championship opened at dawn with another early start for the 137 athletes from 25 nations competing on Lake Garda.
Posted on 11 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds in Aarhus overall
Thrilling Medal Series closes out a spectacular week of high-stakes foiling in Denmark The 2025 iQFOiL World Championship wrapped up in Aarhus with a spectacular Medal Series showdown that saw Emma Wilson (GBR 7) and Andy Brown (GBR 360) rise to the top and secure World Championship titles.
Posted on 11 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC Three preview
This has produced the overall winner of two of the last six editions IRC Three may consist of smaller, slower and in some cases older boats than those that will garner headlines in the first couple of days of the Rolex Fastnet Race.
Posted on 11 Jul
Zhik Nordic Youth Sailing Championship preview
This year's regatta will be the largest of its kind ever hosted in Tallinn Tallinna Yacht Club brings one of the biggest sports events of the summer to Haven Kakumäe - 300 young sailors expected at the Zhik Nordic Youth Sailing Championship, plus just as many supporters on shore!
Posted on 11 Jul
18th Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona day 1
Opening victories and nautical splendor This week, Barcelona once again takes center stage in the world of classic sailing as the 18th edition of the Puig Vela Clàssica gets under way. The opening day delivered ideal conditions for a spectacular display on the water.
Posted on 11 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race: IRC Two Preview
With 73 entries in IRC Two, the Rolex Fastnet Race is set to deliver a striking display. Could two new JPK 1050s upset the apple cart in IRC Two? Jean-Pierre Kelbert has a habit of breaking the mould in IRC racing, and his new 34-footer may well be a game changer in this competitive division with 73 entries.
Posted on 11 Jul