Please select your home edition
Edition
sMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZ

Frostbite Sailing Dinghy 75th Jubilee March 1 - 3, 2013

by Andrew Pitcher on 11 Jan 2013
Frostbite Plan Andrew Pitcher

The Frostbite story began in the frigid waters of Long Island Sound in January 1932 when the first Frostbite regatta was sailed in rain, hail and snow, and was reported in the New York Herald Tribune.

The Larchmont Interclub Dinghy formed the basis of the New Zealand Frostbite Dinghy which was designed by Jack Brooke in 1937, with the first being launched in 1938.

The Frostbite Dinghy was designed to serve as the main class for the Wakatere Boating Club, and the class was elevated to National status in 1946. It was adopted for secondary school competition in 1951 and retained that status till 1975, when it was replaced by the Sunburst dinghy, also designed by Jack Brooke.

In 1950 there were 220 Frostbites registered in Auckland alone, and in 1967 60 competed in the Anniversary Day regatta, making it the largest class in the City.

The first Frostbites were of clinker construction, and there are still some wooden boats sailing today, though fibreglass was permitted in the mid-1970s.

The Frostbite tradition now lives on at the Taikata Sailing Club at Te Atatu, and club days draw around 20 boats for keenly fought competition. A success of the class has been to allow modern materials, such as fibreglass hulls, aluminium masts and state-of-the-art sail materials whilst retaining the key elements of the original design.

Taikata is planning a two day regatta over the weekend of 2/3 March along with socialising and displays on the Friday evening and a 75th Anniversary lunch on the Saturday. The children of Jack Brooke (all now in their 70s) still take an active interest in the class, and are intending to join the celebrations over the weekend. There will also be the opportunity for past Frostbite sailors to try their hands again in the sheltered waters immediately in front of the Taikata clubhouse

March 1—3, 2013
Taikata Sailing Club,
Chapman Road,
Te Atatu Pennisula,
Auckland

Highlights:
Memorabilia Display
3 Race Regatta
Old-timers Race
Social Functions

Contact—Lois Jeffries
Phone—09-4161496
Mobile—021-838603
Email—taikata2010@hotmail.co.nz


Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTERSydney Boat Show 2025 - Apply to ExhibitBarton Marine Pipe Glands

Related Articles

Admirals Cup: Day 5 - Rolex Fastnet gets underway
The final triple scoring race in the 2025 Admirals' Cup got underway on time The final triple scoring race in the 2025 Admirals' Cup got underway on time starting in front of The Castle in Cowes. The 30 boat fleet representing 15 teams and 12 countries encountered conditions much as forecast - 12-15kt westerly and outgoing tide.
Posted today at 8:49 pm
Rolex Fastnet Race gets underway with record fleet
Spectators in their thousands swarmed Cowes Green and the shores of the western Solent Spectators in their thousands swarmed Cowes Green and the shores of the western Solent to witness the starts of the 51st Rolex Fastnet Race from 1120 until 1320 BST today.
Posted today at 8:20 pm
2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior Worlds, day 2
Strong performances, tight racing, and growing excitement The 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships finally got under way on the water today in Brest with an intense second day of racing for the 379 young windsurfers representing 38 nations.
Posted today at 8:14 pm
100th edition Rolex Fastnet Race begins
Ahead lie 696 nautical miles of technically challenging, resilience testing waters. The 100th anniversary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race underlined its position as the world's largest offshore race as 444 yachts set off from Cowes, England.
Posted today at 7:51 pm
Admiral's Cup: Explosive Rolex Fastnet Race start
The fleet launched into action with a full-on start right in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron line The Red Arrows heralded the return of the Admiral's Cup for the centenary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race.
Posted today at 7:04 pm
Rolex Fastnet Race Start - Tom Hicks Photo Gallery
Stuunning shots from as 444 yachts start the centenary edition of the race! Tom Hicks is out on the Solent for all the major events and has captured some stunning moments from today's start of the Centenary Rolex Fastnet Race. Take a look at the shots below and far more in the gallery above!
Posted today at 6:59 pm
Rolex Fastnet Race Start - view from Hurst Castle
A video montage as the fleet went out of the Solent I went out to Hurst Castle with his camera and drone to capture the action as the boats, ranging from the mighty Ultim trimarans, through to the IMOCAs and grand prix yachts competing in the 2025 Admiral's Cup went through the narrrows out of the Solent.
Posted today at 5:58 pm
Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race start
The weather gods promised and delivered The start gun for the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race fired at 1300hrs sharp, sending the fleet off in stunning conditions.
Posted today at 6:41 am
WASZP Games 2025 overall
Perfect conditions for the final day showdown The final day of the WASZP Games 2025 delivered everything you could want in a championship showdown—tight racing, pressure starts, tactical battles, and decisive performances. With the Gold Fleet behind on their race schedule, the priority was clear.
Posted today at 5:04 am
Rolex Fastnet: Steady conditions expected
Competitiors are expected to start in a 12-14kt Westerly and assisted by the easterly tide. Predictwind's metrologist Arnaud Monges expects the Rolex Fastnet Race to get underway in a 12-14kts WSW breeze, with a building current from an easterly direction. Using weather routing we have predicted finish times for the Ultims and AC25 yachts.
Posted today at 1:05 am