Zephyr Nationals - Local champion heads massive 60th Anniversary Fleet

by Sail-World.com on 25 Apr 2016 A record 86 Zephyrs contested the 2016 National Championships at Manly Sailing Club over ANZAC Weekend. It was the 60th Anniversary for the class.

The fleet is the largest for the singlehanded Townson design, class exceeding the previous record of 83 entries for the 50th Anniversary, held at Milford.

The regatta was won by Kelsey Gager from the host club, who only finished out of the top five places, twice in the nine race series.

Second overall was Tim Snedden (RNZYS) who recovered from a not so good first couple of races to place in the top six for the remainder of the series, including a win in the final race.

Third was Rowan Adolph (Murrays Bay), with defending champion Grant Beck (Wakatere) fourth overall.

The Zephyr is a one-person, 3.4m classic one-design dinghy by the late Des Townson. With a fully single fully battened Doyle sail on a light 58kg boat the Zephyr is very easy to sail. Half a century ago the sails were from Auckland sail maker Boyd and McMaster. Today, Chris McMaster, Managing Director of world leading Doyle Sails of Avondale Auckland and sponsors of the 2016 Nationals said, “It is pleasing to see a NZ designed and built yacht that has stood the test of time and is now one of NZ’s most respected and popular single handled yachts”.

The original “Zephyr”, boat # 1 built by Des Townson in 1956 and lovingly restored and owned by Allan Retter, raced at the 60th Nationals at Manly.

By the end of the 1950s Townson had built 75 Zephyrs and this drew the attention of the Ford Motor Company who were concerned that this yacht shared the name of their popular car. Des Townson is reported to have said, “I was working away in the workshop in Panmure and a fellow fought his way through the fennel and into the factory. He’d been sent all the way from Lower Hutt to check out my Zephyr. He smiled when he came in and saw my operation. He said he didn’t think I would be a threat to the company.” As it turns out Des’s Zephyr is still in production and the car is not!

After Townson stopped building the Zephyr only a selected few builders were licensed to build the yacht. Ian Cook and Yachting Developments, Hobsonville, the 2016 Nationals Gold Sponsors, are better recognised for their expertise in building and refurbishing world renowned superyachts, but Ian has had a long history with the Zephyr and during the 1980s resurrected the building program of the classic wooden Zephyr with Des Townson’s assistance. Ian says, “Des Townson was far ahead of his time in creating a NZ production one-design icon.”

Cook's father David Cook was a long time Zephyr stalwart and national champion, when the class was based, along with the two man Mistral design, at the Tamaki Yacht Club.

The event attracted a strong social media following, with the regatta Facebook page receiving over 10,000 hits from all over the world. The class newsletter was aslo full of requests to buy, beg, steal or borrow a Zephyr for the Nationals at Manly and sailors from around New Zealand.

Tony Miller, President of the Auckland branch of the Zephyr Association and Managing Director of sponsor Lane Plastics,says, “Zephyrs are a joy to sail in both light and fresh airs. But what makes them so special is the camaraderie on and off the water, with lots of talk happening and yes, the odd sledge already.”

“You may be too old for a kite-board or a Laser, but you are never too old to sail a Zephyr.” A number of our feistily competetive sailors at these Nationals will be well into their 70’s,' he added.

Close racing was guaranteed with Olympic coach Grant Beck out to defend his national title from hot competition by 5-times champion Tim Snedden, 7-times champion Murray Sargisson, Auckland champion Steve Pyatt, North Island Freshwater champion Greg Salthouse, local gun sailor Paul Pearson and the current and 3-times Women’s champion Carla Holgate sailing her new boat this year on home waters. She placed fifth overall.

Chasoing this lead bunch were top guns Mark Thomas (6th overall) and ex-Olympian sailor Andy Knowles (12th) from Tauranga, ace skippers Greg Wright (14th) and Phil Williams (7th) from Wellington and “southern star” Don Le Page from Christchurch.

Work is in progress by the regatta committee on a commemorative 60th Anniversary magazine which will include the class history and programme for the 60th Nationals at Manly,the highlight of which will be the first fiberglass hulled Zephyr being unveiled at the regatta opening. Longtime supporter of sailing, Garry Lock of Harken NZ says, “It is really exciting to see the Zephyr class so strong and the release of a fibreglass version to keep up with demand for new boats going in the future.”