Classic Schooner Astor shows her class

by Ian Grant on 29 Aug 2004 Grand 81 year old classic schooner Astor proudly skippered by Californian Richard Straman and first mate wife Lani showed there are a lot more miles of sailing left when they went within a whisker of winning the Hahn Premium Race Week trophy in the Classic yacht class.

Astor built in the famed Scotland boat yard of William Fife and launched in 1923 has won numerous major trophies including three line honours in the grueling 630 n/ml Sydney Hobart race.

Her ageing sails including a gollywobbler and staysail generated the required boat speed to finish the six race championship with a remarkable 5-3-2-1-3-1 winning the 22.3 n/ml Lindeman Island race on Saturday to force officials to resolve the championship on the count back rule when Astor finished on equal points with the 34 year old Gold Coast sloop Sundowner skippered by Bill Webb.

Astor sailing to the race strategy loose is fast was the sentimental winner but lost the class Gold Medal by the narrowest possible margin to Sundowner while the 48 year old Melbourne yacht Fair Winds (Mark Chew) filled third place one point ahead of the 1968 Sydney Hobart race winner Koomooloo raced by Brisbane husband and wife Don and Margaret Freebairn.