Plum Crazy comeback - Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta

by Peter Campbell on 28 Feb 2007 One of the best known small ocean racing yachts of the 1970s, Plum Crazy, and her 80-year-old original owner ‘Tig’ Thomas are making a comeback to major event racing in this coming weekend’s Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta.

Sailing again with Thomas on Plum Crazy will be two other members of her 1975 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race crew, Bob Beasley and Rob Ogilvie, with the 35-year-old wooden ex Half Tonner contesting the Classic Yachts Class of the Audi Regatta.

Bought back by Thomas, a Life Member and two-times past Commodore of Middle Harbour Yacht Club, 15 months ago, the little sloop’s sail inventory includes two of her original spinnakers from when she contested her first Sydney Hobart Race in 1971.

Her original and highly distinctive hull colour – dark purple – has been replaced by white topsides with a purple cove line. But one of the original spinnakers is a striking purple!

Plum Crazy is one of an amazing 272 keelboats entered for the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta on Saturday and Sunday, with a late flood of entries giving Middle Harbour Yacht Club a logistical nightmare in planning the 21 class/divisions – all but one racing within Port Jackson.

Designed by two of Australia’s most innovative designers of the 1970s, Bob Miller (Lexcen) and Joe Adams, Plum Crazy placed 16th Overall and won Division 2 and Division 2B of the 1971 Sydney Harbour.

In the 1975 race, Plum Crazy was again first Half Tonner to finish, but placed 70th Overall on handicap in the year that Kialoa III set the race record of 2 days 14 hours 36 minutes 56 seconds that was to stand for 21 years.

Plum Crazy’s elapsed time that year of 4 days 01 hours 18 min 16sec was also a record, for a yacht under 9.5m LOA – and it still stands.

Tig’ Thomas and Max Bowen later presented to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia a half model of the boat, the Plum Crazy Trophy, for the first yacht under 9.5m LOA to finish the Hobart Race. Another wooden boat, Sean Langman’s Maluka, won the Plum Crazy Trophy in the recent 2006 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Between 1971 and 1975, Plum Crazy had had other successes, winning the first two South Solitary Island Races on handicap, winning the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Dunhill Half Ton Series and representing Australia at the World Half Ton Cup in Denmark, where she placed 10th overall in a crack international fleet.

Thomas sold 'The Plum' in the late 1970s but when the chance to buy her back from Pittwater yachtsman John Howard he jumped at the chance. 'I went for a sail with John, steered the boat all day, and when we got back to the mooring we settled the deal in three minutes!' an obviously happy owner said today.

'She was a very basic boat in her racing heyday and over the years she has fitted out more for cruising, but she still goes well.

'We have been racing in twilights at the Middle Harbour Regatta and contested the Henri Lloyd Regatta on Sydney Harbour where we won Division 2, sailing with a reefed main and No 4 jib in 44 knots, 'he added,

Recalling Plum Crazy’s two Hobarts, Thomas said the 1971 crew had comprised himself, his brother Ted, Doug Brooker as navigator, Rolly Bull and Richard Hart.

In 1974 Joe Hooter had been navigator with other crewmembers being Martin ‘Ferdie’ Leschkau, Bob Beasley and Rob Ogilvie.

'Bob and Rob are still sailing with me – that’s three-fifths of the 1975 Hobart Race crew,' Thomas said. 'They love the old boat just as much as I do.'

Late entries have increased the 2007 Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta to 272 boats, 50 more than last year’s fleet. Bow stickers, backstay flags, sailing instructions, divisions and courses for the 21 class/divisions will be available from Middle Harbour Yacht Club after 1800 hours tomorrow (Wednesday).

Website: www.sydneyharbourregatta.com.au