Historical skiffs for Centenary Pittwater Regatta

by Peter Campbell on 17 Apr 2007 A magnificently-built replica of Yendys, one of the famous gaff-rigged 18-foot skiffs that raced in Sydney between the World Wars, will head a fleet of Historical Skiffs competing in the Centenary Pittwater Regatta this coming weekend, 21-22 April.

Pittwater shipwright Ian Perdriau has built Yendys for the Australian Historical Skiff Trust and will skipper the 18-footer in the Pittwater Regatta against an at least six other skiffs from the Harbour.

Yendys has already shown her speed with a win, a second and a DNF (did not finish after losing her mast) in the Historical 18 Foot Skiffs Centenary Championship on Sydney Harbour in early March.

The Historical Skiffs will race on Saturday and Sunday over a course from Bayview down Pittwater and around Lion Island (weather permitting), replicating a race between two skiffs (16-footers) in 1906 that was the genesis of the inaugural Pittwater Regatta the following year.

'The new Yendys is an exact replica of the original Yendys that raced between 1924 and 1939 and is now in the Australian National Maritime Museum,' builder and skipper Perdriau said today.

'We went down and drew the lines off the original hull and she is built from Australian red cedar and silver ash, as was the original Yendys.

'The rig is identical, too, except that the sails are Dacron,' he added.

Yendys is a striking-looking craft, with its varnished red cedar hull and a massive mainsail that again carries the large red anchor insignia. An anchor insignia also features on the unique squared-off bow below the long bowsprit.

Other Historical 18-foot Skiffs competing in the Centenary Pittwater Regatta include Australia IV, Australia, Alruth, The Scot, Aberdare and Topweight.

'We have a good crew, guys who have been sailing together for 35 to 40 years, and we hope to do well on our home waters,' Perdriau added. 'Among them is John ‘Steamer’ Stanley, President of the Sydney Flying Squadron and one of the great supporters of Historical Skiffs.'

The Historical 18-foot Skiff races will start at 2pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday, with the fleet aiming to sail around Lion Island if the weather is suitable, otherwise around a mark between West Head and Barrenjoey.

The Historical 18-foot Skiffs will join a fleet of offshore racing boats, inshore cruiser/racers, one-design yachts and dinghies from all Pittwater clubs sailing on both days to mark 100 years since the first Pittwater Regatta in 1907.