Classic Yacht Association relives Sayonara Cup Racing on Port Phillip
by Peter Costolloe on 26 Oct 2014
Tumlarens Avian and Zephyr Peter Costolloe
2014 Classic Yacht Association's Cup Regatta - Make no mistake, the Classic Yacht Association’s 2014 Cup Regatta on Port Phillip will be a head turner. From 2007, the CYAA Cup Regatta has been an event where Australia’s most notable Classic Yachts once again race as they were raced their yesteryear glory. Their skippers and crews, who know and respect Australia’s yachting heritage and know what it takes to return these heritage craft to the racing machines they once were, are all set to go.
The Signature feature of the 2014 Cup Regatta will be the first time reprise of Sayonara Cup racing. Classic Yachts from that golden era of Australian yachting will again be racing hard once again. Sayonara, the Fife designed Linear Rater from 1898, Australia’s most prestigious Classic Yacht and still in top racing condition, will be taking on two of the most notable and successful Sayonara Cup competitors. The Charlie Peel’s Acrospire III from 1923 and Frances, the International eight Metre, designed and built by Ernie Digby. All three Classic Yachts are listed Australian Historic Vessels.
In this mix of the return to Sayonara Cup racing will be the Fife International eight Metre Caraid with a family team from Tasmania and Marie Louise III, the International Cruiser/Racer eight metre designed and built by Jack Savage in Williamstown. Several other Classic Yachts racing in the 2014 Cup Regatta are also listed on the Australian Historic Vessels Register and still in full racing trim.
Australia’ s top ocean racers such as the Admiral Cup winner Mercedes III and Boambillee, both listed Australian Historic Vessels will be resuming the battle from those days of 1967 Sydney to Hobart Southern Cross Ocean racing teams. One ocean racing Classic missing from the 2014 Cup Regatta is S&S Tina of Melbourne. She’s in heavy preparation for the 75th Sydney to Hobart. To make up for the loss of Tina we have the Colin Archer inspired Renene from the 1956 Sydney to Hobart.
All the CYAA 2014 Cup Regatta fleet is made up by Classic Yachts from all the senior keel boat clubs on Port Phillip and Corio Bays. These Classic Yachts consistently race throughout the year on Port Phillip in the CYAA Summer and Winter Series of racing. Included in the 2014 Cup Regatta fleet will be the largest pod of Tumlaren’s still racing.
No other Classic Yachting event worldwide is host to six of the Knud Reimers designed Tumlarens. One other notable Classic Yacht entered in the 2014 Cup Regatta is the very rare and exquisitely maintained but still raced hard Oenone from the Mornington Yacht Club. Designed by one of the foremost UK designers of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Linton Hope, Oenone adds a significant depth of Classic Yacht quality to the 2014 Cup Regatta fleet.
Another feature of the Cup Regatta is the Couta Boat fleet from the Couta Boat Association joining in with the Classics with a massed start. This massed start between Couta’s and Classic’s is always a hard fought yachting event where the starting skill of all Cup Regatta competitors is tested.
This year the Classic Yacht Cup Regatta lays claim to being an International Classic Yacht event. For the first time, visiting members of our kindred Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand are skippering and crewing a Classic Yacht as a New Zealand entrant. Under the management of Tony Blake the CYANZ team will be playing hard to take the Regatta best overall with the Philip Rhodes designed Classic Yacht Fair Winds.
Cup Regatta racing start at 10:00am each day and will be over three days with two heats on each of the first two days and a Pursuit event on the final day. Racing and handicap adjustments will be conducted for the CYAA by the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria.
Lead up Cup Regatta events will be a series of two groups of 3x 20 minute invitational points scoring races. The first series is for the Guineas Cup. An event where the best of the Classic’s and Couta’s is decided on the water instead of the car park. This year it will Mercedes III and Boambillee taking on the Couta Boats C97 and Gemfish. The second series of invitational racing is now a high drama Inter Associations event. Classic Yacht Associations and Couta Boat Association members from Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand using the RYCV Sail Training Elliot 5.3 dinghies take to the water to determine the Cock Association of the Regatta Challenge.
With 6 races to start and finish and restart in 5 minutes and also running two sets of points score records where all finishes occur within a minute the RYCV race committee receives a serious workout with the invitational events. The trophy for the best performing Elliot team is the handmade Classic Gear bag from the New Zealand sailmaker, Bud Nalder.
The official welcome to the Cup Regatta happens on the Friday evening when the Fleet has tied up at the Dockland Marina and the skippers and crews repair to the Black Sail bar. The Cup Regatta finishes up with a BBQ and Cup Regatta trophy presentation on the lawns of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria.
All sponsors supporting Melbourne’s Classic Yacht Regatta have informed the Regatta organising Committee they want to be part of the Classic Yacht Association of Australia contribution to sustaining the awareness of Australia’s maritime heritage.
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