All set for the 2021 Classic Yacht Association Cup Regatta

Tumlarens and 2019 Cup Regatta racing © Peter Costolloe

Classic Yacht racing is back to business as usual on Port Phillip in Melbourne. Solid work put in by Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and Royal Geelong Yacht Club has the Classic Yacht Association of Australia all set to celebrate their first tranche of Covid-19 postponed 14th Cup Regatta Classic yacht races.

Eclectic classics feature

An entry list of 29 classic's ranging from the iconic meter boats, Acrospire III and Acrospire IV through to the Couta boat Christine will see three divisions of classic's competing for notable trophies. To recognise the best racing performance throughout the Cup Regatta and prior racing season the Tony Blake painting that features on the cover of Mark Chew's 42 Australian Wooden Sailing Boats is the target of the Port Phillip Classic Yacht fleet. The 1932 and 1933 trophies that reprise the era of the restricted 21 foot yacht racing in the RGYC Australia Day Regatta's are the feature trophies of the Topsy D Passage race from Williamstown to Geelong, scheduled for March 20. The story of their return to RGYC by the extended E O Digby family was a feature article in the September 2018 issue of the Classic Boat magazine.

A first for classic meter yachts at regatta racing

While we continually live in the world of first's, the 14th Cup Regatta is right in there with a first. Since their competing together in the 1934 Centenary Regatta This 2020 Cup Regatta will be the first time since 1934 that Acrospire III and Acrospire IV have competed in Regatta racing. Take a look at the link to the program of that 1934 centenary regatta. Both skippers, Col Anderson on Ack III and Chris Disney on Ack IV are reported to have their crews in top shape to again the best boat of the 2020 Cup Regatta. How good is that to have a visual repeat of those 1934 duels on the water!

Tumlarens rule division two

Not to be outdone in the first ever stakes, this regatta will feature the largest fleet of iconic Knud Reimer designed Tumlaren ever. Over a non stop interval that spans eighty two years, Tumlarens are still competitively racing on Port Phillip. This Cup Regatta will see seven Tums competing in their special division with more to come. At least three Tums receiving TLC in the wings on Port Phillip.

Two reflections from the golden era of classic yachting

First up is the 2020 Cup Regatta poster image. The image of Eu-Na-Mara and Acrospire IV with three Tumlarens is from the cigarette tin box archives recently discovered in Col Andersons Doyle Sails loft. 400 images of 1940's era yachting.

The second reflection is the naming of 14th Cup Regatta passage race as the Topsy D passage race. The Topsy D skippered by Ken Digby and winner of the RGYC 1932 and 1933 re-activated trophies was a successful 1934 centenary regatta entry competitor.

Support when it counts

Support for Classic Yachting runs deep in the veins of Port Phillip and Corio Bay yachting. RYCV Commodore Doug Shields, a founding member of the CYAA and a head of the syndicates that restored the 1894 Logan designed Waitangi and the 1897 Fife designed Sayonara, says support of the Classic Yachting ethos on Port Phillip is a keystone issue for the RYCV.The key driver of Cup Regatta support at the RYCV was Regatta Director Allicia Rae.

At the RGYC, the Australian Sailing Club of the year 2020, Commodore Stuart Dickson and chairman of the Geelong Wooden Boat Festival along with his Club Captain Roger Bennett say the RGYC is pulling out all stops to show their support for the return of Classic Yacht racing on Corio Bay.

Port Phillip weather conditions for the 14th Cup Regatta on Port Phillip

For those who love to bag Port Phillip weather. Sorry for that stubbed toe but Port Phillip will be turning on all her charms for the CYAA's 14th Cup Regatta.

Go Classics. Racing starts at 10:30am 20th Feb 2021 at Williamstown.