2022 Historical 18 Footer Australian Championship at the Sydney Flying Squadron
by Bob Chapman 4 Feb 2022 01:56 PST
15, 22 & 29 January 2022
(l-r) Aberdare, Top Weight, Australia IV and Scot during the 2022 Historical 18 Footer Australian Championship © Bruce Kerridge
The 2022 Historic 18 Footer Australian Championship for the Galloping Ghost Trophy was conducted by the Sydney Flying Squadron (SFS) in conjunction with the Australian Historical Sailing Skiff Association (AHSSA), on Sydney Harbour over 3 races on 15, 22 and 29 January.
Very pleasing to have nine skiffs with full crews on hand to contest this event, in lieu of the adverse effects of the Covid situation in regard to off-season boat maintenance, a delayed start to the season and limited skipper / crew availability, while early season races were sailed in very testing conditions with small rigs the norm.
The New Year provided more moderate sailing conditions and the first opportunity for many skiffs to use their larger sails. Ideal conditions for reigning champion Yendys to finish the series on 4 pts (2 wins, 1 second) from The Mistake on 5 pts (2 seconds, 1 win) and Top Weight on 9 pts (3 thirds).
Race 1 was sailed in a moderate 10 - 14 kt NE breeze that did not develop into the stronger breeze that many skiffs had rigged for, with Yendys winning comfortably under big mainsail; Race 2 in a puffy 10 - 17 kt SE breeze, with Yendys' superior upwind performance under big mainsail and matching jib for the day the stand-out feature. Runner-up, The Mistake sailed by John Winning, scored an all the way win in the final race sailed in 14 -18 kt NE breeze, raced under intermediate rigs, with Yendys in 2nd place and the consistent Top Weight in 3rd.
Yendys had a new face on the helm with Grant Wakefield being elevated from his usual position in the middle of the boat to take over the tiller, with experienced regulars Andrew Buckland, Don Buckley, Pierre Jubien, Russell Debney and the addition of Lawson Abbott and Matt Coleman.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Skiff | Skipper | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | Yendys | Grant Wakefield | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 2 | The Mistake | John Winning | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Top Weight | Alan Robertson | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 4 | Britannia | Ian Smith | 4 | 5 | 5 | 14 |
| 5 | Australia IV | Terry Stewart | 10 | 4 | 4 | 18 |
| 6 | Myra Too | Michael Carter | 5 | 7 | 7 | 19 |
| 7 | Tangalooma | Neville Turbit | 10 | 6 | 6 | 22 |
| 8 | Aberdare | Jerry Tickner | 6 | 10 | 10 | 26 |
| 9 | Scot | Jamie Watt | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
For the story behind the Galloping Ghost trophy, please visit www.sydneyflyingsquadron.com.au/history/trophies/galloping-ghost-trophy-2
The Sydney Flying Squadron is based at Careening Cove and conducts Historic 18 Footer skiff racing on Saturday afternoons from October to April. View the SFS Website at www.sydneyflyingsquadron.com.au