Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Nose to tail sailing the CYAA 2023 Cup Regatta

by Southern Woodenboat Sailing 9 Nov 2023 14:57 PST

The Div. one flag comes down...a minute to go...the boats are jostling for the final run to the line.... It's all about boat speed at the gun... winding these things up takes minutes not seconds...Five 40+ footers all get it right... as the gun goes 60 tonnes of timber elegance come up onto the breeze on starboard tack, waterlines fizzing, gunnels just yards apart.

There's no yelling. Just quiet concentration and perhaps a little awe at the spectacle, as each boat tries to nudge forward to keep her wind clear. It was just after midday in the 4th race of the Cup Regatta last Sunday. 11 knots of breeze, blue skies and 28 degrees. A day to be remembered.

The five boats were the S&S from 1971 CYAN. Mercedes III and IV from Ted Kaumann (with a bit of Ben Lexcen in #III) and two Rhodes Boats, SCIMITAR and FAIR WINDS design numbers 618 and 633 sharing much of the same DNA.

Wind the clock back 36 hours and the skippers and crews were standing in Ferdi Darley's shed in Williamstown, along with 140 others of the wooden boat community. The bare timber hulls of WYRUNA & VANESSA glowed in the twilight and the deep craftsmanship and knowledge acquired over centuries, was on display for all to see. The mood was collegiate, with an undercurrent of excitement for the weekend ahead. Speeches were kept to a minimum... knowledge sharing and embellished story telling dominated the conversations. And that's where the nose to tail bit comes in. The Cup Regatta weekend is not just about winning. Its not even just about racing. It's about the full spectrum of wooden boat values. Authenticity, a respect for history, self sufficiency, the actual not the virtual, and above all community.

A few numbers. 31 boats entered the racing. Another 14 came along as non-racing participants from as far afield as Sorrento and Geelong. The combined sailing experience of the boats attending the weekend was about 2330 years. The oldest racing boat in the fleet has just turned 100. The youngest is 49. 15 New Zealanders made it over the Tasman, enriching the whole experience. In all, there were about 180 crew out there racing.

A few moments that will stick in my mind for years to come

The sight of the Charlie Peel designed 1923 Gaff Cutter, ACROSPIRE III with 5 sails up, burning the young upstarts on the light air beat to the top mark in race 3. Not a bad way to celebrate turning 100!

The seven Tumlaren, every one a different colour, as willing as a fleet of Etchells, ducking and weaving on the start to gain that treasured clear air. Let's add the missing three next year and make it double figures!

The sound of laughter and cheers coming of the magnificent MARGARET PEARL as she elegantly and generously transported the spectators around the fleet on both Saturday and Sunday.

The sight of the brave little Sorrento Couta Boats LUCY & JOAN punching valiantly up the last beat on Saturday into 20 plus knots and the gnarly Port Phillip chop.

So that's it for another year. Put the 18th edition in your diaries right now! 1st, 2nd & 3rd November 2024. The satisfaction that we get from these events is usually directly related to energy we put into them. Become an advocate. Talk to your sailing friends. Let's get some interstate boats here. Let's continue to grow the event to be the premiere Classic Yacht Regatta in the Southern Hemisphere!

  • For those that are interested the results are up there for the three divisions. Visit here to view.
  • The CYAA is genuinely interested in feedback from participants and stakeholders. Any suggestions and comments you might have can be emailed at
  • Events like this don't happen without hours of work from a huge range of contributors. Here are a few that deserve a mention and apologies to those that I've missed.

This article has been provided by the courtesy of southernwoodenboatsailing.com

Related Articles

Middle Sea Race set to attract exceptional fleet
Royal Malta YC has 118 entries already At midnight on Friday, 19 September the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race had amassed a fleet of 118 yachts. The entrants represent 30 countries and territories: from Australia and New Zealand to Finland and Norway, and from the United States to Romania. Posted on 23 Sep
52 Super Series 2025 Porto Cervo day 1
Solid Sled earn early lead in Sardinia Takashi Okura's Sled lead the 52 SUPER SERIES - Porto Cervo - Range Rover regatta after the first two windward leeward races. Posted on 23 Sep
Melges 24 Worlds 2025 at Trieste, Italy Day 1
No racing possible on the first day Good things are worth waiting for, and that was the adage at the opening day of the Melges 24 Worlds, which ended without any races in the scoreline. The weather in Trieste proved too unstable, with storms in the morning followed by a lack of wind. Posted on 23 Sep
Formula Kite Worlds Quartu Sant'Elena preview
9th Sardinia Grand Slam is the first major step towards Los Angeles 2028 Next September 28th to October 5th, the Poetto beach will host the event that crowns the new World Champions. Among the top contenders: Maeder, Vodišek, and Pianosi in the men's fleet; Nolot, Aldridge, and Kampman among women Posted on 23 Sep
SailGP, TOR Europe, Women's Match Racing Worlds
Good things often happen when preparation meets opportunity Good things often happen when preparation meets opportunity. Such was the case for the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank squad when they notched their first-ever SailGP event win at last weekend's Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix. Posted on 23 Sep
A Q&A about the 2025 Hobie 16 North Americans
Tom Pace, Hal Smith, and Michael McNeir discuss the 2025 Hobie 16 North American Championship Spoiler alert: The Hobie 16 is far from a new design. But that doesn't matter: When Hobie Alter's first 16-foot fiberglass catamaran hit the Southern California beach scene in 1970, the sailing world was forever changed Posted on 23 Sep
The Philadelphia Cup Regatta preview
There's still time to register Sail on or spectate along the Delaware River this Saturday, at The Philadelphia Cup Regatta presented by Sea Philly and the Independence Seaport Museum. Posted on 23 Sep
Melges 15 Fittings Guide
A breakdown of the fittings based on a complete Allen Brothers fit-out If you are looking to upgrade or replace the hardware on your Melges 15, it helps to know exactly which fittings you need and what their role is on the boat. Posted on 23 Sep
Fortaleza World Sailing Championships announced
Test event in January 2026, and the real thing in January 2027 World Sailing has confirmed the dates for Fortaleza 2027 World Sailing Championships as 22-30 January 2027, with a Test Event being held one year prior. Posted on 23 Sep
All set in Trieste for the Melges 24 Worlds
Racing set to begin at Yacht Club Adriaco The countdown is nearly over. In just a few hours, the Yacht Club Adriaco will oversee the start of one of the most eagerly awaited international sailing events of the season. Posted on 23 Sep
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeMcDYachts_Pyewacket-for-Sale_1456x180 BOTTOMAllen Dynamic 40 Footer