| The latest sailing news from New Zealand and the world. |
10 Feb 2017 |
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  Get into 18ft skiffs...Sunburst Nats...3.7's in Lyttelton...Am Cup
 | | Challenging times aboard Thurlow Fisher on Sydney Harbour Michael Chittenden© |
Welcome to Sail-World.com's New Zealand e-magazine for February 10, 2017
In this edition, we have an offer that should have sailors, particularly those at the top end of the youth age scale - late teens or early 20's - sitting up and paying attention.
Auckland Sailing Club has four fully sponsored 18ft Skiffs available for crews - from Youth to Weekend Warriors.
Many of the top professional sailors in the past 20-40 years have spent a few years of their early sailing years in the 18ft skiffs, learning their trade. That experience has gone on to serve them well in events like the Whitbread Round the World Race/Volvo Ocean Race, America's Cup and other events on the professional circuit.
Across the Tasman top sailors like David Witt, Michael Coxon, and others are regularly sailing in the weekend 18ft skiff fleet. In USA, Australia and NZ sailors are competing in the 18ft skiffs into their 60's and still winning races.
In recent times many programs have sprung up, done very well, and addressed a lot of the issues with the teenage drop-out from sailing and other sports.
But none of them can teach the hardness, mental toughness, and skill of being able to sail under extreme pressure and stress that an 18ft skiff does.
 | | Smeg has a bit on - Sydney harbour. Michael Chittenden© |
Look at sailors like Erle Williams, Joe Allen, Grant Dalton and many more. All were in 18ft Skiffs as soon as they were old enough, pushing and testing themselves to their limit. Dan Slater and others from the one design classes spent a couple of years in the 18ft skiffs before moving on. The Williams, Dalton and Allen went on to crew on Flyer, winner of the 1981/82 Whitbread Round the World Race. Erle Williams (22yrs) was a watch captain.
Rowers always attract a lot of respect just for the personal qualities that are associated with the sport - particularly being able to push through pain barriers when your body is screaming 'enough.'
18ft skiffs provide a similar but more complex test.
The physical demands of 18fter sailing are substantial, as is the ability to dance through tacks and gybes. Quick reactions and being able to work as a team are also essential. But the real deal is being able to push hard in a big breeze - the 'big kite' mentality - which is something that cannot be learned anywhere else. It's a lesson in sailing as much as in life.
While the current crop of 18ft skiffs are largely one designs - there is still plenty of scope for the boat fiddlers - again teaching you to think about speed and systems like no other class can. But a basic boat handling error can wipe out the benefit of a month of late night boat fiddling.
 | | Thurlow Fisher is skippered by Michael Coxon of North Sails Australia Michael Chittenden© |
Many are unaware that the 18ft skiff class has grown internationally - more so than many one designs, with fleets sailing in Sydney, Brisbane, San Francisco/West Coast USA and Auckland - around the Pacific Rim.
The days of the 1960's and 1970's where designing, building and sailing your own boat have gone. That process developed some outstanding designers and thinkers in the sport who have gone on to excel elsewhere - people like Iain Murray (AUS), Bruce Farr (NZ), Julian Bethwaite (AUS) and many more.
For a time, as carbon fibre came into sailing, the class developed into an arms race and dollars climbed exponentially, accompanied as always happens in such a cost/performance spiral, by a drop off in numbers as the bulk of the fleet just could not compete.
The 18ft skiffs are now largely one design, but using the latest technology which has given the boats a racing life far longer than the season or two they previously enjoyed.
The fleet in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA are largely under the control of one benefactor (also a longtime 18ft sailor) who runs the sponsorship, the boats, and allocation of gear between the crews.
Properly managed this allows new people to come into the class, learn how to sail and handle the 18's before stepping up into a newer boat with better gear. It also protects sponsors against being sold a line by a fast talking crew - which only hurts the class in the long term..
 | | Yamaha crew member interviewed by the Camera Cat team - JJ Giltinan Championship - February 2016 Christophe Favreau © |
Over the past few years, the Pacific Rim circuits have developed - with major events in Auckland, Sydney, and San Francisco. In 2016 the class returned to Fiji for the first time in many years for a fourth major event.
A big focus for the class is the JJ Giltinan Trophy held at the end of February each year on Sydney harbour. The JJ's used to travel from venue to venue but in one of the moves to stabilise and build the class the decision was taken to keep the regatta in Sydney and build it into a major annual event - which has happened. Yamaha NZ just missed winning in 2016 by a single point - it would have been the first win by a Kiwi crew since Kim and Terry McDell and Peter Brooke won in Auckland in 1974.
Yep - 18ft skiff sailing is a bit different. They are very sailable above the normal wind range - well into 30kts - where your boat handling skills will be asked the hard questions. You'll find out what it is like to red-line a high-performance boat.
At the lower end of the wind scale - big rigs and big kites - provide another test - with the 18's still being an exciting boat to sail. You're on the trapeze while other one design class sailors are sitting in and trying to coax the last nth out of the breeze.
 | | Yamaha NZ came within a single point of winning the JJ's for the first time since 1974 - JJ Giltinan Championship - February 2016 Christophe Favreau © |
Get into the transition between those two extremes and the permutations are endless - depending on the size of your crew; size of the rig you think you can manage; what you think the wind is going to do, and the percentage of time when you are going to be wanting to drop off the power; and the percentage when you are going to be able to use it.
In how many classes do you need the skills to be able to change a rig in just eight minutes to run with latest projection/guess as to what the wind is going to do?
And there's none of the short course windward leeward racing which the one design classes indulge in to make the racing as exciting as it is in the skiffs. The traditional harbour courses are still used - with their sometimes long legs to let the boat power along and have a great blast - even though you might be in the middle or tail end of the fleet.
One of the great satisfactions, particularly in the early days in any boat, that is a personal challenge to sail, is being able to just complete the course - and winning the battle with the boat, the elements and yourself.
Want to know more? See the story in this edition.
Tight wires!
 | | Predictwind's two WASZPs get the once over at an Optimist training camp at Eastern Beach- January 2017 © PredictWind |
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Good sailing!
Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor
sailworldnzl@gmail.com
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 | | 2017 Sunburst National Championships, Wakatere BC February 4-6, 2017 Wakatere Boating Club |
 | | Peter Burling and Blair Tuke - winners of the Team of the Year 2016 Halberg Awards Emirates Team New Zealand |
 | | Day 86 – Conrad Colman – Foresight Energy – Vendée Globe © Conrad Colman / Foresight Energy / Vendée Globe |
 | | Sébastien Rogues and Engie – Steady flight in 2017 © Gilles Martin-Raget |
 | | Emirates Team NZ foiling upwind - 2013 Americas Cup, San Francisco. USA © Richard Gladwell |
 | | - Farr 3.7 Nationals Lyttelton, February 4-6, 2017 3.7 Class |
 | | Land Rover BAR launch of the first AC50, February 6, 2017 Americas Cup Media |
 | | President Barack Obama - Kite-Foil Challenge, BVI, January 2017 Jack Brockway |
 | | 2017 Sunburst National Championships, Wakatere BC February 4-6, 2017 Wakatere Boating Club |
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