Hope and Dee Why (NSW) follow Riptide (New Zealand) to the Sow and Pigs mark. John Stanley collection.
The first World Championship for 18-footers was held in January 1938 at the instigation of James Giltinan who had been instrumental in the breakaway of Rugby League from the Rugby Union in 1908 and the breakaway of the 18-Footers Sailing League from the Sydney Flying Squadron in 1935 (see The Open Boat book and Robin Elliott’s Galloping Ghosts). He sent out a challenge to the whole world for any boat 18 feet long to race in Sydney, the event to coincide with Australia’s 150th Anniversary of European settlement. No European or American yachtsmen showed any interest, but he received replies from New Zealand and from an Aussie ex-pat in Hong Kong. Only the New Zealanders followed through. The problem was that New Zealand didn’t have any comparable boats…. there were two classes of boats 18-foot long, the V-class and the M-class but the resemblance ended with the overall length. The classes were half-decked, with the M-class also having a small cuddly cabin. The V’s were relatively unrestricted but still had plain sail areas of no more than about 370 sq ft as opposed to Sydney’s 670 sq ft. The M’s were clinker-built with restrictions including sail area. Both were flatter-floored that the V-shaped Aussie 18’s and were sailed by smaller crews.
Above: James J Giltinan conceived the Worlds Championship to promote his 18-ft Sailing League and the movement in general. NSW 18 Footers Sailing League Review, Vol 1 No 3 (the Championship Programme).
Above: James J Giltinan conceived the Worlds Championship to promote his 18-ft Sailing League and the movement in general. NSW 18 Footers Sailing League Review, Vol 1 No 3 (the Championship Programme).
The event was scheduled for late January 1938 with three heats and the addition of a non-scoring handicap race with the Anniversary Day Regatta. Three of the V-class, Riptide, Irina and Vaalele and one M-class Manene arrived in Sydney from New Zealand by ship a few days before the event was to start. Four boats from Queensland arrived, Aberdare*, Victor*, Marjorie (III), and Clarice. Thirteen boats were to represent NSW, virtually the whole fleet: HCPress (IV), Collaroy, Gloria, Jean, Malvina, Dee Why*, Minnawatta, All British, Taree, The Mistake*, Cornstalk, Hope and Australia II.
The four New Zealand boats being unloaded from the Awatea in Camp Cove. They were clearly unlike the Aussie boats they came to compete against. Sydney Morning Herald 22/1/1938 p 14.
No-one really knew what to expect, but the Kiwis thought that the M-class Manene was their best chance, and they were hoping for fresh breezes to give their small-sail boats a chance. Queensland still rated Aberdare as a chance with Vic Vaughan at the helm, but they had been threatened that season in Brisbane by Vic Lucas in Victor. New South Wales expected big things of Malvina under Billo Hayward who had won the Australian Championship in Brisbane earlier that season, ending the Queenslander Aberdare’s run of four straight victories. Several other boats had featured strongly that season including HC Press and Dee Why. The legendary Chris Webb was in charge of Collaroy. Bert Swinbourne had made his previous charge Lightning the crack boat of the previous season, winning the State Championship and dead-heating with Aberdare in the 1936-37 Australian Championship (Aberdare retained the title) and was now in charge of a new boat Taree, built by Wrights in Brisbane for owner Bill Scahill. But Taree had only raced twice before and had not finished either race due to difficulties with new gear.
In a shock announcement the day before the first heat Malvina’s owner Joe Mercer revealed that Billo Hayward would not be sailing Malvina in the Championship, but would be racing his 16-footer Nereid in the Botany Bay Championship the day of the first heat. His sons and other crew would join him. It soon became clear that there had been a bust-up between owner and skipper and that Hayward would no longer sail at all for Joe Mercer. Ben Barnett, a 12-footer skipper who had not sailed an 18-footer before was selected and tasked with finding a full crew.
In a shock announcement the day before the first heat Malvina’s owner Joe Mercer revealed that Billo Hayward would not be sailing Malvina in the Championship, but would be racing his 16-footer Nereid in the Botany Bay Championship the day of the first heat. His sons and other crew would join him. It soon became clear that there had been a bust-up between owner and skipper and that Hayward would no longer sail at all for Joe Mercer. Ben Barnett, a 12-footer skipper who had not sailed an 18-footer before was selected and tasked with finding a full crew.
Taree had only two starts before the first heat of the World Championship, in neither of which they had finished. Hall photo, John Stanley collection.
Australian Champion Malvina was expected to do well but a late crew change stymied that. NSW 18 Footers Sailing League Review Vol 1 No 3.
The first heat on Sunday 23 January was held in a light south-easterly breeze, which meant that of the 12 miles covered in the Sow and Pigs course there was only one mile of windward work. Eight packed ferries followed the fleet. Bert Swinbourne in Taree took the lead early and led at every mark. Vic Vaughan in Aberdare followed him around for 2nd. Lance Watts brought Marjorie home for 3rd and Victor came 4th even though Vic Lucas had made up a lot of ground on the short windward leg. Irina (A Willetts) was the first New Zealander in 5th place. Malvina with their new skipper and scratch crew had lingered well back in the fleet before retiring when the gaff bridle broke. Not a good result for most of the NSW fleet but Taree’s win was the talk of the town.
Wednesday January 26 was of course the Anniversary Regatta, and a handicap race was held for the fleet. Taree was a non-starter. In a black Nor’Easter NSW boats filled the first 5 places, Jim Alderton won in Dee Why off 3 1/4 minutes, followed by The Mistake, All British, Invicta and Aberdare. It was a disappointing race for the New Zealanders as they were expected to do well in a blow, and had successfully had their handicaps extended before the race.
Wednesday January 26 was of course the Anniversary Regatta, and a handicap race was held for the fleet. Taree was a non-starter. In a black Nor’Easter NSW boats filled the first 5 places, Jim Alderton won in Dee Why off 3 1/4 minutes, followed by The Mistake, All British, Invicta and Aberdare. It was a disappointing race for the New Zealanders as they were expected to do well in a blow, and had successfully had their handicaps extended before the race.
The New Zealand M-Class boat Marene. NSW 18 Footers Sailing League Review Vol 1 No 3.
The second heat of the Championship was the very next day, Thursday 27. The race started in a very light Nor’Easter and Taree went straight to the front but ten minutes after the start a 50-knot squall came in from the SW with blinding rain. All boats were still on the first leg, and those that survived lowered away and sheltered in Taylor Bay and Chowder Bay. The rain obscured the fleet from the spectator ferries for 15 minutes, and when it cleared it revealed only 13 boats of the fleet of 20 were still upright. Aberdare had kept just their jib up and continued sailing, and were first to the Sow and Pigs. Taree had lowered away and sheltered in Obelisk Bay and emerged to chase Aberdare. The breeze was now a light Sou’Wester, and Aberdare sailed into a lighter patch working to Shark Island allowing Taree to resume the lead. Taree rounded the Clark Island mark in front and set a shy spinnaker in the dying SW breeze, but had to drop it when the Nor’Easter resumed, just as Aberdare reached the mark meaning they had to cover the whole distance to Chowder Head as a work where Taree had covered most of it with a spinnaker. Taree crossed the finish line 10 minutes and 50 seconds ahead of Aberdare, with the New Zealander Irina in 3rd place, followed by Dee Why and The Mistake. Incidentally Billo Hayward steered Australia II in the race but was unplaced.
V-Class Irina was the best performer among the New Zealand boats with a 3rd, a 5th and an 8th. NSW 18 Footers Sailing League Review Vol 1 No 3.
With the points system in use (255 for first, 127 for second, 63 for third and so on) this meant that Taree had an unassailable lead and had therefore won the series with a race to go. But the New Zealanders and the Queenslanders both had the issue of their pride at stake.
The third heat was held on the following Sunday the 30th. In a fresh Easterly Vic Lucas steered Victor to victory, but Taree made them work for every bit of it and finished 2nd, ahead of Marjorie, Malvina (Ben Barnett must have got the crew into shape), and Dee Why, Collaroy and Aberdare. Irina was again the first Kiwi home in 8th place.
Taree won two heats and was 2nd in the other to become the first World Champion 18-footer. John Stanley Collection.
The fact that the Australian and New Zealand boats were so different and the results so skewed should have meant that no one would consider matching them up again. Giltinan expressed the hope that they would be joined next time by boats from England, America, South Africa and China. Giltinan’s original intention was that the event would be held every two years and that it would take place in the home waters of the winner, but before the next season came along the New Zealanders had scheduled a New Zealand 18-footers Championship in early 1939 and invited the NSW and Queensland boats to attend. Always with an eye to promotion, Giltinan suggested making it the second running of the World’s Championship and offered up his trophy for the contest (without consulting Bert Swinbourne the holder). The story of this event, which became quite controversial, rivalling the under-arm bowling incident for a low in trans-Tasman sporting relationships will be told next month. And one day we’ll add the story of the 3 times the Historical 18’s replica fleet have raced against the NZ M-class, in Sydney, Auckland and Brisbane in the early 2000’s.
Bert Swinbourne the skipper of the winner Taree. NSW 18Footers sailing League Vol 1 No 3.