50 Herons (nine Championships.) headthelistoftop National Champion.) andCraigMcPhee for extraspeed.Don Jamieson(10times the expertopportunitytotune theboat a challengetosailtheHeron well,offering relatively undercanvassed.Howeveritis beginners, beingdifficult tocapsizeand longevity oftheclass. highest levelisagreat advertisementforthe boat ofthisvintagecanstillcompeteatthe Champion boatSobraon.Thefactthata Queenslander JohnNobbsin1971National in Brisbanelastsummer. Victory wentto at the50thNationalChampionshipheld competitive. Ashiningexampleofthiswas principles hasallowedolderboatstoremain an overhanging mast. enabled ownerstotransporttheboatwithout storage oftheentire riginsidetheboatand The twopiecegunterrigallowedfortheeasy sailing, rowing orunderoutboard power. or usedforrecreational purposessuchasday handyman inplyandwhichcouldberaced dinghy thatcouldbebuiltbythehome was toprovide asafe,stable,familysailing magazine. Thebasicaimofthedesign design competitionrunbyYachting World Diamond) theHeron wasthewinnerofa Cadet,Enterprise,LazyEand International Holt, (alsoresponsible fortheMirror, Pacer, upcoming season. the garagetoprepare anewboatforthe members workingawayintheevenings that somewhatromantic notionoffamily produce theirownboat,thuskeepingalive the homebuilderopportunityto number ofdinghyclassesthatstilloffers their children can share theexperience. tothesportasadultssothat have returned introduced toalifelongloveofsailingor number offamilieswhohaveeitherbeen over theyears.Howeverrealis story champions whohavedominatedtheclass who care tolookofthequalitypast place in Australia’s sailing fabric. all overthecountry, theHeron holdsaunique stateandundergoingevery astrong resurgence longevity istheHeron. Stillracing activelyin alternatives. One remarkable example of briefly onlytobe replaced bymore modern A BY MARKRASMUSSEN. JACK HOLT CLASSICCELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY Australi an siling DECEMBER 2009 The Heron iseasytosailandidealfor Strict adherence to“onedesign” Designed byrevered EnglishmanJack The Heron isoneofthedwindling Like anyclass,therecords remind any of dinghy classes that have shone a fascinating indicator of the number publication more than 25 years old is look atanyAustralianyachting Australian Richard Gibson,hasissueda National Heron AssociationPresident, South potential owners intouchwithsellers. Heron Associationisattemptingtoput fleets around andtheNational thecountry teenagers, andadultexpertswith youngcrew. and children learning to sail together, pairs of entire spectrum of ability levels, from parents are again on the rise. Heron sailors cover the National Championships. Current numbers unusual for 100 or more Herons to contest between 1965 and 1990 when it was not timber rudderboxesandjibsticks. available materialstoconstructtraditionally competitive andtheuseofmore easily a larger jibtoallowheaviercrews toremain these boats. Andrew Bakerhasbeenlicensedtoproduce fibreglass construction. SouthAustralian has beentheproduction ofnewmouldsfor easily lowered and stowedinstrong winds. implications, makingthemainmuchmore gaff. Thischangewillhavesignificantsafety alloy ortimbermastandboomwith has beensanctionedalongsidethecurrent boat. Analuminiumbermudanrigoption ways toimprove theuser-friendliness ofthe deciding finishingposition. that crewfactor ability istheoverwhelming no particularmethodisatanadvantageand National Championshiplevelindicatethat foam andfibreglass construction.Resultsat methods aswellhavingtheoptionof produce boatsusingeitheroftheabove glue method.Professional builderscan construction orthepopularstitch-and- choose betweentraditionalply-over-frame construction methods.Homebuilderscan to movewiththetimesregard to event ofacapsize.Theclasshascontinued both drierandmore seaworthyinthe of sidebuoyancytanks,makingtheHeron the levelofanartform. raised thetuningandsailingofHerons to quality skippersandthesetwoinparticular for beginners. ideal and sail to easy is Heron The Class officials are keentoexpandlocal In Australia, fleet numbers peaked Other optionsbeingcanvassedinclude Another excitingrecent development The classisalsocurrently examining In the1980s,classalloweduse

are effusive aboutthepositive nature of last March. out the2008–9Tasmanian championship pairing have improved at a rapid rate, taking sister, 10-year-old Demi as crew. The young2007 National Championship with his younger racing aHeron wasinaborrowed boatatthe several seasons ago. His first experience of SailingClub began sailinglessonsatLindisfarne Crook family. Fifteen-year-old TylerHeron tobringfamiliessailingisHobart’s Crook boats currently forsalestartfrom $500. compiling listsofavailableboats.Prices To thisend,StateHeron Associationsare use fortheirboatstoputthemupsale. plea toHeron ownerswhonolongerhavea Tyler’s parents, ClintonandJanineCrook A perfectexampleoftheability www.mysailing.c om.au

Clubs & classes 51 VE: The junior division VE: ABO fought. will be hard runners Last year’s LEFT: and Matt Jerwood up, will start ), (WA Voss Patrick this years for favourites 420 Championships. alian sailing Austr DECEMBER 2009 With the 420 being the ISAF World Youth Youth the 420 being the ISAF World With Practice races will be sailed on Monday performing well, with strong opposition performing well, with strong fellow Queenslanders Warlow/ coming from the other states, the top while from Toner, contenders appear to be Thomas/Lindsay (SA) and Smith/ (NSW), Groome/Soulsby Shephard/Catt Tasmanians Middleton (WA). contenders, having will also be very strong been together as a team for longer than the other crews. Double Handed Dinghy boat, competition in the juniors, as the selection will be fierce is taken over both the 420 Nationals and the Championships, following Australian Youth Bay both of which will be held at Largs competition expected Sailing Club. With and New Zealand, this takes Singapore from and adds more on an international flavour, depth to the competion and racing. proper followed by racing 28th December, day on Friday 1st until the scheduled rest on the Saturday Racing resumes January. and Sunday. hoping for he 2009/10 420 Nationals will be Bay Sailing Club in sailed at Largs 28th December South Australia from January. to 3rd

international entries international Organisers are hoping for between are Organisers Open/Male division last season’s With In the Female division, many new teams

ay Om g Gre by Photo T 420 Nationals 40-50 boats from around Australia, with around 40-50 boats from and New Singapore possible entries from Zealand as well. winners not defending their titles, the appear to be last years contenders strong runners up, Matt Jerwood Voss and Patrick Angus opposition from with strong (WA) Queensland. Galloway and Alex Gough from contenders in Llewellyn/ strong have Victoria Duncan and Davies/Hannah, whilst NSW have the teams of Lindsay/Jones and Local South Australians Kennedy/Bromfield. Stephens/Flaherty and the Flint and Arnold like their local conditions. should brothers will be contesting this season and the competition seems very wide open. The Queensland have been from sisters Ryan VE: Tasmanian Heron Heron Tasmanian VE:

ustralian Champion in 1971. ustralian

ABO and Demi Tyler Champions to kill time way find a Crook the wind. for while waiting John Nobbs – current LEFT: 39 National Champion aboard The boat was . old Sobraon year A

s by Mark Caswell Mark by s c Pi Those wanting more information or Those wanting more Despite there being more than 5000 boats boats 5000 than more being there Despite heronsailing.com.au/ Gibson via the class website at: http://www. the Heron Association can contact Richard Association can contact Richard the Heron wishing to register their boat for sale with wishing to register hold on to them for the next generation. generation. next the for them to on hold undersupply of second-hand boats as families association with the class has actually led to an com.au mysailing. www. in existence around the country, the family family the country, the around existence in encouragement regularly.” incredibly welcoming, offering advice and welcoming, offering incredibly forever. The local Heroners have been The local Heroners forever. something that will stay in their memories together is a wonderful opportunity to do Crook commented. “Being able to learn commented. Crook see my kids participating together,” Janine see my kids participating together,” the Heron experience. “It’s been great to been great experience. “It’s the Heron