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Flying Eleven (dinghy)
Encyclopedia
The Flying Eleven is an Australia
n boat designed as a high performance racing skiff
suitable for 12 to 18 year olds. High performance sailing is fast becoming the goal of a great many dinghy sailors with the appearance of 49ers
as an Olympic class. The Flying Eleven is a logical step in the transition between junior classes such as the Manly Junior
or Sabot
and prepares young sailors for classes such as Cherubs, 420s
, 470s
, 29er
s, Moths, 13s or even 49ers.
95 boats competed on Sydney Harbour at the 2005 National Championship, while 72 went to Belmont 16' Skiff Sailing Club for the 2006 Championship. 43 went to the Nedlands Yacht Club in Perth for the 2007 Nationals.
The acceptance campaign then started and three different "models" of the Flying Eleven were taken to different clubs each weekend and sailed in all weathers. These three models were called the Open Sailer, the Self Drainer, and the Fully Decked Model. The fully decked model did not appeal to the go-fast boys and, although the self drainer was popular, the VJ self drainer was well established therefore the emphasis was put on a boat which, firstly, had to be expertly sailed to stay afloat and, secondly, would serve as a trainer for the open skiff classes — so the open sailer it had to be.
During the 1965–66 season Sans Souci Club accepted the F11 as a class, other clubs slowly followed and the NSW Fll Association was formed in 1967. After trying various types of additional buoyancy, such as side tanks, the lines were redrawn and a complete set of plans issued to the Association, covering hull, sails, centreboard and rudder.
The early F11s were not as attractive or sophisticated as today - the clew of the genoa was 16" above the gunwale — the mainsail hung from one full length top batten, with some short leech battens, all battens were made of cane, and the venturis, which were tube and box type with corks, would today be regarded as museum pieces.
High profile sailors to come from the class:
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n boat designed as a high performance racing skiff
Skiff
The term skiff is used for a number of essentially unrelated styles of small boat. The word is related to ship and has a complicated etymology: "skiff" comes from the Middle English skif, which derives from the Old French esquif, which in turn derives from the Old Italian schifo, which is itself of...
suitable for 12 to 18 year olds. High performance sailing is fast becoming the goal of a great many dinghy sailors with the appearance of 49ers
49er (dinghy)
The 49er is a double handed twin trapeze skiff type sailing dinghy. The two crew work on different roles with the helm making many tactical decisions, as well as steering, and the crew doing most of the sail control. The design, by Julian Bethwaite, the son of Frank Bethwaite , is revolutionary...
as an Olympic class. The Flying Eleven is a logical step in the transition between junior classes such as the Manly Junior
Manly Junior
The Manly Junior is a junior racing dinghy class popular in Sydney Australia. It was designed in 1959 for younger sailors and the length was originally decided so that the boat could be stored vertically downstairs inside Manly Yacht Club...
or Sabot
Sabot (dinghy)
The Sabot is a sailing dinghy that is sailed and raced singlehandedly usually by young sailors in various places around the world.It is a hard-chine pram 8 feet in length with a maximum width of 3'11" . The Sabot is equipped with a dagger board and a 36 square-foot Bermuda-rigged sail...
and prepares young sailors for classes such as Cherubs, 420s
420 (dinghy)
The International 420 Class Dinghy is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with centreboard, bermuda rig and centre sheeting. The name describes the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with internal buoyancy tanks. The 420 is equipped with spinnaker and optional...
, 470s
470 (dinghy)
The 470 is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centreboard, Bermuda rig, and centre sheeting. The name is the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with integral buoyancy tanks. The 470 is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, making teamwork necessary to...
, 29er
29er
The 29er is a two-man high performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite and first produced in 1998.-Background:It is targeted at youth, especially those training to sail the larger 49er. It has a single trapeze and a fractional asymmetric spinnaker. The Class is a more modern replacement to...
s, Moths, 13s or even 49ers.
95 boats competed on Sydney Harbour at the 2005 National Championship, while 72 went to Belmont 16' Skiff Sailing Club for the 2006 Championship. 43 went to the Nedlands Yacht Club in Perth for the 2007 Nationals.
History
The F11 started in 1964. The main classes available for training young sailors were the VJ, MJ, Moth, Heron and it appeared there was an opening for a class with:- Comparative speed to the VJ
- No hiking boards
- More leg room
- Main, jib and spinnaker
- Light weight for transporting
- A crew of two
- Ease of building and
- The possibility of dad getting his foot in occasionally
The acceptance campaign then started and three different "models" of the Flying Eleven were taken to different clubs each weekend and sailed in all weathers. These three models were called the Open Sailer, the Self Drainer, and the Fully Decked Model. The fully decked model did not appeal to the go-fast boys and, although the self drainer was popular, the VJ self drainer was well established therefore the emphasis was put on a boat which, firstly, had to be expertly sailed to stay afloat and, secondly, would serve as a trainer for the open skiff classes — so the open sailer it had to be.
During the 1965–66 season Sans Souci Club accepted the F11 as a class, other clubs slowly followed and the NSW Fll Association was formed in 1967. After trying various types of additional buoyancy, such as side tanks, the lines were redrawn and a complete set of plans issued to the Association, covering hull, sails, centreboard and rudder.
The early F11s were not as attractive or sophisticated as today - the clew of the genoa was 16" above the gunwale — the mainsail hung from one full length top batten, with some short leech battens, all battens were made of cane, and the venturis, which were tube and box type with corks, would today be regarded as museum pieces.
High profile sailors to come from the class:
- In recent years: Jacqui Bonnitcha, Joe Turner, James Dorron, John Winning, Kylie Mara, Nathan OutteridgeNathan OutteridgeNathan Outteridge is an Australian sailor.Together with team mate Ben Austin Outteridge became the 2008 World Champion in the 49er boat by finishing in front of Britons Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes. In 2007 they won the bronze medal in the same event at the World Championships in Cascais,...
, Nicky Souter. - Over the years: Adam Beashel, Craig Ferris, James SpithillJames SpithillJames Spithill is an Australian yachtsman. He was born in Sydney.After some junior match race titles, in 1998 he arrived third in the Sydney-Hobart and first in the Kenwood Cup....
, Jonathan Bonnitcha, Malcolm PageMalcolm Page (sailor)Malcolm Page is an Australian sailor. He was educated at St. Andrew's Cathedral School in Sydney. He and team mate Nathan Wilmot have won five world titles in the 470 class...
, Michael Coxon, Nathan WilmotNathan WilmotNathan Wilmot is a member of the Australian Sailing team sailor. He and team mate Malcolm Page have won five world titles in the 470 class...
, Stephen McConaghy .
Names of clubs & locations
- Abbotsford 12’Skiff Sailing Club;
- Avalon Sailing Club;
- Bayview Yacht Racing Association;
- Belmont 16’ Skiff Club;Canberra Yacht Club;
- Clarence River Sailing Club;
- Coffs Harbour Yacht Club;
- Connells Point Sailing Club;
- Cronulla Sailing Club;
- Derwent Sailing Squadron (TAS);
- Dobroyd Aquatic Club;
- Drummoyne Sailing Club;
- Gosford Sailing Club;
- Greenwich Sailing Club;
- Hornsby PCYC Sailing Club;
- Hunters Hill Sailing Club;
- Keppel Bay Sailing Club;
- Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club;
- Lane Cove 12’Skiff Sailing Club;
- Lindisfarne Sailing Club;
- Manly 16’ Skiff Sailing Club;
- Manning River Sailing Club;
- Nedlands Yacht Club (WA);
- Port Hacking Open Sailing Club;
- Richmond River Sailing Club;
- Royal Motor Yacht Club (Pittwater);
- Royal Queensland Yacht SquadronRoyal Queensland Yacht SquadronThe Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron is a yacht club in Brisbane, Australia. It was founded in 1885, received royal charter in 1902, and added Royal to its title in 1961. Its members have competed at the Olympic Games since 1956. In 1970 the club made the news for preventing its female sailors from...
(QLD); - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club;
- Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (TAS);
- Saratoga Sailing Club;
- Tamar Yacht Club (TAS);
- Teralba Amateur Sailing Club;
- Vaucluse Sailing Club;
- Woollahra Sailing Club -->