SailJuice Blog

Andy Budgen is one of the most talented sailors in Britain, it’s just that he’s too laid-back or lazy to show it. He finished runner-up in the 49er World Championships sailing with his brother, Ian, just over a decade ago. Since then he’s been better known as a coach to aspiring Olympic sailors, but he’s recently proven that he still knows what he’s talking about as he steered his 18-foot skiff Project Racing to 7th place in the JJ Giltinan, the unofficial 18-foot skiff World Championships.

7th, you say? Nothing particularly remarkable about that, on the face of it. Except that while all the front runners are racing around on hulls no more than two or three years old, Budgen’s hull is a 1995 vintage. That’s Jurassic by the standards of 18-foot skiff sailing. An impressive performance from… Read the rest

The Southern Cross Constructions crew of Euan Mc Nicol, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas became the 2009 Giltinan 18ft Skiff champions today after one of the “craziest” races seen on Sydney Harbour.

Although the talented trio could do no better than fourth placing today, their overall point score of 18 points was just enough to defeat Active Air-2UE (Matthew Searle, Dan Wilsdon, Archie Massey) by one point, with Gotta Love It 7 (Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton, Tom Clout) three more points back in third place.

The final outcome was almost unbelievable as Southern Cross Constructions looked to have absolutely no hope for more than three-quarters of today’s race. Trailing the leader by four minutes and ten seconds at the first windward mark (and almost totally at the back of the fleet) Southern Cross’ crew could only watch as most of… Read the rest

Simon Nelson also shared an email he received from a penitent James Francis of the 18-foot skiff Pure Blonde, on how not to pin end start an 18-footer. By the way, that’s Pure Blonde in the photo (duh!) and on the left is Simon Nelson’s Appliances Online.

Look at the difference in rig profiles, and just how greedy these 18ers are getting with their batwing roaches on the mainsails. Most of the sailors swear by them, although former 18er and top skiff coach Emmett Lazich reckons there may be an element of the ‘emperor’s clothes’ about these trendy new sailshapes. Fashion statement or not, it’s the way skiff rigs seem to be going these days, as indeed are America’s Cup rigs.

Anyway, here’s what James learned from his Blonde moment during the JJ.

Now that the worlds are over,… Read the rest