Tens Title back to NSW in first tri-State series April 2026
Multiple Australian Championship winner MISS MARLENE (Dale Jacobson) has won the title for the 8th time, bringing it back to NSW in a series that had 2 Victorian entries for the first time ever. Three races were held at Teralba Amateur Sailing Club on Lake Macquarie (the 4th Heat on Sunday was abandoned due to boisterous conditions) and Dale scored 2 wins and a second to take the series from Michael Chapman in POL (ex-WRECKER) with 2-3-1. Victorian entry LIL IMP (Anthony Anderson) was third overall with 3-4-4 and won the overall handicap (James Hardy Trophy) with 1-4-3, from AVRO (Mark Graveson Qld) and IRENE M (Col Gillespie NSW).
The start of Heat 1: from left KISMET, UNCLE FRED, RAMONA II (Insignia obscured), IRENE M with yellow and blue shield, COMMONWEALTH II, LIL IMP and POL
Here's the official results:
POL, COMMONWEALTH and MISS MARLENE just before the start of the first race on Friday 10 April.
The Mighty COMMONWEALTH II (NSW) with tops’l, tops’l-slung spinnaker, ringtail and waters’l. Well done gents.
All photos courtesy Teralba Amateur Sailing Club
All photos courtesy Teralba Amateur Sailing Club
NEWS ARCHIVES:
UNCLE FRED's Women's team win the 2025 Historical 10-Foot Skiffs Australian Championship for Queensland
After many years racing 10-footers Skipper Alison Early with crew Sue Goodhew and Melissa Birmingham have taken out the 2025 10-ft Skiffs Australian Championship. It's the first time a female skipper and crew have won the title, and the third time for a Queensland crew. They left no-one in doubt they deserved it after winning 3 out of 4 heats by big margins. A well-deserved and fitting reward for all of their years supporting the 10-footers.
Mark Graveson sent this report:
The 33rd running of the Australian Historical 10ft Skiffs took place over the weekend 10-12 May 2025.
In typical fashion (regardless of the venue it would seem), the skiffs were greeted by rain showers and light breeze. The only difference between last year and this was the strong ebb tides on the Brisbane River (and probably slightly warmer both in and out of the water). Seven boats entered, four from Queensland and three from NSW.
Saturday's race started out with some tricky conditions, gusting 15 kts and with a lot of knocks and lifts. Avro (Mark Graveson) succumbed before the start, with reigning champion Miss Marlene (Dale Jacobsen) and new boat Pol (Micheal Chapman) following during the race. Truant 2, skippered by Brisbane 18s commodore David Hayter and crewed by his daughters Abby and Maya, elected to come ashore under their own steam. It was Uncle Fred (Alison Early) taking the race followed by Truant 3 (David Miller) and Commonwealth II (Grant Sheldon).
Sunday's morning race was held in a more settled and lighter overall breeze. Uncle Fred once again showed a very clean set of heels to lead around, with Pol, Avro and Miss Marlene fighting for the minor placings at the first mark. Avro's woes continued, breaking her tiller while running second, and soon after capsizing. The breeze faded as the race progressed, this combined with the ebb tide meant that Uncle Fred gained a massive advantage, ultimately beating Miss Marlene by 13 minutes, Truant 3 a further 8 minutes astern.
Mark Graveson sent this report:
The 33rd running of the Australian Historical 10ft Skiffs took place over the weekend 10-12 May 2025.
In typical fashion (regardless of the venue it would seem), the skiffs were greeted by rain showers and light breeze. The only difference between last year and this was the strong ebb tides on the Brisbane River (and probably slightly warmer both in and out of the water). Seven boats entered, four from Queensland and three from NSW.
Saturday's race started out with some tricky conditions, gusting 15 kts and with a lot of knocks and lifts. Avro (Mark Graveson) succumbed before the start, with reigning champion Miss Marlene (Dale Jacobsen) and new boat Pol (Micheal Chapman) following during the race. Truant 2, skippered by Brisbane 18s commodore David Hayter and crewed by his daughters Abby and Maya, elected to come ashore under their own steam. It was Uncle Fred (Alison Early) taking the race followed by Truant 3 (David Miller) and Commonwealth II (Grant Sheldon).
Sunday's morning race was held in a more settled and lighter overall breeze. Uncle Fred once again showed a very clean set of heels to lead around, with Pol, Avro and Miss Marlene fighting for the minor placings at the first mark. Avro's woes continued, breaking her tiller while running second, and soon after capsizing. The breeze faded as the race progressed, this combined with the ebb tide meant that Uncle Fred gained a massive advantage, ultimately beating Miss Marlene by 13 minutes, Truant 3 a further 8 minutes astern.
Sunday afternoon was in a more settled breeze. This time disaster struck Uncle Fred as the shackle let go on the mainsheet horse, ingloriously capsizing the skiff before the crew could react. This left a close tussle on the first windward work with Miss Marlene taking an early lead from the remaining skiffs. The order thereafter remained much the same, with some reliable wind strength saw Miss Marlene take the race from Truant 3 and Avro.
Monday looked to again have some reliable pressure, but as the race start approached a stronger squall came through with the ever persistent showers, with no skippers all that keen to get on the water. This was fortunately quick to pass and it became a battle to pick the wind shifts. Both Truant 2 and Uncle Fred got out to an early lead, followed by Truant 3, Pol, Commonwealth II, Miss Marlene and Avro. At one stage the two front runners had rounded the short lap bottom mark before the rest of the fleet had made the top mark for the second time. As the pack made the bottom mark, it then became a challenge to stem the strong ebb flow. Unfortunately Truant 3 copped the worst of it, and fell from 3rd to last. It was a strong showing by Uncle Fred who took the race from Truant 2 and Miss Marlene.
The Len Heffernan trophy was awarded to Truant 2. The boat was sailed by the Brisbane 18 Footers commodore Dave Hayter and crewed by his daughters Maya and Abbie, and sailed throughout without setting a spinnaker. It was a great experience for the young crew who enjoyed a day off school to participate.
Alison Early, Sue Goodhew and Melissa Birmingham with the Bob Lundie Shield.
The handicap went to Truant 3, after a three-way tie on points. The skiff has been performing very well in the Brisbane racing in the lead into the championship and this is well deserved.
Finally to Uncle Fred who were crowned champions. It's pleasing to finally have a female skipper and all female crew take the Bob Lundie Shield for the first time. Alison and Sue have been in the class for some 20 years now, Melissa a few years less, so it's great to see them up on the podium.
Monday looked to again have some reliable pressure, but as the race start approached a stronger squall came through with the ever persistent showers, with no skippers all that keen to get on the water. This was fortunately quick to pass and it became a battle to pick the wind shifts. Both Truant 2 and Uncle Fred got out to an early lead, followed by Truant 3, Pol, Commonwealth II, Miss Marlene and Avro. At one stage the two front runners had rounded the short lap bottom mark before the rest of the fleet had made the top mark for the second time. As the pack made the bottom mark, it then became a challenge to stem the strong ebb flow. Unfortunately Truant 3 copped the worst of it, and fell from 3rd to last. It was a strong showing by Uncle Fred who took the race from Truant 2 and Miss Marlene.
The Len Heffernan trophy was awarded to Truant 2. The boat was sailed by the Brisbane 18 Footers commodore Dave Hayter and crewed by his daughters Maya and Abbie, and sailed throughout without setting a spinnaker. It was a great experience for the young crew who enjoyed a day off school to participate.
Alison Early, Sue Goodhew and Melissa Birmingham with the Bob Lundie Shield.
The handicap went to Truant 3, after a three-way tie on points. The skiff has been performing very well in the Brisbane racing in the lead into the championship and this is well deserved.
Finally to Uncle Fred who were crowned champions. It's pleasing to finally have a female skipper and all female crew take the Bob Lundie Shield for the first time. Alison and Sue have been in the class for some 20 years now, Melissa a few years less, so it's great to see them up on the podium.
The fleet just after the start of a race. Photo Perry Pryke
The Brisbane Club wishes to thank volunteers Annette & Malcolm Hodgen, Ian Dickson, John Clarke, John Anderson (DPSS), Bill Thorburn (BSS), Russell Holmes, Josh Sloman, Jemima Goodhew, Elliott Maher, Perry Pryke, Bev Graveson, Kath Hermann, Helen Dickson, Malcolm from BSS, Graeme Parnwell (BSS), Mark Pryke for their time over the weekend, without their help we'd not have raced, would not have eaten or had drinks. Thanks too for the visiting sailors and supporters, whose presence makes these regattas really worthwhile.
The skippers resolved to start planning for the next championship at Teralba (pending the TASC availability and approval) over the weekend 10-12 April 2026.
The skippers resolved to start planning for the next championship at Teralba (pending the TASC availability and approval) over the weekend 10-12 April 2026.
Commonwealth is always the most picturesque, seen here on their spiritual home the Brisbane River with ringtail set. Photo Grant Sheldon.
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Close racing at the 2024 Australian Historical 10-foot Skiffs Championships
It came down to a countback, previous winners Dale Jacobson in Miss Marlene (at right above) and Michael Chapman in Wrecker (closer to camera) being on equal points after four races with one discard, so Miss Marlene took it out with 3-1-1 to Wrecker's 1-2-2. Commonwealth (Grant Sheldon) was third overall just a point away with 1-2-3. Commonwealth easily took out the handicap overall winning every race on handicap. The first three races on Saturday and Sunday were in light conditions, virtually becalmed at times, but the fourth race on Monday was in fresh conditions with rain squalls which put 3 boats in the drink, Queensland's Avro and NSW's Ramona II before the start, and Queensland's Uncle Fred at the top mark the second time.
Thanks to the officials and volunteers at the Teralba Amateur Sailing Club for their usual excellent handling of the event. And thanks also to AHSSA Vice-President John Lewis who organised the presentations and followed the fleet in his tinny. The event was also attended by John Fairfax from the Australian Classic Dinghy Network to pick up the Lake Macquarie 10-footer Kismet to take back to Victoria to join Lil Imp III which now resides there, with a view to getting the class underway in Victoria.
Left: Commonwealth (1906/1990) on one of the lighter days. Grant Sheldon and crew won the first race outright and was 3rd overall as well as winning the handicap in each race, the best ever result for this boat. Photo Ian Dixon.
Thanks to the officials and volunteers at the Teralba Amateur Sailing Club for their usual excellent handling of the event. And thanks also to AHSSA Vice-President John Lewis who organised the presentations and followed the fleet in his tinny. The event was also attended by John Fairfax from the Australian Classic Dinghy Network to pick up the Lake Macquarie 10-footer Kismet to take back to Victoria to join Lil Imp III which now resides there, with a view to getting the class underway in Victoria.
Left: Commonwealth (1906/1990) on one of the lighter days. Grant Sheldon and crew won the first race outright and was 3rd overall as well as winning the handicap in each race, the best ever result for this boat. Photo Ian Dixon.
Full Results, compiled by Vice-President John Lewis
Joe Donnelly's Plaque has been installed
Rookwood informed us that the plaque has been installed. Thanks to all who contributed. We'll be holding a small dedication ceremony sometime later this month and will let you know. The story of the plaque, and the story of Joe Donnelly is below on this Page in a couple of entries.
Donnelly's Gravesite campaign is nearing completion
We've approved the proof of the bronze plaque pictured here, and it will be installed sometime in May. It was only possible due to the generosity of members and a significant donation from Toyota Finance from their Community support programme.
See below the 10-ft skiffs results for the story of the unmarked grave of Joe Donnelly, Sydney's finest boatbuilder of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. And there's a lot more detail about Joe Donnelly and the boats he built in his listing on the BOATBUILDERS Page our companion site www.openboat.com.au.
See below the 10-ft skiffs results for the story of the unmarked grave of Joe Donnelly, Sydney's finest boatbuilder of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. And there's a lot more detail about Joe Donnelly and the boats he built in his listing on the BOATBUILDERS Page our companion site www.openboat.com.au.
10-Footer Commonwealth (II) has been brought back into sailing condition and will compete in the Australian 10-ft Skiff Championship 4-6 May at Teralba on Lake Macquarie
The Commonwealth replica sailing in the early 2000s off Balmain
The replica of the 10-footer Commonwealth has been brought back into sailing trim by a dedicated team of Lake Macquarie sailors after quite a few years in storage. The current holders of the Australian 10-ft skiff Championship Grant Sheldon and the crew of Ramona II will sail Commonwealth in the 2024 Championship to be held at Teralba 4-6 May. Sheet hand Jon Searles is the owner, Grant Sheldon will skipper the boat, with Graham Talbot frd hand and Kimberly Baker second frd hand. They will make a magnificent sight sailing with the fleet, being the only boat that is a close replica of the original 10-footers.
Below left: Commonwealth on their first trial run at Belmont Sailing Club in March.
Below right:The lines plan used by Robert Tearne and Graeme Ferguson to build the replica in 1993. The lines were taken off the original model by Norm Wright Jnr
Below left: Commonwealth on their first trial run at Belmont Sailing Club in March.
Below right:The lines plan used by Robert Tearne and Graeme Ferguson to build the replica in 1993. The lines were taken off the original model by Norm Wright Jnr
Commonwealth was built in 1906 from a cedar log that floated past the Wright's Bulimba shed in a flood. She was a winner straight away, winning a Championship according to Norm Wright Jnr on the day she was launched (but not the 1907 Australian Championship as indicated on the drawing) and was Queensland Champion for most of the next few years. The replica crew is upholding another tradition as the original owner was F Dickson who was also the sheet hand, while Norm Wright steered until 1910. He was then succeeded by Lance Watts who had been in the crew, and went on to great success in 18’s.
Left: Commonwealth on the Brisbane River between 1907and 1914. The situation is unusual because they are not setting a spinnaker but appear to have hoisted their waters’l to the masthead!
Left: Commonwealth on the Brisbane River between 1907and 1914. The situation is unusual because they are not setting a spinnaker but appear to have hoisted their waters’l to the masthead!
A great shot from the ANMM’s Hall Collection of Commonwealth sailing past Balls Head in the mid-1920’s .
Commonwealth took part in all five Australian Championships held between 1907 and 1914, coming 3rd in each Championship race in 1907-08 in Brisbane, 1908-09 in Sydney and 1909-10 in Brisbane, was unplaced in Sydney in 1912, but won in Brisbane in 1914. Brisbane 10-footers ceased racing in the First World War. Commonwealth was sold to G.Conway in Sydney in 1924. She won the Balmain Regatta that year, and by the time she won the Australia Day Regatta early in 1925 she had chalked up 4 wins and a 2nd from 10 starts. George Conway ran a boatshed in Mort Bay and was the owner of several 10-footers simultaneously (Commonwealth, Kangaroo and Cornstalk) but steered Commonwealth himself. Commonwealth was the Port Jackson Champion 1925-26 as one of 14 wins that season out of 25 starts and was the scratch boat at the Balmain Dingey Club until the 1927-28 season when apparently she was retired, being in poor condition. It may also have something to do with the fact that George Conway died about this time, but not before he built or acquired another 10-footer he named Happy Days and moved Commonwealth’s sail insignia over to her. An early member of the AHSSA whose name escapes me remembered seeing Commonwealth standing up against the wall at Conway’s Boatshed in the late 1920’s, looking decrepit, and having had the hull sheathed in canvas in an attempt to make it watertight.
Known dimensions: Length 10', beam 6', depth 2’.
Sails: Main hoist 13'9", gaff 11'10",foot 19'6", leech 24'6", area about 280 sq ft. Jib luff 22", foot 14'10", leech 15'5", about 110 sq ft.
Known dimensions: Length 10', beam 6', depth 2’.
Sails: Main hoist 13'9", gaff 11'10",foot 19'6", leech 24'6", area about 280 sq ft. Jib luff 22", foot 14'10", leech 15'5", about 110 sq ft.
The replica sailed with the 10-footer fleet from 1993 to around 2008 and Friday night twilights from the Balmain SC where she was stored from the late 1990’s until 2006. Col Gillespie borrowed the boat for the Easter 2006 Australian Championships at Drummoyne and won the handicap prize. Balmain SC is behind the mains’l in this shot. Commonwealth last sailed at the May 2017 Championships at Teralba under the Buckland brothers.
Below: from the SFS “Sailing” programme 20 March 1926, the crew of Commonwealth pose around the rudder. The bailer boy S Conway bottom right ran the family boatshed at Balmain until the late 1980’s, when it was taken over by the expanding Sydney Ferries workshops.
Below: from the SFS “Sailing” programme 20 March 1926, the crew of Commonwealth pose around the rudder. The bailer boy S Conway bottom right ran the family boatshed at Balmain until the late 1980’s, when it was taken over by the expanding Sydney Ferries workshops.
Full results of the Historical 10-ft skiffs Australian Championships 2023.
The 29th AHSSA Historical 10-ft Skiffs Australian Championships were held on the Brisbane River 29 April -1 May. Eight boats fronted, three from New South Wales and five from Brisbane. Last season's winner Ramona II (Grant Sheldon NSW) was there was there to defend the title he won at Teralba on Lake Macquarie in May 2022. Other contenders were Truant II (John Anderson Qld), winner in 2018 and 2021 on the Brisbane River, and Uncle Fred (Alison Early, Qld) who tied for second with Truant II at Teralba last season. As you can see, Ramona II won all 4 heats with Truant II 2nd and Uncle Fred 3rd. I may add some photos soon but have a look at the video on the Videos Page and on YouTube of the final heat where 6 boats went out and only 3 came back.
Individual Heat results are below. Click on the race you want to enlarge.
Individual Heat results are below. Click on the race you want to enlarge.
Remembering Joe Donnelly
Joe Donnelly (1839-1917) was considered by most to be Sydney's finest boatbuilder.....so starts the entry for Joe on the BOATBUILDERS Page on our companion site www.openboat.com.au .....and you can read all about Joe there, a few paragraphs on his career and an admittedly incomplete list of the boats he built. The final sentence of the article reads..."he died in 1917 and was buried in Rookwood cemetery". Now here's the thing, I was visiting Rookwood cemetery on another matter when I realised it might be worth my while finding Joe's grave and paying my respects. The Rookwood office was very helpful and gave me the grave number and a map of where to find it. It was relatively easy to find the location, but all of the graves with adjacent numbers to Joe's are unmarked, and by counting back from a known gravesite with a legible stone it became apparent that Joe's gravesite is just a patch of grass. I believe this is not good enough for a man like Joe who had such a significant role in the development of open boat sailing and particularly 18-footer sailing. At the November General Meeting of the Australian Historical Sailing Skiff Association I proposed that the Association look into the feasibility of installing a small plaque honouring Joe, and I have the agreement of members to pursue this with the Rookwood office. I also have the verbal permission of the only relative of Joe that I can find, his Great Nephew. We will keep you informed of our progress on this Page. Below are images of just a few of Joe's boats.
The 22-footer Plover (1898) was one of Joe's finest creations and was built for Sam Arnott of the biscuit-making family after the failure of Sam's 22-footer that he had imported from England ...see HORSES FOR COURSES on the YARNS Page on www.openboat.com.au
Photo Tyrell Collection, Power House Museum.
Launch day of Scot Joe's longest-lasting 18-footer which raced up until 1948, and which has been replicated for the AHSSA replica fleet. This shot is taken at Joe's Cook St Glebe boatshed, looking SSE...the Pyrmont fish markets are now just beyond the cranes upper left. I had always assumed that the bearded gentleman with the waistcoat and hand on the bow was Joe, however the Cowie family from whose archives this photo comes have always believed that this chap was Peter Cowie Senior, the father of the owner of the boat also Peter Cowie seen standing amidships to Port with a white hat.
Below left is a shot of Scot under full sail from the ANMM's Hall Collection, right is an earlier Donnelly-built 18-footer Zena (1905), also from the Hall Collection.
Below left is a shot of Scot under full sail from the ANMM's Hall Collection, right is an earlier Donnelly-built 18-footer Zena (1905), also from the Hall Collection.
The story of Scot's long career is told on her listing on the 18-FOOTERS Page on www.openboat.com.au and details and images of the replica can be seen on the 18-footers Page on this site.