The Kiwi Connection to the Early
Australia’s EC12s.
I
would not presume to do the histories of any of the classes from
our friends from New Zealand. But the story in one particular
class has its origins in Australia and therefore it should be
made known to our general membership of the ARYA. Let me say
from the outset of this story/ article that the kiwis have my
admiration in all things pertaining to radio sailing.
Recently the Historian
bought you the “Potted History of the Early Australian EC12
Class”. Well, as a follow-on from that story there is a similar
one associated with our shipmates in New Zealand’s EC12
community. I feel that I have some facts but I may not know all
of them.
I suppose the first thing
we sort of noticed was back when the Nationals were being run in
Sydney in 1984. The EC12 class was going to race their Nationals
with the other classes at the Botany Bay Crash Boat site next to
the main Airport runway. One, Ian Hull-Brown wanted to enter
from New Zealand. Ian had got his boat “Tahi” (which is Maori
for One) from Kevin Humphrey’s the previous year and sailed it
in South Australia Nationals in 1983. If I remember rightly Ian
was placed to stay with Max Lewis at his home in Grand Pde,
Brighten-le-Sands near the Nationals 1984 site. The first thing
the club noticed was when Ian got his boat to the sailing venue.
It was beautifully done in bright yellow underside and black
topside with yellow deck and it looked striking. What caused a
few ruffles (at the time) was that Ian produced out of his bags
these beautifully made sets of sails made out of Mylar film. The
club members were aghast for everyone’s sails in those days were
in Dacron cloth. However after some discussions and Ian saying
“Nobody told him he couldn’t use Mylar cloth”. Max Lewis (the
National Class Secretary) relented, for it was realized that Ian
could not get replacement sails in the short time before the
event started and he was after all, a guest in our country. Ian
went really well in the championships and indeed actually won
most of the fleet racing events.
This 12 metre event was to
be sailed over 4 days and unfortunately for the Class, the first
three days, the wind seldom got below 35 knots on Botany Bay. I
was the OOD for the event and it was thought we could sail it
with our EC12 Storm Sails that the Class was allowed to use in
those days. These consisted of a smaller Jib and a much smaller
triangular main that was kicked up at the back of the main sail
clew so that the main boom was at a 45 deg angle to the deck and
not dragging in the water. Some people thought this looked “out
of scale” for this type of boat but it was practical under these
sorts of conditions. And the people who didn’t have storm sails,
as provided by the Rating Rules, then they had to sail with the
big rig. 
I know that Stan Allen was
one of those people who raced right through the whole EC12
series in his main suit only. He actually came 4th
overall and 2nd in the final match racing series, a
sterling effort in seamanship. His boat, a multi-coloured Mini
Mariner actually had an onboard bilge pump working as needed and
we often saw it in full bore, pumping water out under these
terrible conditions. Quite a few of the boats were brand new and
this was there first time in the water like owner David
Dickerson of Tasmania who was a new skipper and his main hatch
flew off and the boat took water as it sank within the first
couple of races. He got it and quickly dried it out and was
ready to start in Day 2.
On day 4, the Match Racing
started in lighter winds of 6 to 10 knots. Two boats tied for 4th.
Ian Hull Brown who had won a good many races in the proceeding
three days lost out in not winning any of the Sail-off points
and was eliminated from the match racing. The Match racing
finalists were: John Bannerman KA 38, Stan Allen, Jack Abrahall
with KA`16 and Brian Delisser.
Some of the people who
helped run this EC12 Nationals that year were: Theo Kadarkous,
John Howard, Philip & David Page, Doug Billings, Alan Hill, Roy
Silks and the Historian.
It shows on the
NZ EC12 registration list that Ian Hull-Brown’s boat “Tahi” from
Lakesedge was made into KZ1 and it was used to get the New
Zealand’s EC12 fleet started on the 12/1/83. Later a Sorenson
hull was purchased on the 10/1/85 to become KZ25 and a Delisser
version on the 11/1986. These three Australian manufactured
boats were use to start the New Zealand EC12 fleet. Later NZ
manufacturers including Ian Hogg (1988),Tainui (1989) and Dave
Norris (1995) among others to swell the numbers till about 2004
circa when they had about 117 boats registered nationally, a
really good effort on their part. Their latest numbers have
risen to 136 boats approx today.
Footnote # 1. The New
Zealand EC12s are now of the latest American type hull. Most
experts believe that these boats are similar (in speed) to the
older type boats.
Footnote # 2. I want to
thank Ian Hull Brown of New Zealand for all the photos for this
article.
Stephen Crewes, National
Historian 2008
