RBYC Youth Sailing Program prepares for the next 90 years
by Ray Smith 11 Dec 2017 07:16 GMT
12 Foot Cadet ‘Pandora' C133 after recent renovation © Ray Smith
After nearly five years of detailed study, analysis of program requirements, participant's and their families' expectations and Club training requirements, it was agreed by the Youth Program Sub-Committee at RBYC that a new boat was required to take the Youth Sailing program into the future. The February meeting of the RBYC General Committee approved plans submitted by the Youth Sub-committee for a change in program delivery platform. The boat chosen was the RS Quest from Racing Sailboats and will replace the Australian 12 Foot Cadet Dinghy after the 89th Stonehaven Cup event to be held at RMYS in January, 2018.
After 90+ years of service to the youth of Australia, this is a very significant step at RBYC and for other clubs that have been committed to the 12 Foot Cadet for so long.
Cadet Class Brief History
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club members decided their youth members required a training class that would lead into the adult 21 Footer class then being raced nationally. A design concept was produced by one of the founding class members in 1922 and Mr A C Barber, a Sydney naval architect, was commissioned to refine the hull design.
The class popularity spread throughout the nation and six states competed for the national title. In 1927 the Governor-General of the day, Lord Stonehaven deeded the Stonehaven Cup, to be competed for as a friendly interstate competition for junior/youth sailors who are members of those clubs supporting the Australian 12 Foot Cadet Dinghy.
The Dinghy Class and its National Competition
Competition was fierce and the class rules had to be tightened. In 1949 the larger jib was reduced in its overlap to the current size. In 1951 a spinnaker was added to the rig thus modernizing the class and creating a new sailing challenge for the crews to deal with. In 1960 boat builders commenced using lighter timber such as Western Red Cedar for the construction of the dinghy producing lighter, faster hulls. Along with the lighter hull came the new polyester/dacron sail cloth providing better shape holding and further improving the function and handling of the dinghy.
In 1974 Jack Gutierrez, an RBYC club member and boat builder, recognised the virtues of fibreglass construction materials and after much deliberation and discussion it was decided to build a hull mould and produce the 12 Foot Cadet Dinghy in this new and maintenance-free 'modern' material. Cadet crews were still required to bail their dinghies once swamped while other classes had begun installing buoyancy tanks to keep their dinghies afloat and to allow them to get back into the race quicker. This also reduced the demands on safety crews. In the 1990s the class authority approved the use of aluminium spars.
In 1996 RBYC designed larger bow and stern buoyancy tanks and in 1998 RBYC designed the Bermudan rig to replace the traditional dipping lugsail configuration. The Bermudan rig was showcased and trialled in the 1999 Stonehaven Cup in Melbourne. In 2001 RBYC in conjunction with South Australia developed the side buoyancy tank concept and a prototype was produced using the RMYS 'Ayden' C149 as the base model. In 2002 RBYC installed side buoyancy tanks into the 'Little Leura' C150 and the 'Dorothy' C161.
In a class of boat with such a heritage as the 12 Foot Cadet, the history of the development is interesting in its own right and shows a commitment by the managers of the Youth Program to balance current trends and program requirements. The Bermudan rig was developed to simplify sail handling, and side buoyancy tanks were added to increase safety in the event of capsize.
All the changes extended the useful life of the 12 Foot Cadet Class as a youth sail training vessel but had reached the practical limit of such developments. The future of the program and youth sailing at RBYC required a change.
The Youth 'Challenge' Program Evolves
The Youth 'Challenge' Program is aimed at teenagers, the secondary school age group between 12 and 18 years old. The focus of the program is sail training, social racing, creating adventures and making friends. We aim for an equal spread of girls and boys and take them at any skill level. The only pre-requisite is their desire to have fun with new friends and to embrace the program.
The program managers aim to make the program easy and welcoming allowing new participants to join at any time during the season. Beginners typically go racing from day one. We offer a no obligation two week trial and to further try to keep the costs down the program is run on club owned equipment. The program is managed and run entirely by volunteers and parent are encouraged to assist at every level. Everyone uses the same equipment and they all participate in the same program activities.
The content of the training is based on Australia Sailing's "Discover Sailing – Dinghy" curriculum with the additional attributes of seamanship, race-craft, responsible conduct, team work, leadership and contribution to the group.
The platform is based on a three or four person dinghy, with three sails (main, jib and spinnaker) generally allowing the participants to progress through the roles on the boat as their skills develop. The pathway in is as a beginner, experienced teenager or as an experienced junior. The pathway out is to youth performance sailing, senior off-the-beach, one design or keel boat sailing.
The Future
In selecting the RS Quest, the review committee looked at the key criteria, namely - three or four young crew, easily handled, easily maintained, essentially one design and seaworthy and produced world-wide.
The RS Quest is a roto-moulded hull with pleasing, modern lines, packed with innovative features and a range of standard configurations. The 4.3 metre dinghy was developed in conjunction with Royal Navy Sea Cadets and offers maximum security and safety, great for training and family sailing. Attractive features for a training craft include self-draining cockpit, slab reefing mainsail and furling headsail.
New Fleet
Having now committed to the new design and with the extraordinary support of a few key senior members RBYC has taken delivery of 10 new RS Quest dinghies in readiness for the start of the 2017/18 season. Many other clubs have now taken delivery or ordered Quest dinghies for their sail training programs.
Last Sunday, December 10th a beautiful mild Melbourne summers' day, saw the naming and launching of the new RBYC RS Quest fleet. A huge crowd was in attendance to witness this most significant event including 80 year member, Mr John Alhurst who ran the Youth Program so many years ago.
It is significant to note that all 10 boats were donated to RBYC for use by the Youth Challenge Program as well as other club training programs. We extend our most grateful thanks to the donors who, by their actions have ensured that the future of junior and youth sailing at RBYC will continue to grow and prosper.
Stonehaven Cup
The implementation plan for the RS Quest into the Youth Sailing 'Challenge' Program has been a key consideration with the interests of all stake-holders front and centre. The Stonehaven Cup competition has played an enormous part in the sailing careers of so many people over so many years so the transition from the 12Ft Cadet to the RS Quest for the program and its part in the Stonehaven Cup going forward requires careful planning by the management committee. The work on this aspect of the transition continues with input from all participating clubs.
The 89th Stonehaven Cup to be hosted by RMYS in January 2018 will be the last Stonehaven Cup competition in the 12 Foot Cadet. With the support of participating clubs such as St Helens Sailing Squadron, King Island Boat Club, RMYS (who have all ordered RS Quest dinghies) and of course RBYC, it is planned that the 2019 Stonehaven Cup will be run at RBYC and sailed in Quest dinghies and with the current interest from so many clubs already, we anticipate the Stonehaven Cup will once again become the eminent competition for youth sailors in Australia.
The Program
The key to the success of the 'Challenge' Program is three crew in a boat having fun while learning how to sail, developing friendships for life as well as skills in leadership, teamwork, cooperation and the development of self-confidence.
This is what the Youth Program has done for 90+ years and with the commitment to the new platform it is hoped that this may continue for another 90.This has been a big decision for the program Renewal Initiative Team and the various club committees after such a long and illustrious cadet dinghy history. However the excitement that has been generated around the Quest and the broad range of training program options that may be built around the boat augers well for a very bright future for youth and adult sail training in Australia.