The R class skiff

There is no point in merging the 12, R, UK cherub and OZ cherub due to so many issues! But yes, a uk cherub can race with the 12's, and the 12's do run their small rigs and race the cherubs and R's.

As it is we have been invited to race the worlds in oz with these guys, & at the nationals there was talk about having mixed international 12ft racing in Garda. A lil closer to home for us cherub lads! But then we get to race against the OZ 12's!

That would be well gd to have a mixed internationals at Garda, hmmmm maybe in a year or so when we own a more competitive boat . That would be well gud, hmmm, im thinking after race rides in the 12's!

In reality the 12s and R-class share events already.  The 12s are invited to the Leander trophy and if I am correct, it has been a 12' skiff hull that has won the trophy in recent years - proving 8" isn't everything...

The NZ 12's grew out of the Q class.

 As for minium weight R class rules dont have one. I think there down to 30kgs and 12's are 45kgs. Alot of the 12's, Stagecoach included, race as 12's and R's.

R's are 12'9" long

Acer is a Sydney based 12. the way to pick the R class is the sail nos.12's don't have them or have a look at the profiles part on the 12 footer web site.

www.skiff.org.au

As for the UK churbs racing agains the twelves COME ON DOWN!!! I think you will have a good time

 

In NZ back in the 50s there were three classes of performance boats about 12ft: Cherub, Q and R.
The Cherub was around 110 sq ft sails, 1 string,
The R was I think around 200 sq ft sails
The Q was unlimited sail multiple rigs.

Cherubs tended to be teenagers and a bit older (although older sailors had them too, notably a couple called Frank and Nel Bethwaite who must have been late twenties or early 30s)

Rs and Qs were much more adults boats. I think there may have been a tendency for Q in Auckland and R in (windy) Wellington, but I could be wrong.

The Cherubs migrated to Aus, with Frank Bethwaite being one of the factors, and the Qs sort of merged with the Australian 12 foot skiffs. The Rs remained unique to NZ.

Nowadays the Cherubs are more or less extinct in NZ, but are very strong in AUS, more or less to their orginal rules other than a sprit kite and a tad more white sail.

So the difference between the multiple rig unlimited rag 12 footer and the R is really quite distinct and logical. Its just that 12s with the small rig happen to measure as Rs.