Video of the week

Aussie Flying Ant

http://www.flyingants.org.au/

10 foot long Junior class that has bred some of the greats in OZ.

100 % Flying Ant mate.......  Just attached some pics above.

These boats are tiny and the young kids go hard.  I have raced at regattas with them when we have pushed out in 25 plus knots.

Here is a pic to give you an indication of the size.

Their home built mate (and cheap).....  Easier to get into the UK than 12s

Flying Ant Plans

Class History

The Flying Ant was designed over 30 years ago in New Zealand by John Spencer, who also designed the Cherub.

It was not long before the class came across the Tasman and was being sailed on the east and west coasts of Australia by both girls and boys from 9 to 18 years of age.

In 1964 the first N.S.W. State Championship was held at Northbridge, proudly won by "Echo", skippered by Chris Wise from the Northbridge Sailing Club on Sydney's Middle Harbour.

The inaugural National Championship followed in 1967 and crowned the first Flying Ant National Champion, "Radiant" skippered by J. Brown and crewed by F. O'Rourke from N.S.W. This was the start of the Australian Flying Ant Skiff Association, which now comprises of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia and South Australia.

The Flying Ant has undergone many changes since those early days and the modern design is a "State of the Art" racing machine. The Flying Ant is the ideal boat for juniors coming out of Sabots and Manly Juniors who want to sail a fast exciting planing skiff with a single trapeze and self draining cockpit.

The skills developed in the class have enabled many sailors to progress to the 29er, 49er, 16' Skiff and the 18' Skiff classes.

Some of the sailors who have sailed in Flying Ants and have gone on to be super heroes of the sport are:-

David Witt - 18' Skiff Nokia

David Ewings - 18' Skiff Club Marine

David Gibson - 18' Skiff Club Marine

Keegan York - 18' Skiff Bloomberg

Geoff Bauchop - 18' Skiff Schneider

Craig Ferris - 18' Skiff Tyrrels Wine. 1976 and 1977 N.S.W. State FA Champion.

Brad Gibson - 18' Skiff Southern Cross. 1983 FA National Champion.

Geoff Moore - 18' Skiff Konica

Julian Bethwaite - Designer & Builder of the Olympic 49er Class. Julian writes "Flying Ant Skiffs introduced me to the basic concept of high performance sailing and the finer details needed to maxamise boat speed." Julian works in the families boat building business Starboard Products at Harboard, with his sister Nicki. Nicki won the Cherub Nationals not so long ago. Starboard products are the designers and builders of the 49er, 29er and Tasar.

Natasha Sturgess - 1996 Atlanta Olympian." In the three years I sailed Flying Ants, I learned so much about team work and hot competition. It was an excellent starting point for my future endeavours in this exciting sport of sailing."

Gary Geitz - Professional sail maker and the owner of Olympic Sails at Brookvale in Sydney.1969 FA N.S.W. State Champion and 1970 FA National Champion. Gary now competes in world and Olympic classes all over the world and is always available to our young sailors for help and advice.

Ian Murray - High performance yacht and dinghy designer, including the 12 metre America's Cup yachts

James Wilmot - World renowned professional sailor. Currently skippering Heaven Can Wait.

Hull.

Length 3.2 metres

Beam 1.295 metres

Min. weight 40.9 kg

Sails.

Main 4.9 sq.mtr

Jib 1.9 sq.mtr

Spinnaker 4.1 sq.mtr

Worse, they get Fevas.

Change of topic and sorry if this is old hat but its the first time Id seen it.

Makes even a Laser seem slightly appealing... or perhaps its just the wind and waves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3uhghIrwQY&eurl=

Ian