Australian Square Metre Association

Welcome to the Australian Square Metre Association.

This new website will continue to grow with your input.

We welcome any suggestions or changes.

Last month I had the pleasure of sailing onboard the Harry Becker designed 30 SQM Scarlett O'Hara. She looks fantastic with her new paint job. Another modification is her 9hp Yanmar diesel engine. Very light and with a small folding prop and very little drag.

Robert Skol the owner, is an entertaining charismatic sailor. His 17 years of experience in this yacht was highly evident. All the crew had never before sailed on Scarlett O'hara yet they they were quickly brought up to speed, myself included. I was also pleasantly surprised when he handed me the tiller and didn't ask for it back until after the race!

Sailing with the CYCA the racing took place in the middle of Sydney Harbour with a good constant breeze of 10-15kts and there was some close knit sailing making for a very enjoyable twilight race. We gained a respectable 3rd place on corrected time.

Thanks again Rob and the crew for a memorable day and I look forward to seeing you on the water in the upcoming RANSA Regatta.

The RANSA Regatta commences in a few weeks time on Sunday the 21st of Febuary. This is to be the first big event of the year for the SQM Yachts on Sydney Harbour.

For the notice of Race visit,

www.ransa.com.au

Letter to the editor..

About 50 years ago, I crewed for a season on a well known 30 Square named Zephyrus at Belmont Yacht Club,Lake Macquarie. She was then owned by a Newcastle identity, Mr.Ted Raisbeck. To make her more seaworthy for JOG events, I believe her topsides were raised about 4 inches. She was constructed of Oregon timber. I was the sheet hand and my home was mostly the aft lazarette.

Back in those days, Zephyrus was the fastest thing on the waters of the Lake, regularly beating the gun Ocean racers, namely Rival, Simba, Valhalla and Ruthean around the buoys; and also regularly raced in JOG events up and down the coast. No engines, no radios etc. in those days.

On one occasion, Ted's first mate, a chap named Stan Robinson and I were to sail her back to lake Mac after a Pittwater race. We ran into a black nor'easter and blew out the headsail. We ran back to Pittwater, surfing down the front of large waves and sheltered behind Lion Island overnight, working halfway through the night sewing up and repairing the headsail.

The wind died down overnight and we resumed our journey without further incident. I recall the wonderful feeling of relief sailing into Swansea after that drama filled event.

Regards,

Peter Mason.

Aeolus is found...???

In the December news we published as story on the yacht Aeolus which was last documented on Sydney Harbour in the 1940's.

We were contacted by an owner of a 30 SQM called Aeolus and he provided pictures of his wonderful yacht.

My Jaw dropped when I saw her....

It was however a bitter sweet pill to swallow, when in subsequent emails with the owner she turned out to be a Swedish built 30sqm built in 1989 not the Aeolus we were looking for.

A beautiful yacht nun the less and I would like to thank Richard Sadler for the great photos and information regarding the SQM yachts in England.

Video of the month..

We have 2 videos for this month.

The first is the Story of the Australian SQM Typhoon.

Launched in 1939 on Lake Macquarie by Les Steel.

She now resides in Queensland.

#CWB17 @ Yahoo! Video

The second video is of the wonderful yacht La Liberte'

Built in Sweden and Launched in 1934 by Kungsors Shipyard.