A 16 ft Skiff is a class of three-person sailing dinghy with twin trapezes and a large asymmetrical spinnaker. The class is unique to Australia, where it is one of the most popular boats sailing with 75 boats registered in 7 clubs. The class has the largest fleet of high performance skiffs on the east coast of Australia. Due to the nature of only allowing two trapezes, the age of the sailors can vary between 15 and 60 years old, making it a versatile class of boat.
Construction The hull (one design), spars and foils are all constructed out of a carbon composite reinforced polymer. Manufacturers of these hulls are generally local boat builders, however are now being sourced overseas. The total weight of the boat is no more than 85 kg fully rigged, resulting in an extremely high sail area to weight ratio.
History The class has been around for over a century and has changed significantly since its beginnings: 1901 Class founded in Balmain
1908 Class expands to Queensland
1922 Class spreads to Western Australia
1976 Rules change to allow any material for hull
1986 Three man crew introduced
1997–98 Strict class rules were introduced with a one design hull by Naval Architect and ex skiff sailor Craig Hughes.
Class specifications
Overall length— Construction—Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Min beam— Max beam— Min weight— Working sail area— Spinnaker sail area— Racing crew—Three
External links Skiffs.org.au
References