B195 (Peterson One Tonner)

Sailing trials soon after launching

B195 was commissioned by Australian yachtsman Tom Stephenson for the 1977 One Ton Cup, held in Auckland. Stephenson was a seasoned offshore campaigner, having won the Half Ton Cup in 1975 aboard his Doug Peterson designed Foxy Lady, followed with a fifth place in the 1976 edition with his Ron Holland design Southern Shamrock. For the design of his new One Tonner, Stephenson returned to Peterson who came up with a yacht that was of quite a different concept to his earlier heavier displacement style. 

Her most distinctive characteristics were perhaps a fractional rig and use of a centreboard and internal ballast - this was an approach that became almost mandatory in the summer of 1977 following the failure of the Offshore Rating Council to plug the centreboard loophole the previous year. 

B195 under construction in Bruce Keir's Melbourne yard (photo Doug Peterson Tribute page)

Deck plan of B195 (Doug Peterson Tribute page)

The B195 half model

Hydraulic bobstay detail

B195 appeared to be quite close in a number of parameters with the Farr centreboarders that had arrived on the scene for the 1977 Cup, and her stern shape was reminiscent of the previous generation of Farr designs, if a little narrower. She could perhaps best be described as a development of Peterson's 1976 Quarter Ton design Star-Eyed Stella. In an interesting turnaround between the Farr and Peterson approaches, B195 had a measured displacement some 500kg less than the Farr boats, but this was traded for slightly less length and more beam. 

The overall result was a shallower, smaller boat that carried only fractionally more sail than the Farr boats. As another point of difference, B195 relied almost entirely on internal ballast, with a light centreboard, whereas Farr had sought additional stability with centreboards that made up approximately 20 percent of their overall ballast.

The B195 campaign was underwritten by the electronics manufacturer Pioneer Sound and the yacht originally sported her sponsors name. However, Rule 26 of the international yacht racing rules at the time dictated that the name could not stand, and, after a fruitless geographical search to find a water body of the same name as the sponsor, the yacht became known simply as her sail number. This problem mirrored similar issues in New Zealand with the likes of The Red Lion and Smir-Noff-Agen, and was a somewhat farcical situation given that the Cup races, and the preceding national trials, were normally named after their commercial sponsors.

B195 sails upwind in one of the inshore races of the 1977 One Ton Cup (photo Jenny Green/Sea Spray)

B195 won her Australian trial series, with close competition provided by the winner of the 1976 Sydney-Hobart, the stock Farr 1104 Piccolo, and another 1104 Wild Turkey and the Farr centreboarder Hecate. All four boats made the trip to Auckland for the Cup. In the first race B195 came in fifth, seemingly overpowered compared with the Farr centreboarders, and the crew felt that their sails were too full compared to the New Zealand boats. But of more immediate concern was the discovery of a long crack along the starboard side of the hull which necessitated urgent repairs overnight, and for the rest of the series B195 sported a prominent patch on her waterline. 

In the next race B195 had her worst result, finishing eighth. It was apparent that B195 was more tender upwind and gave away speed to the Farr centreboarders on this point of sail. This was offset in part by good downwind speed, though her lighter displacement and a centre of gravity that didn't change whether the centreboard was up or down. B195 bounced back in the middle distance race, however, finishing second behind The Red Lion. She also started strongly in the fourth race, but was unable to hold off the New Zealand charge on the final beat and finished fifth.

Close up view of B195 during the 1977 One Ton Cup (photo Maritime Museum)

B195 slides downwind (photo Doug Peterson Tribute page)

B195 seen here at the start of the middle distance offshore race, with Mr Jumpa (left) and Smackwater Jack (right)

B195 had the worst possible start to the final race for the White Horse Trophy (325 miles). The start was moved into the harbour due to high winds, and soon after the port runner popped out of the mast and a crewman had to be hoisted aloft to reattach it during the beat out of the Rangitoto Channel. By the time the recalcitrant runner had been tamed B195 was trailing the fleet, with only Heatwave astern after they had also experienced rig problems. B195 bounced back, however, in gale force winds on the beat to Channel Island. Jenny H and Hecate had to pull out with hull damage in the big seas experienced on the first night, but B195 handled the conditions well and was really flying on the downwind leg, and later pushed into the lead on the leg to the Poor Knights Islands. The race in the top group remained close to the end, but B195 found herself too far offshore in calms on the way to the finish and had to settle for fourth, which gave her fourth place overall.

B195 sails dead downwind under spinnaker and blooper during one of the offshore races

B195 slides along during one of the offshore races alongside Smackwater Jack

Afterwards Stephenson acknowledged the speed of the Farr centreboarders that had filled the first three places, but did feel that B195 was more of an all rounder, with untapped potential in light airs and a leftover sea. 

B195 nears a windward mark in pursuit of Jenny H during the 1977 One Ton Cup (photo Maritime Museum)

B195 in Port Phillip Bay and providing some exposure for the boat's sponsor

B195 returned to Australia in time to sail for the Victorian team in the 1977 Southern Cross Cup, and was the only boat to get close to the New Zealand team of Jenny H, Smir-Noff-Agen and the Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble, with placings in the first three races of 4/3/5. She was lucky to avoid disqualification in the middle distance race for an infraction of the radio schedule rules. Stephenson claimed radio failure, although this did not impress the race committee given that B195 was still owned at that stage by an electronics manufacturer (Pioneer). Like Smir-Noff-Agen and Swuzzlebubble, B195 retired from the fourth race, the Sydney-Hobart classic, after she cracked her hull about 80 miles off Gabo Island. She retired to Eden to wait out the gale force winds and huge seas that saw a record number of retirements from the race.

B195 on Sydney Harbour during the 1977 Southern Cross Cup

B195 (left) to weather of Lovelace and Country Boy

Later the yacht was renamed Magic Pudding after being bought by a syndicate headed by John Karrasch. Her next international appearance was in the inaugural 1978 Clipper Cup held in Hawaii, where she came up against Farr keelboats Country Boy and Lovelace from New Zealand and Carrie Ann V from Hawaii in Class C. Honours were fairly even until the long ocean race (around the Hawaiian islands) when Magic Pudding held the breeze in the vital stages to finish a whopping six hours ahead of Carrie Ann V and 11 hours ahead of Country Boy to win the race overall, giving her third place in the fleet standings (second in Class C), and backing up team-mate Ragamuffin's second place to secure the King Kamehameha Trophy for Australia.

B195 (as Magic Pudding) to weather of Love Lace at the 1978 Clipper Cup (photo Facebook)

B195 (as Magic Pudding) powers along to leeward of Country Boy during the 1978 Clipper Cup (photo Phil Uhl/Facebook)

Magic Pudding sails past South Point of the big island of Hawaii during the 1978 Clipper Cup (photo Phil Uhl/Facebook)

The boat was later sold in the US and was sailed to San Diego, where she came to a sad and untimely end when she caught fire in a marina. Her bow section graced Doug Peterson's garden for many years after.

Doug and the bow of B195 (photo Doug Peterson Tribute page)

A sistership to B195, Australian yacht Deception

Quarter Ton Cup 2013

The 2013 Quarter Ton Cup was sailed over 15-17 July and was the ninth edition of this series which is now raced under IRC (with ratings of between 0.860 and 0.916) - this accommodates a range of yachts that had originally raced under the three variations of the Quarter Ton IOR rule that ran from the early 1970s to the mid-1990s. The regatta was hosted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club and attracted 26 of these classic IOR racers.

Fleet start on the first day, with Per Elisa starting well to windward

Racing was tight throughout the fleet and three wins by the 1980 Bruce Farr design and 2007 and 2011 champion Espada on the second day were of the narrowest margins. The races were delayed on each day while the fleet waited for the breeze and several of the teams were hoping that it would fill in early enough on the final day to run multiple races to catch up on Espada's 8 point lead, but it was not to be and only one start was possible before the 14.30 cut off time. Louise Morton and her crew aboard Espada had the regatta in the bag with a race to spare, although they still chose to come out and sail regardless.

Espada (left) and Alice II round a weather mark on the first day

Espada’s position might have been secure, but the battle for the remaining podium places was wide open. Rickard Melander’s Alice II, Bullit, helmed by Ashley Curtis (in Peter Morton's absence), Ian Southworth in Whiskers and Willy McNeil & Mike Pascall’s Illegal Immigrant went into the day separated by just 6.5 points so it was game on.

Illegal Immigrant flew off the start line with the others in hot pursuit. Blackfun was closest of the chasing pack and worried away at them like a terrier with a bone, but Illegal Immigrant’s crew did a text book job of defending their position. Behind the leading pair Alice II, Bullit and Whiskers were slugging away in the front of the pack, all desperate to make it onto the podium. It was so close on the line that the third to ninth placed boats finished within a minute of each other. Ashore it was confirmed that Illegal Immigrant was first with Blackfun second, Alice II third, Bullit fourth, Eric Reynold’s Magnum Evolution fifth and Whiskers sixth. A relaxed Espada cruised home in seventh place to win the Cup.

Blackfun works to windward on the first day

The recent winner of the 2013 Dutch Quarter Ton championship Pinguin Playboy, had their worst day, finishing 12th to end up in sixth place overall.  Former 2009 champion Anchor Challenge was not far behind, in eighth place. 

Windward mark action aboard Bad Toad

The ex-New Zealand yacht Blackfun had a very inconsistent series, opening with an eighth and a first, but was blackflagged in the third race and withdrew from the fourth after a collision at the top mark. On the second day she again showed her potential, posting a second and sixth, but a startline infringement in race 6 led to a disastrous 20th placing. Her second on the final day saw Rob Gray and his crew recover some ground on the overall table, but still finished a disappointing ninth overall.

Blackfun powers off the startline on the second day

Whiskers chases Espada downwind on the final day of racing

Alice II leads the pack downwind on the final day

A triumphant Louise Morton and her crew finish the last race in 7th place to win the 2013 Quarter Ton Cup

Detailed race reports from each day can be found on the Quarter Ton blog and the results and more photos can be seen on the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club site. Images are courtesy of Fiona Brown and Jonathan Hoare. A great video of the second day of racing is here:

Export Lion (Farr One Tonner)

The 1978 One Ton Cup was held in Flensburg, Germany. Stu Brentnall and his crew had won the 1977 series in Auckland aboard their Farr centreboarder The Red Lion, but after the Cup Brentnall sold the champion yacht to an Italian yachtsman.  With the sale of other top local One Tonners to overseas owners, including Jenny H, Mr Jumpa and Smir-noff-Agen, it was apparent that New Zealand would struggle to mount a defence of the trophy.  

Brentnall approached the RNZYS with a proposal to build a new boat for the 1978 series, based largely on the design that was so successful in 1977 but optimised to meet the changes to the IOR. This included several hull and rig alterations aimed to improve performance in the light to moderate conditions expected in the Baltic, being slightly shorter, beamier and lighter and with a bigger rig.  A centreboard configuration was opted for rather than a fixed keel, because at the time the design was drawn this still appeared to be a viable proposition.

Final preparations for the launching of Export Lion, June 1978 (photo Jenny Green/Sea Spray)

Export Lion was built in double quick time by Alexander Boats, who had also built The Red Lion, and Brentnall's earlier One Tonner, Jiminy Cricket. 

Export Lion on launching day at Westhaven, Auckland (photo courtesy of Lion Archives)

Export Lion on launching day (photograph by Jenny Green/Sea Spray)

Export Lion sails downwind along the central Auckland waterfront (photo courtesy Lion Nathan)

Export Lion during sailing trials on the Waitemata Harbour

With the return of the One Ton Cup to Europe, there was a boost in fleet numbers, with 36 yachts representing 13 countries. The Red Lion and Jenny H (renamed Scalawag) remained competitive, despite the changes needed to their centreboards under new IOR regulations. But a series threat also emerged in the shape of two Ron Holland designed yachts, Tilsalg and Bremen, who had engaged in extensive two boat tuning before the series. 

Germany's Tilsalg sails upwind during the 1978 One Ton Cup (photo Peter Montgomery/Sea Spray)

Germany's Bremen sails downwind alongside Britain's Solent Saracen, another Farr design, in the 1978 One Ton Cup (photo Peter Montgomery/Sea Spray)

However, it was Export Lion that held a slender lead after three races of just 0.625 points over Bremen, with Tilsalg a further 2.25 points behind. Scalawag was not far off the pace, and any of these four boats could have gone on to take the series. Export Lion had proved to be more tender than her predecessor, but proved fast in all conditions and points of sailing, and performed best when the breeze was above 5 to 8 knots. She was equipped very lightly, but had minimal problems with gear breakages.

Export Lion in fresh conditions in Flensburg (photo Facebook)

Export Lion 

Export Lion alongside a German competitor in light airs and amongst an enthusiastic spectator fleet (photo Peter Montgomery)

With such a narrow lead, Export Lion took a cautious approach to the start of the last race, the long offshore. But despite hanging back from a biased start line on starboard tack, with sheets eased and waiting for the line to clear, the also-ran Cascabel collided with Export Lion with such force that Export Lion was spun around and was pointing backwards when the gun went. It took some time for the two yachts to disengage, and both were at the back of the fleet at the first mark. Although in a 300 mile race this would not have seemed insurmountable, the mark had heralded the start of the 150 miles of fast downwind sailing, and gave the front runners, sailing at 9 knots, a big advantage over those still trying to get to the first mark at 6 knots.

Export Lion powers along upwind in the 1978 One Ton Cup (photo Peter Montgomery)

Tilsalg prepares for a spinnaker set during the 1978 One Ton Cup

Tilsalg also had some ground to make up as she was in the middle of the fleet at the top mark, but she was able to summon some good downwind speed to work her way up to tenth at the next turning mark. Both Tilsalg and Bremen were able to secure more than a sufficient margin over Export Lion to take the first two places overall. Both were beneficiaries of Export Lion's misfortune - but Export Lion had been sailed as well as any in the series. Even though Farr had - unnecessarily as it turned out - remodelled his 1977 design in anticipation of lighter airs in Germany, Export Lion was still considered the fastest boat there. But in the end Scalawag finished as the best placed Farr boat in third place, while Export Lion finished fifth.

 Tilsalg - winner of the 1978 One Ton Cup (photo Peter Montgomery/Sea Spray)

Export Lion trails Heatwave during one of the inshore races during the 1978 One Ton Cup

Eclipse (Peterson 39)

A recent post on this site featured the Australian yacht Police Car, an Ed Dubois 42 foot design which was something of a revelation in the 1979 Admiral's Cup, signalling the advent (in the Admiral's Cup scene anyway) of moderate displacement, wide flat stern sections and a tall fractional rig. While fast, she finished as the second yacht in the individual standings with 409 points, some 17 points behind the top boat Eclipse, a small and conservative looking minimum-rating 39 footer designed by Doug Peterson. 

Eclipse was owned and campaigned by Jeremy Rogers, who had enjoyed much success with his previous Peterson yacht Moonshine, and before that the 1974 One Ton Cup winner Gumboots. Rogers was responsible for the build of a number of British Cup hopefuls, and those commitments meant that his new Eclipse only hit the water a week before the first race in the British trials. Eclipse was built in exotics, a forerunner of a vacuum bag layup, and featured the lightest construction and displacement of any of the Admiral's Cuppers of 1979. She also displayed wider and more powerful stern sections than had been evident on earlier Peterson yachts, and this would seem to have been a useful trait when sailing downwind in the strong winds that would be experienced in the Admiral's Cup that year. Rogers also filled the boat with talent, with Phil Crebbin and Chris Law from Moonshine sharing helming duties. Bill Tripp from the Peterson office was also on board.

Eclipse during the 1979 Admiral's Cup during the lighter airs of the first race (photo Facebook)

Eclipse during the 1979 Admiral's Cup during the lighter airs of the first race (photo Sharon Green/Ultimate Sailing)

Rogers and his crew managed only an hour's tune up before Eclipse made her first start but they managed to win the de Guingand Bowl offshore race by ten minutes on corrected time. After qualifying for the British Admiral's Cup team, alongside Blizzard and Morning Cloud V, Eclipse went on to sail consistently well in what was a very windy series. In the four races prior to the Fastnet Race she recorded placings of 6/7/3/13. This was a notable achievement for such a small boat in fresh conditions, when normally it would be expected that the bigger yachts would be able to stretch away and dominate the standings. 

Eclipse heads downwind in fresh conditions with spinnaker and shooter set (photo Guy Gurney)

Aerial view of Eclipse during the 1979 Admiral's Cup (photo Seahorse)

To round off her impressive performances in the earlier races, Eclipse went on to finish as the first Admiral's Cup yacht on corrected time in the storm-affected Fastnet Race. Eclipse had sailed west of the rhumb line when the wind began to really howl, so Rogers' crew were high of the mark when they began to get headed. They were able to change down to just a storm jib and reach into Cape Clear before tacking and reaching out to the west, and to windward, of Fastnet Rock. Once around the Rock, Eclipse's crew surfed home at a 10-knot average, with just a scrap of sail set. Having the lightest, and probably the lightest-built, yacht in the fleet proved an advantage when running back down the huge seas that were causing havoc with the smaller boats that were still making their way to the Rock.

Eclipse sails downwind close behind Red Rock IV

Eclipse beat the second placed yacht in the Fastnet fleet (France's Jubile VI) by 35 minutes on corrected time and was the first British Admiral's Cup boat to win the Fastnet race since Clarion in 1963. Unfortunately the performances of her team-mates were well below the standard set by Eclipse, and the British team, as defenders of the trophy, finished in sixth place overall.

Eclipse in more recent times (date unkown), having been sold from Norway to Sweden in about 1988 (photo Facebook)