A strong fleet of 25 high performance spinnaker shod F16s and F18s descended upon the brilliant waters of Salamander bay in Port Stephens this January for the Element Sails F16 National Titles. For the first time at national title level the F16 fleet invited the F18 fleet to join the fun and launched the Goodall Design Formula Cup.

The Element Sails F16 National titles is a serious racing affair but with the insatiable desire of the catamaran sailors to always have fun the Goodall Design Formula CUP was created to share the festival of craziness with the bigger heavier F18s. It is a unique fleet in which the lighter youth and mixed F16 teams are competitive against the more powerful but heavier adult F18 teams.

Heavy winds with challenging chop were the order of the day on 5 of the 6 days of sailing with one beautiful South Easterly day in the middle of the regatta providing smooth blue water and gentle 12 knot breeze, but for only 1 race before it died.

The F18s were brutally fast in the choppy conditions and crewed by some big names in the F18 scene. James MacDonald and Adam Coe took the honours on countback and the closes finish ever in the last race against a well drilled father/son team of Peter and Bailey Skewes. Third spot on the Goodall Design Formula Cup podium was rescued for the F16 lightweights by Emma Rankin/Beau White on a Viper2.

The regatta showcased the usual cut and thrust high speed racing one expects from F18 and F16 in 15 highly contested races. Greg Goodall from Goodall design was on hand on a coach boat to watch the action close up. After racing Greg gave the fleet of passionate sailors a de-brief of golden information for use the next day of racing.

Two organized social evenings were held, one being a fancy dress party that featured a rather entertaining talent quest. Sailors rode unicycles, performed skipping rope tricks, sang songs, played violin and told jokes. Capital Brewing out of Canberra sponsored delicious beer in what turned out to be a celebration of racing fast top level catamarans in a big fleet with worthy adversaries and friends.

Part of the new format for the Formula Cup was a bangin’ the corners knockout competition inspired by Jody Shiels and Beau Outteridge. The Breeze was light for the event but the racing was heavy and raucous. Three knockout races featured a downwind start two shy reaches, an excess of on water banter and dirty tricks. All this much to the delight and entertainment of the Capital Beer swilling spectators on the Salamander bay Jetty. Resourceful single handers hooked dolls to their boats to comply with F16 class rules to carry a jib in double handed mode but to no avail they all got the gong and had the leave the course before the final. Dan and Nathan van Kerckhof smashed the fleet on their Akurra F18 follwed by Emma Rankin in shorts and a T shirt and Beau White on an F16 a hairs breath ahead of Pete and Bailey Skewes with Ben Clark and Peter Dunk rounding out the finalists.

Back to the serious stuff - the Element Sails F16 National came down to the final race where Brett Goodall/Cameron Kaul on the Goodall Design Viper 2 needed to win and put one boat between Emma Rankin and Beau White. In a continuation of their epic 5 day battle the two boats rounded left and right at the bottom gate simultaneously. The high wind, 14 race wear and tear and slamming chop unfortunately caused a gear failure for Brett and Cameron on the last work. Emma and Beau romped to the win ahead of Ben Clark and Peter Dunk’s Element Sails Viper who took the final podium spot just ahead of last years F16 national champions Nick Reader and Simon Skoog on Ruel Rigging.

A wild week it was, teams agreed, as they packed boats and celebrated the awesomeness of sailing.

Next year the event will be held in January in Meningie SA.

An event video is available here and if any clubs wish to play the video please contact F16 association for the download or feel free to run it from youtube to help our sponsors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E234qorOMc

The event was sponsored by partners at:
Goodall Design Australia
Element Sails
Harken Australia
Ruel Rigging

Shirt sponsors:
Capital Brewing
Bigfoot Bags and Custom Harnesses
The Boat Warehouse
Contender Sailcloth
Weathermax Fabric
Catcovers.com.au