The official book launch of THE GWEN 12’s IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA was held at the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club on Sunday 21 July. Former Gwen 12 sailor, John Gratton won two consecutive Gwen 12 State Championships in 1972/73 and 1973/74. John is the author of the book and he has done a stellar job researching, compiling, writing and publishing the history of The Gwen 12’s in SA. With contributions from Gwen sailors from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, it is a great read, photographic history and provides firm facts about the boats and its sailors.

The book launch proved a great opportunity for a Gwen 12 reunion and rekindling of old friendships. With over 100 former Gwen 12 sailors, family and friends attending the event, it proved a great occasion. John Gratton, Susan Teagle and Peter Johnson (long time Gwen skipper and 2 times State Champion) spearheaded the event. John Gratton’s former Gwen crew and 3 times State Champion, Ian Kohler travelled from New Zealand in order to attend the event. Peter Hubble travelled from Sydney for the gathering. Peter Hubble won a total of 4 Gwen 12 National Championships with skipper, Peter Dollin. They took out the record for the most National Championship wins in the class. Hubble went on to race 18-foot Skiffs for a period and notched up a record 7 National Championships as for’ard hand in the 16-foot Skiffs. The ‘Gwen catch cry’ used to be “If you could sail a Gwen, you could sail anything”. Peter Hubble mentioned those exact words on the evening.

Gwen sailors shared stories and anecdotes of the many National Championships held all around Australia. Tales of screaming reaches as their Gwen’s clocked speeds of 20 knots under spinnaker and single trapeze. Two of the ‘Gwenners’ who went on to sail at the front of the Sharpie and Fireball fleets commented that “the most hair-raising and what felt like the fastest rides they’d ever experienced was on a Gwen”. This was in the days when sailors had to qualify to represent their state in National Championships. The days when Gwen fleets were sailed from dozens of clubs in all States and Territories of Australia. It was an exciting reunion for all Gwen sailors and admirers of this classic Australian class of yacht.

The events guest speaker was former SA Gwen 12 president, Jim Blake. He spoke with affection of this Australian-designed yacht, it’s well-organised association and its passionate sailors. “The Gwen had to be ‘worked’ to windward, but once the top mark was rounded and the spinnaker launched, the Gwen came into its own. It was something to behold and one hell of a ride”. In South Australia, Brighton and Seacliff Yacht club was the stronghold of the Gwen fleet. Grange Sailing Club, Somerton Yacht Club, Kangaroo Island Yacht Club, Glenelg Sailing Club, and Pt. Vincent Sailing Club were but some of the clubs which raced Gwen fleets over the years in SA.

The first SA Gwen 12 fleet was founded at Pt. Vincent Sailing Club in 1958. The first State Championship was won by Robert Wright in 1959 sailing ‘Scud II’. The final SA State Championship held was won by Grange Sailing Club’s Barry and Tim O’Shea in 1993 sailing ‘Breakaway’. It was fitting that all three of the sailors were at the reunion.

John Gratton has been meticulous with his research for this book. South Australia’s most successful Gwen skipper was Kym Colwell from Grange SC. He along with brother Craig won the 1978/79 National Titles held at Black Rock, Victoria. They were the first South Australian’s to win a Gwen Title. Kym finished in the top 4 final placings in no fewer than 9 National Titles, which included another National Championship win in 1984/85. South Australia’s 2^nd most successful Gwen 12 skipper was Barry O’Shea, also from Grange Sailing Club. Barry finished in the top 4 final placings in 7 National Titles. The 37^th National Gwen 12 Championship in 1989-90 was the last National Title ever held by the class. In an amazing series Barry with his son John O’Shea in ‘Breakaway’ tied with Kangaroo Island’s Bill Buttrose and Gary Johnson sailing ‘Contagious’ to become joint winners of the National Championship. The first time in the 37-year history of the Nationals that a tie for first place had occurred. Bill had been consecutively racing Gwen’s since 1964. Barry had raced in Gwen’s every year since 1971. Adrian Arthur, a long-time Gwen skipper who built and raced no fewer than 6 Gwen’s himself over the years was at the book launch. He was the first Brighton and Seacliff Gwen skipper to take out a Gwen 12 National championship in the 1988-89 titles sailing ‘High Roller’ at his home club. South Australia’s most successful Gwen 12 for’ard hand was Craig Colwell. He placed in the top 4 final placings for 7 National Titles. As for’ard hand he won an impressive 3 Gwen 12 National Championships.

In his book John Gratton writes, “I really loved my time in the Gwens – they were a fast and thrilling boat to sail for a young bloke in his twenties, and some of the best rides that I have ever had in sailing were in a Gwen 12, going flat strap on those wild off-the-wind reaches in big waves!

The National Gwen 12 was designed in 1943 by Melbourne boat builder, Charlie Cunningham. It was a strict one-design class designed for Australian conditions. The class gained momentum and spread throughout Australia with active associations formed in all states and territories. The first National Championship was held in 1952-53 in Sorrento, Victoria.

A fast, seaworthy yacht, the Gwen was renowned as a potent performer off-the-wind under spinnaker and single trapeze. For several decades it was considered to be one of the world’s fastest 12-foot monohulls, once winning the 12-foot skiff interdominion. Subsequently, it was banned from racing against the 12-foot skiffs.

The Gwen was one of the first lightweight high-performance dinghies made of plywood. It carried 120 square feet of working sail area and an 80 square foot single luff spinnaker. She sported a 3-foot bowsprit, 9-foot spinnaker pole, 20-foot mast and a self-draining cockpit. Minimum hull weight with fittings was 63.5kg. The original Gwen’s were fitted with the unique ‘three-way brace’ spinnaker system. The For’ard hand would have to throw the spinnaker pole in front of the boat at each gybe mark. The pole was attached to the bowsprit via a ‘kicker’ rope. Once gybed, the crew would retrieve the pole from the water and fit to the mast. The ‘three-way’ was renowned for quick hoists but slower drops. Most Gwen’s in the 70s adopted the ‘two-way’ spinnaker system with internal foredeck spinnaker-shoot constructed.

Many a Gwen sailor ventured into the senior classes of the 14, 16, and 18-foot Skiffs, Sharpies, Fireballs and 505’s. Two former National champions of note were Iain Oughtred (famed timber boat designer). He won the 1961/62 and 1963-64 Championships. Mike Fletcher (former Olympic coach and Australia II, America’s Cup sailing coach) won the 1956-57 and 1957-58 Championships with Bruce Keir.

Nowadays, several of the former Gwen sailors who attended the book launch are still active sailors. They compete in Tasars, Sabres, NS14s, Sharpies and Keelboats. The current Sharpie National Champion, David Snoad also attended the launch. He raced Gwen’s in his youth at Grange Sailing Club and competed in Gwen National and State Championships along with his parents and brother.

The National Gwen 12 association had developments over the decades. In 1970 the first all fibreglass Gwen was constructed. A larger, deck sweeping jib was also introduced in the same year. Different cockpit designs were introduced with a false floor, and open-transom designs. In 1981, the National Gwen 12 association introduced a 140 square-foot asymmetric mast head spinnaker as a means to ‘liven up’ the class. Many a Gwen skipper owned an 80, 110 or 140 square foot spinnaker and would choose according to the weather conditions.

However, with the advent and promotion of new classes and other interests, the Gwen 12 lost its patronage and held her last National titles in 1990 on Kangaroo Island. A few years later the SA and NSW Gwen associations hung up their trapeze harnesses for the final time.

It seems though, that 25 years on from the Gwen’s having an active racing association, there is a renewed interest in the class, in particular by timber boat enthusiasts.

Tim O’Shea

Former Gwen 12 sailor

Current SA Tasar sailor