Victorian Assoc HistoryA few photo’s from the mid 60’s .
The first is Saint skippered by John Graham with a very young Noel Sutcliffe up front taken 66-67 era (one wire in those days.)
The second photo is taken off a sketch by the late Jack Page (Pidgy) which depicts the result of a storm on Saturday arvo in December 67 just a couple of weeks before we all went to Sydney for the first Australian 14 World Title. It was a combined National and World title at Manly in Sydney and the first championship I sailed in.
That storm which the sketch is based on went through with a front recorded at 70 knots (measured officially at Pt Lonsdale) hence everyone capsized. Some 13 boats across various classes at Black Rock were smashed to pieces, but amazingly no one hurt. I was on V22 Burrana and we spent about 2 hours in the water holding on to the capsized boat to keep it laying down, while we washed ashore. That sketch alone contains many stories about various colourful characters.
The third photo is the origin of the Big T, Ted’s first 14 which he rebuilt from the shell of an old 14 that his Uncle Lou Silbereisen had owned and crewing with Ted’s Dad Bert, and Bob Keely on the helm. Despite popular opinion the T stood for Tumult the boat’s name not Ted.
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To follow is an excerpt from "On The Wire" Spring issue 1987:
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