10/09/2026
1970s, a golden decade for Kiwi 18 footers
The 1970s was a wonderful decade of evolution in the 18 footers, with strong international fleets, an incredible level of talented competitors and designers, as well as some brilliant competition in World championship regattas, and much was related to a series of Kiwi influences.
The greatest Kiwi achievement of all was the incredible performance of the Travelodge New Zealand team which recorded an amazing 1974 regatta victory over a highly-talented Australian 4-boat team on Waitemata Harbour, Auckland.
It began in 1970-71 when two New Zealand designers, John Chappel and Bruce Farr, produced 3-handed skiffs for David Porter (Aussie) and Wayne Fleet (Miss UEB) respectively, which dominated racing on Sydney Harbour and Waitemata Harbour, Auckland.
Although the 4-handed Travelodge NSW won the 1971 worlds in Auckland and the 1973 regatta on Sydney Harbour, for Bob Holmes, each victory was achieved through consistency more than outright brilliance and came partly as a result of a rule which was changed at the end of the 1971 regatta.
Until that time, a competitor which capsized was not permitted to continue to race. A very costly problem for the flying 3-handed Aussie which won two of the five races in 1971 but capsized in two others.
Despite the result for Aussie, the writing was on the wall for the long-term future of 4-handers and the change became a reality the following season when the Bruce Farr-designed Smirnoff dominated the 1972 World Championship regatta on Brisbane’s Waterloo Bay.
Smirnoff scored easy wins in each of the first four races when Don Lidgard and his crew successfully used the tactic of tacking downwind to make the skiff almost unbeatable off a wind. Their only defeat came in the final race when they were recalled at the start. After managing to get back into the lead the team capsized again before finally finishing an incredible second – only 16s behind the winner.
Words by Frank Quealey
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