The Javelin is a high-performance

skiff A skiff is any of a variety of essentially unrelated styles of small boats. Traditionally, these are coastal craft or river craft used for leisure, as a utility craft, and for fishing, and have a one-person or small crew. Sailing skiffs have devel ...

type

dinghy A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed by a larger vessel for use as a tender. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor. Some are rigged for sailing but they differ from sailing dinghies, which ...

sailed in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. The class was founded by designer John Spencer in 1961. Spencer also founded the

Cherub A cherub (; plural cherubim; he, כְּרוּב ''kərūḇ'', pl. ''kərūḇīm'', likely borrowed from a derived form of akk, 𒅗𒊏𒁍 ''karabu'' "to bless" such as ''karibu'', "one who blesses", a name for the lamassu) is one of the u ...

Class. It is 14 feet long, sporting a large sail area, single

trapeze A trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a ceiling support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances. Trapeze acts may be static, spinning (rigged from a single point), swinging or flying, an ...

and

asymmetrical spinnaker An asymmetrical spinnaker is a sail used when sailing downwind. Also known as an "asym", "aspin", or "A-sail" it can be described as a cross between a genoa jib and a spinnaker. It is asymmetric like a genoa, but, the asymmetrical spinnaker is not ...

. The Javelin is a development class, meaning that boats vary in shape within a framework of rules, rather than being all built to the same design.

Bruce Farr Bruce Kenneth Farr (born 1949 in Auckland) is a New Zealand designer of racing and cruising yachts. Farrdesigned boats have won, challenged for, or placed highly in the Whitbread Round the World Race, America's Cup, and Sydney to Hobart Yacht Ra ...

is another well-known designer who drew successful Javelins. Its lightweight hull, and powerful, efficient sail plan allow it to exceed speeds of 25

knots A knot is a fastening in rope or interwoven lines. Knot may also refer to: Places * Knot, Nancowry, a village in India Archaeology * Knot of Isis (tyet), symbol of welfare/life. * Minoan snake goddess figurines#Sacral knot Arts, entertainme ...

and provide an exhilarating "ride" with exciting fleet racing.

Competitions and racing

Both

and

run their respective National championships each year, with New Zealand holding a National contest ever since 1964. The two countries race each other every second year in the Javelin Class South Pacific Championships, sailing for the "Air New Zealand Trophy". This contest was first sailed during the season of 1968–69, and was won by the New Zealand Javelin ''Rangi''. The South Pacific Championships is the most sought after of the titles.

Sanders Memorial Cup (NZ)

The Sanders Memorial Cup is the oldest sailing

trophy A trophy is a tangible, durable reminder of a specific achievement, and serves as a recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics. In many sports medals (or, in ...

sailed for in New Zealand. The Sanders Cup holds a special place in New Zealand Yachting History; it is the oldest trophy sailed for in New Zealand under its original inception and it is the only remaining senior interprovincial challenge competition still sailed for today. Since the inaugural races in 1921, it has been sailed for every year with the exception of 1942–45. The Sanders Memorial Cup was presented by Messrs Walker and Hall Limited in 1921 in the memory of Lieutenant Commander W. E. Sanders, V.C., D.S.O., R.N.R. for interprovincial competition between one-design

yachts A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

. The Javelin class sail each year for the Sanders Cup, with only one entry from each region in New Zealand allowed. A sail-off takes place to determine who will represent each region.

External links

Official AU/NZ Javelin Home pageAU/NZ Javelin Facebook page
Dinghies Sailing in Australia Sailing in New Zealand {{Sailing-stub