Sabre (dinghy)
| Current specifications | |
|---|---|
|
At Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club | |
| Crew | 1 |
| LOA | 3.7 m (12 ft) |
| Hull weight | 41 kg (90 lb) |
The Sabre Dinghy is a class single-handed sailboat that is 12'4" or 3.76 m long. The boat was designed in 1974 by Rex Fettell, who also designed the Minnow. As of May 2013 over 1,980 sail numbers have been issued.
In the 2012 Australian National Titles, there where 130 boats on the start line, making it one of the largest national championships to be held that year of any class boat in Australia. The first national championships where held at Lake Cootharaba in Qld in 1979.
The boat is built in either fibreglass or as a composite (timber deck and fibreglass hull) or plywood by the stitch and glue method and weighs in at minimum of 41 kg (90 lbs).
The rig is simple and easily handled but still provides exciting performance in a breeze.
Being easy to sail and suited to all sailors of varying abilities, it is popular with both learners, the less physically strong sailors who find more powerful boats like the Laser overpowering.
In Australia the Sabre is sailed in over 36 clubs in the state of Victoria, where it is one of the most active supporters of Victorian Yachting Council activities. The fleets in Victoria are at Albert Park Yacht Club, Albert Sailing Club, Altona Yacht Club, Apollo Bay Sailing Club, Ballarat Yacht Club, Beaumaris Yacht Club, Bendigo Yacht Club, Black Rock Yacht Club, Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, Cairn Curran Sailing Club, Carrum Sailing Club, Colac Yacht Club, Corio Bay Sailing Club, Cowes Yacht Club, Davey's Bay Yacht Club, Elwood Sailing Club, Flinders Yacht Club, Frankston Yacht Club, Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club, Hampton Sailing Club, Indented Head Yacht Club, Lake Boga Yacht Club, Latrobe Valley Yacht Club, Lysterfield Sailing Club, McCrae Yacht Club, Mordialloc Sailing Club, Mt Martha Yacht Club, Parkdale Yacht Club, Portarlington Sailing Club, Rye Yacht Club, Safety Beach Sailing Club, Somers Yacht Club, Sugarloaf Sailing Club, Westernport Yacht Club and Williamstown Sailing Club.
Strong fleets in South Australia are centred on the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club, Largs Bay sailing club, Murray Bridge Sailing Club, Port Augusta Yacht Club, Port River Sailing Club, Royal Port Pirie Yacht Club and Victor Harbor Yacht Club.
Western Australia has strong fleets sailing out of East Fremantle Yacht Club, Perth Dinghy Sailing Club, The Cruising Yacht Club, Maylands Yacht Club and Walpole Yacht Club.
Tasmania has fleets sailing out of Deviot Sailing Club, Lindisfarne Sailing Club, Midway Point Yacht Club and Montrose Bay Yacht Club.
The boat is also well represented in New South Wales with Connells Point Sailing Club, Richmond River Sailing Club, Woollahra Sailing Club, Twofold Bay YC and Wallagoot Lake Boat Club
Queensland has fleets at Maroochy Sailing Club, Richmond River Sailing Club (NSW) and the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. Tweed Valley Sailing Club (NSW) has a growing fleet. The odd sabre can be found at Cleveland Yacht Club, Tin Can Bay Yacht Club, Southport Yacht Club and Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club. In the past Cleveland Yacht Club has had a large number of boats and even held the national championships in 2002, but interest in the boat has dropped off and now Maroochy Sailing Club and Royal Qld Yacht Squadron have the two largest fleets. The 2014 State Championships are to be held at Maroochy Sailing Club.
Australian Capital Territory sail out of the YMCA Sailing Club Canberra.
| Year | National Champion | Boat # | Ladies Champion | Boat # | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Scott Olson | 1897 | Laura Baker | 1773 | Perth Dinghy WA | |
| 2013 | Peter Hackett | 1932 | Susan Hextell | 1724 | Royal Qld | |
| 2012 | Chris Dance | 1778 | Laura Baker | 1773 | Blairgowrie Vic | |
| 2011 | Chris Dance | 1778 | Laura Baker | 1773 | Brighton-Seacliffe SA | |
| 2010 | Callum Burns | 1743 | Fiona Martin | 1590 | Bellerive Tas | |
| 2009 | Alex Newman | 1769 | Fiona McCulloch | 1776 | Safety Beach Vic | |
| 2008 | John Gratton | 1698 | Fiona McCulloch | 1596 | Brighton-Seacliffe SA | |
| 2007 | Wayne Bates | 1610 | Fiona McCulloch | 1596 | Cleveland Qld | |
| 2006 | Wayne Bates | 1610 | Maree Early | 1613 | Lindisfarne Tas | |
| 2005 | Alan Riley | 1564 | Fiona McCulloch | 1596 | Twofold Bay NSW | |
| 2004 | Wayne Bates | 1610 | Maree Early | 1613 | Blairgowrie Vic | |
| 2003 | Wayne Bates | 1610 | Maree Early | 1613 | Brighton-Seacliffe SA | |
| 2002 | Michael Johnson | 1596 | Maree Early | 1613 | Cleveland Qld | |
| 2001 | Michael Johnson | 1596 | Maree Early | 1613 | Lindisfarne Tas | |
| 2000 | Damien Pound | 1565 | Krystal Weir | 1233 | Toukley NSW | |
| 1999 | Arthur Brett | 1552 | Faye Mckenzie | 298 | Black Rock Vic | |
| 1998 | Nick Mouat | 1283 | Jacinta Baker | 1345 | Largs Bay SA | |
| 1997 | Richard Kingsmill | 1319 | Maree Early | 1437 | Runaway Bay Qld | |
| 1996 | Nick Mouat | 1283 | Not Awarded | Lindisfarne Tas | ||
| 1995 | Andrew Sayle | 1287 | Maree Early | 1267 | Gippsland Lakes Vic | |
| 1994 | Jon Holroyd | 1432 | Katie Holroyd | 1287 | Speers Pt NSW | |
| 1993 | Paul Phillips | 1426 | Laura Baker | 1091 | Brighton-Seacliffe SA | |
| 1992 | John Lurie | 1432 | Nicole Gibson | 850 | Kingston Tas | |
| 1991 | Scott Glanville | 1267 | Lee Ives | 1283 | Lake Boga Vic | |
| 1990 | Leigh Glanville | 1267 | Nicole Gibson | 632 | Rye Vic | |
| 1989 | Owen McMahon | 400 | Lee Ives | 1254 | Largs Bay SA | |
| 1988 | Lee Ives | 1254 | Lee Ives | 1254 | Lindisfarne Tas | |
| 1987 | Paul Richards | 944 | Lee Ives | 1191 | Gippsland Lakes Vic | |
| 1986 | Wayne Bates | 1144 | Jeni Lidgett | 969 | Lake Cairn Curren Vic | |
| 1985 | Wayne Bates | 1144 | Jeni Lidgett | 969 | Brighton-Seacliffe SA | |
| 1984 | Alex Howard | 943 | Jane Purbrick | 1120 | Lake Boga Vic | |
| 1983 | Paul Chodziesner | 777 | Jane Purbrick | 851 | Botany Bay NSW | |
| 1982 | Andrew Lechte | 777 | Jane Purbrick | 851 | Largs Bay SA | |
| 1981 | Stuart Wallace | 855 | Jenny Theisz | 542 | Blairgowrie Vic | |
| 1980 | Peter Anderson | 800 | Lisa Donald | 788 | Lake Wallagoot NSW | |
| 1979 | Peter Anderson | 800 | Not Awarded | Lake Cootharaba Qld |