Thread: Gwen 12

Thanks,
I wonder if it is dead the pics look recent.

The second pic showing the somewhat mature crew look like they are a couple of blokes from the class just 30 years on. They are even wearing the same sailing gear from the era.

I was interested to see the recent photos of Gwens had been located. That was this year. I organised the race, as a former Gwen 12 sailor. It was a Classic Timber Boat Regatta, and turned out to be a Gwen 12 reunion race. Of the 4 Gwens that raced, 3 had been National Champion Boats, and 3 former National Gwen 12 champion sailors. The 3 boats shown in the photos were built in 1982, in the SA Gwen 12 Assocation building scheme, wherein 8 boats were built by 'Gweners'. Most were fibreglass hull and timber decked. However, all fibreglass Gwens have been built. My Dad and brother, won the last Australian Gwen 12 National Championship held on Kangaroo Island in 1990. The Gwen 12 was a very strong class in the 1950's 1960's and 1970's. They started to decline in the 1980's. The strong Sydney Club - was St George Sailing Club on Botany Bay. There last Club championship was held in 1990. I raced Gwens in Adelaide. I raced in the last fleet on Adelaide beaches which consisted of 7 Gwens. Our last championship was held in 1993, at my club, Grange Sailing Club, which raced the last fleet of Gwens in Adelaide. My father and I won the last SA National Gwen 12 State Championship. Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club was a strong Gwen club, racing 20 at their peak in the 1970s'. A fleet continued racing On Kangaroo Island for several more years until around 1997?. One to 3 still race at Kingscote Yacht Club. The Gwen is a lovely boat to race/sail. Exhilerating off the wind with spinnaker, they are a planing hull and a skimming dish of a boat. With the small 80 square feet shy kite, they could clock 24mph in the hands of talented crew. In 1982, The National Gwen Association of Aust. increased the size of the kite to 140 square feet, mimicking the skiff style of kite. Very Powerful and on the right angle and with skilled skipper and for-ard hand an amazing ride. I would imagine, speeds of 45km/ph could be clocked in perfect conditions? The Gwen people in SA were a very good group of family people and sailors. Many of the Gwen sailors in Sydney and Adelaide went on to be 14, 16 and 18 foot skiff sailors. In the 'hey day', that many people raced Gwens that you had to make the State Team to compete in National Titles (7 boats per state), however, their was a morning regatta for those who didnt make the team. In the late 70's and 80's this ruling was stopped, due to a decline in numbers and folding of state associations. To give you some facts, the Gwens had 49? competing boats at the 79 Nationals, 42 at the 82 Nationals, 32 at the 84 Nationals, 30 at the 86 Nationals, 26 at the 88 Nationals and 16 boats at the final Nationals in 1990.

The National Gwen 12 Assocation of Australia was wound up in 1994, due to a lack of support and interest.

The black hulled boat from Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club sounds like 'Tau Tona', my Dads first Gwen bought in 1971. Kym Colwell then bought Tau Tona. Unfortunately, she was left sitting in the open on someones front lawn for 25 years and rotted through. In fact, I have a part of her transom! And yes, Kym Colwell, continued racing Gwens until 1993, and won 2 National Championships! His brother, Craig features in one of those photos. He won 3 National titles!

Oh, and the write up about the Gwen being designed during WW2, was written by me, and is accurate. And the older gentleman sailing the Gwen with the old sailing clothes did start sailing Gwens in the mid 1970's in Adelaide, and contiued to race and campaign Gwens in National Titles, Club and State Titles for some 20 years. The red, blue and yellow jumper was the 'official' state jumper given to those sailors who made the Gwen 12 SA State Team. And 'High Roller' won the 1988 National Titles at Brighton and Seacliff Yacht CLub, SA. My father and brother got runner up.

Minimum weight was 140 pounds (64 kg) which included deck fittings and bowsprit. The Gwens featured in the recent photos would all be on weight or near to it. They were a strong solid boat, but nothing like those heavy British and European clunkers. And that includes the 420! They were the 1st real Australian Plywood racing dinghy, and beat the 12 foot skiffs of Sydney harbour up until the late 1960's I believe.

I hope this gives you some info on the Gwen 12 class. They are a wonderful, lively boat to sail, particularly in moderate to heavy conditions, and off the wind. A bit sluggish in light breezes, and can be hard work sailing them fast to windward due to their full bow and shape. We generally could beat the National E's, 125's (except in light winds), 145's, 420's in some conditions and many of the Cherubs (heavy winds especially), up until the early 90's until they began being modernised into light weight skiffs. Quite a testament really, to a boat designed in 1943, and still with the exact same hull shape and weight. It was a shame they died as a class, I've raced sharpies, herons and tasars, and I reckon the most exhilerating sailing Ive experienced was in Gwens. The association used to have a catch cry, 'If you can sail a Gwen you can sail anything!' For the 1979 National Titles Series stickers were printed which read 'Get High on a Shy on KI ! (Kangaroo Island)'

Regards

Tim

Tim,
Terrific write up much appreciated.

I used to wear my old mans North Adelaide jumper BTW

Cheers
Mike

Wow, Thanks hugely for that rundown Toshea!

Really important that this stuff is not lost. If we can dig up some plans to put up that would be the cream on the cake!

Thanks for all the detailed information.

MIK

Thanks for the great history lesson Tim! It is always terrific to get such stories first hand. No wonder that there is so little info on the Gwen 12 and we can now all see that the class was basically becoming redundant at the same time that the internet was still very much in its infancy.

One never knows, some day someone might realise that here is a perfectly good design and some sort of resurgence could take place. I was reading in Wooden Boat Magazine with interest about the resurgence of the Duck Boats of Mantaloking, New Jersey. This was a boat that was designed in the mid 1850s and died off in the mid 1900's. Some of those boats were found and restored and then raced once a year. Then all of a sudden, along came a benefactor who donated money to a charity for each Duck Boat that was restored or built and now there is a respectable fleet of them again! Here is pic of a Duck Boat:

Here are some more details about the Gwen 12’s which might be interest. It’s all just history now though!

I loved sailing and racing the Gwen 12s. Out of my time sailing (I now race tasars with my dad who raced Gwens for 25 years), that sailing time was my most memorable. However I was a teenager at the time, and it was all pretty exhilerating, and many of the other Gwen lads were teenagers as well, making it more fun. The Gwens in Adelaide were strong, because it was a class which their sons stepped into. So of the last fleet of racing Gwens in Adelaide, many were father son combinations, brothers, uncles, and friends. Some of the sailors/families had been racing Gwens for 20+ years. There was a lot of talented sailors in a small batch of boats. 3 were former National Champion skippers, one a 3 times for'ard hand National Champion and 1 had been in the top 3 in Nationals as a for'ard hand. Unfortunately, the crunch for our class, was when the majority of members at Grange Sailing Club, voted for Sunday racing - as opposed to the racing on saturdays which had been the thing for 60 years, and in effect, the Gwens went from 7 to 1 boat, (dad and I - Breakaway #2695) We continued to race her at the club for a few seasons, and then raced Sharpies for around 5 seasons, then herons, then the Gwen for 2008, and now we are in the tasars, which are very strong in adelaide. Ironically, the president, a former Gwen 12 sailor (of 12 years).

One of the big Gwen boatbuilders was H.R. Lang (Melbourne) – not sure if still around?
Some quick facts about the Gwen 12 National Titles.

Grange Sailing Club - 1965?

1968 - Derwent River Sailing Club - Tassie


1969 - Glenelg Sailing Club - Adelaide - 80 boats in all. 1st. - St George Sailors. 2nd place P. Brookes (Rhythm or Tremble) I know Paul, a real old salt, he raced rainbows, then Gwens for 6 seasons, then fireballs on the european/briitsh circuit, then sharpies. A top skipper in his day (and still is) ... He reckons the fastest speed sensation experienced out of the boats he sailed was in a Gwen 12 - "like being shot out of a high pressure hose he would often say".

1971 ? Lane Cove Sailing Club – Sydney Harbour. Lane Cove had a fleet of up to 25 Gwens in their prime.

Manly sailing club - Brisbane. My older brother was only telling me on sat. that he was a kid when he went to that titles with teh family, and remembers, there were the nationals (teams) and then the morning regatta. about 80 boats in all. The skipper that won the morning series, didnt even make the state team that year, however the previous year he had won the series in the state team! Apparently he had a 16 stone crew - that is about 95kg. That is heavy for a 12 foot boat, but Gwens were known to be able to carry heavier crew weights and still be competitive in heavy weather.

1973/74 - Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club - Adelaide - probably 70 boats. won by the Hughes Brothers I think (Victorian Gwen sailors) - I believe they won it 3 times straight! My Dad came 4th I believe.

1971?
Kym Colwell (Adelaide) won a National Titles. The first South Australian to win a Gwen Nationals. He raced at Grange Sailing Club. In the same year, a Grange sharpie boat also won their Nationals. The first SA sailor to win a Lightweight Sharpie Nationals! Both in the same year - same club.

1975?
Geraldton WA. (my dad competed in that one) 20 - 25 knots each race! He had a 14 stone, big strong crew for that series, I think they got 9th overall? His crew, went into sharpies the following year, sailing for'ard.

Albany, WA (197?)

Esperance, WA

Perth I think to in the 1970's

St George Sailing Club in the 1970's also.

1978 - I think was Black Rock Sailing CLub - Melbourne - Victoria - Port Philip Bay (where the Gwen was designed in 1943, first road tested i beleive on Lake Albert (where they were also raced in the 1950's and 1960's -maybe 70's The Gwen was designed for the chop of port philip bay by Charlie Cunningham)

1979 - Kingscote Sailing Club - Kangaroo Island.
This was the first Nationals hosted by the club - and I beleive the Gwen sailors of KI were responsible for re-building the log cabin club house for the event. It still stand s today on KI. I believe around 67 boats competed. and I think Dennis Tanko (St George - Sydney) won that won - He sailed Gwens for years - later to go into 16 foot skiffs and become an Australian Champion in the 16s. Then he campaigned his own 18 footer called Team Tanko during the late 80's and early 90's.

Other winners were Peter Dollin and Peter Hubble (who later won a titles in the 16 foot skiff)

1980 - Queensland?

1981/82 - Grange Sailing CLub - Adelaide - 42 boats. Winner was Dave Ashton (st George) he competed in 14 Nationals and won 3 of them! - 2nd Kym Colwell and Kym Snowball (True Blue) which features in one of those recent photos - 3rd - Breakaway Barry O'Shea and Craig Colwell.

82/83 st george I think.

83/84 - Lake Bonney Sailing Club - SA. 42 Boats. won by Dave Ashton (sydney), 2nd - Charlie Hubble (an old timer of the Gwens who raced them in the early 60's until his passing in the early 90's. His son went onto win a 16 ft skiff titles as a forard hand in 1996? 3rd. Breakaway (B. O’Shea and D. McPherson
(This I beleive was the 1st Nationals for the Gwens to use the 140 square feet assymetic kite flown from the head of the mast. extra speaders were welded to the upper section of the mast to take the pressure.


85/86 - Kangaroo Island. 30 boats.

I think the false floor was introduced in the early 70's

86 / 87 - St George Sailing Club - won by Max Sellars - st george who is a Champion Skate sailor and still races skates at St George. He is a boat builder and would have built Gwens. He won this series in his boat Tabouli Sunrise. (perhaps this was in 88/89?)

87/88 - Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club - 26 boats - also the Skates and National E's were involved in their titles at the club at the same time - those classes both had 20 boats each. Ironically, the Gwens folded only 2 years later - yet they had more competing boats at the time! winner - A. Arthur. C. Colwell (high roller)SA. 2nd B O'Shea J O'Shea (Breakaway)SA, 3rd K. Cowell. ? D. Clayfield SA.
For a few of the National Titles the Gwens and Skates would share there National Titles series at the same club.
88/89 - st george

89/90 - KI yacht club - SA
16 boats
dual winner! B O'Shea J O'Shea (Breakaway) and KI boat Contagious B Buttrose.

Out of interest I believe Gwen sail numbers got to the low 2900's. (However, that doesnt mean 2900 boats were built in total - as the National Assocaition handed out blocks of numbers to the different state associations)

Breakaway was built in 1976 and is #2695

The other Gwens in the later photos were #2782? and were built in 1982.

Michael Fletcher (Head coach of the current Australian Olympic sailing team was also a former Gwen 12 National champion)

? Burke of Burke sails also raced Gwens at St George I beleive. (or was it Gibson sails?)

Ben Lexcen won an 18ft skiff titles in the 60's. He poached a fella who raced his own Gwen (Lexcen was making him a set of Gwen sails when he asked him to sail with him) to be his for'ard hand and they won the series together.


Perhaps the weight of the Gwens increased to 150 pounds, when the false floor was introduced. This also included the weight of the bowsprit and fixed deck fittings.

I have gleaned much of this hisorical information from my father over the years, as I was too young, and was a kid when the Nationals were being held etc.

Also of interest. The last 2 Gwen 12 National Titles were won by all timber varnished boats. High Roller being Coachwood and Breakaway being Cedar Ply with Silver ash gunwhale and keel.

Also, I noticed that on the NSW website 'Afloat', there is a former Gwen 12 sailors reunion at St George Sailing CLub on 13 November?

The first Gwen National Titles was held in 1951. The last was held in 1990.

So yes, a defunct class, however, many very talented sailors were amongst them and they had plenty of events and history whilst they were afloat. They were believed to be the fastest 12 foot boat in the world at one point in time. Probably in the 50's and 60's.

Regards

Tim

Once again Tim, thanks for your considerable effort in providing this information! I'm sure that there are many interested readers.

By the way, do you have any info on the boat that was on EBay recently? Is that the St George SC banner painted on it? It's obviously one of the original boats with the closed in cockpit, so likely is quite old.

Yes, quite a nice looking Gwen, the one which just sold. The St George insignia is white and red. I think that insignia may be the Sorrento Sailing Club logo (Melbourne) or perhaps the Black Rock Sailing Club insignia (Melbourne). I think it is Sorrento. They apparently had a good fleet of Gwens there in the 60's. Yes, I guess it would be a 60's built Gwen, as it has the old 'butterbox' cockpit with no false floor.

My fathers Gwen looks much like that one except with the false floor, and open transom.

I have attached a photo of 'Breakaway' sailed by my father and I earlier this year. She has Burke Sails and the full size 140 square foot spinnaker made by Concept Sails, Sydney. From memory it was blowing around 12 knots on this sunny day. The spinnaker system is also the orginal 3 way brace system, wherein the for'ard hand has to throw the spinnaker pole forward of the bowspit, gybe, then retrieve the pole from the water and place on the mast or on the side stay if dropping the kite. Roll the kite on the foredeck, wrap with the spinnaker sheet to help secure it and lash down on the foredeck with shot chord and the rest of the spinnker sits in the cockpit next to the bulkhead. The 3 way system was faster to hoist then the 2 way system, but slower and more awkward to pull down and stow away.

Cheers

Tim

Hi All,

I've been following this thread with great interest - let's keep it rolling. It would be great to get some feedback from that forthcoming reunion - anyone we know attending?

One thing on the timeline of all this - aluminium spars. When di they make their appearance. Perhaps at the same time as the Spinniker size was increased??

Originally Posted by toshea

Yes, quite a nice looking Gwen, the one which just sold. The St George insignia is white and red. I think that insignia may be the Sorrento Sailing Club logo (Melbourne) or perhaps the Black Rock Sailing Club insignia (Melbourne). I think it is Sorrento. They apparently had a good fleet of Gwens there in the 60's. Yes, I guess it would be a 60's built Gwen, as it has the old 'butterbox' cockpit with no false floor.

My fathers Gwen looks much like that one except with the false floor, and open transom.

I have attached a photo of 'Breakaway' sailed by my father and I earlier this year. She has Burke Sails and the full size 140 square foot spinnaker made by Concept Sails, Sydney. From memory it was blowing around 12 knots on this sunny day. The spinnaker system is also the orginal 3 way brace system, wherein the for'ard hand has to throw the spinnaker pole forward of the bowspit, gybe, then retrieve the pole from the water and place on the mast or on the side stay if dropping the kite. Roll the kite on the foredeck, wrap with the spinnaker sheet to help secure it and lash down on the foredeck with shot chord and the rest of the spinnker sits in the cockpit next to the bulkhead. The 3 way system was faster to hoist then the 2 way system, but slower and more awkward to pull down and stow away.

Cheers

Tim

Nicely framed action shot!!!

This post is merely to embed current eBay images of the Gwen12 before the links are broken and they disappear for good.

GOOD MOVE WOODENEYE!!!!

Well done.

Mik

Hi All
We bought our Gwen 606 in the mid 60's possibly 64/65, it was secondhand then and had an aluminium mast that was some years old then. Would imagine that alloy masts were in existance in the very early 60's.
Believe that the open transom style was introduced early 70's and reckon thats when alloy booms and spin poles started.
Graeme

Another interesting fact about the Gwen 12 was that it appeared in a Hollywood Movie. The movie was 'On the Beach', I think staring Gregory Peak. I believe it was filmed around 1961, and was filmed on site in Melbourne, and the sailing scene I think was at Sorrento Beach. The movie was obiously a black and white. There was one scene which featured 6 Gwens rigged up on their trailers on the beach with 2 Sharpies rigged up next to them. I guess they would have been heavyweight sharpies at the time. Then there is an action scene with Gregory Peak skippering a Gwen with his glamour girlfriend crewing. From memory it was dead flat water, a bright sunny day, and the Gwen was barreling along with spray going everywhere. Clearly, a rope had been attached to the bowsprit? and was been towed along by a speed boat to gain that type of speed with little wind. Then, the scene ends with them capsizing the Gwen!

I've tried to get a copy of the movie from video shops, but have had no luck. I have seen it on television a couple of times though.

The movie was remade in the late 1990's. In the modern version they still had the sailing scene, but I think they used a catamaran with twin trapese for that one.