Decades of Design
by Charlie Salter
SWS looks back at early CYCA programmes for the Sydney Hobart race
These souvenirs are a great record of the race. The design quality of the programme slowly improved but the tradition of featuring the previous year’s winner on the cover remained. Inside was a list of entries that later became a detailed biopic of each boat. There were always stories of past winners, a feature on the trophies and stories of famous boats, sailors, navigators and designers. In later years programmes included long stories on east coast lighthouses and the Southern Cross and Admirals Cups or “England’s Hobart”.
The 1950’s programmes were simple pamphlets. They listed all previous years race placings and always included a story on “Ocean Racing’s Master”, Captain John Illingworth RN, the skipper of Rani in 1945.
Year by year the sponsors and advertising grew. This was the era when marketing and messaging was developing with copy writers and graphic designers working to influence public taste. Boats, sailmakers, gear and equipment always featured but it was the cars, booze and cigarettes that were clues to Aussie culture. Holdens, dark rum and Craven A cigarettes were good enough in the 1950’s but by the 70’s ocean racers were “appreciating the finer things” driving Mercedes, drinking Penfolds wine and “enjoying the gentle art of smoking” Dunhill, a cigarette of “rare quality and flavour”. Mad Men call this positioning.
“When it rains it shines”. The best product of this time that successfully blended design, utility and marketing for sailing was the Eveready Dolphin. The original 1960’s Union Carbide torch was completely re-designed by the Australian Paul Cockburn in the early 70’s. He produced the bright yellow, “pug-ugly” plastic, water & shock proof icon.
1950’S
MOONBI handicap winner 1955
Arthur Robb 35’ Lion Class SIANDRA handicap winner 1958
1960’s
By 1963 things were more professional with the CYCA getting graphic artists on board. The winner was still there on the cover but groovy fonts and relaxed super-graphics were in vogue. The 1963 cover sketches of previous winners and the simple abstract graphic of 1964 are both terrific. Only later do the artists and photographers get credited. Let’s guess the little yacht drawings might be Jack Earl. In 1964 the artist has taken the obligatory photo of FREYA and transformed it to a simple white on blue silhouette. By 1967 the “Opera House Effect” was in play. The 1969 cover is a beautiful artist’s canvas of boats rounding Tasman Island and the Safety Regulations sketch is by Bob Miller.
Norman G Booth Holden have a long history with Sydney sailing. The Mosman dealership sponsored Holden Torana racing cars and 18’ skiffs built by Bill Barnett from Berry Bay. Barnett also built Dragons, 5.5’s and Frank Packer’s DAME PATTIE and GRETEL II. A well known Barnett skiff from the mid 70’s was BOOTH HOLDEN skippered by Hugh Treharne. In 1962 Norman Booth won the Prince Phillip Gold Cup in his Dragon ADIOS. He was silver medalist in the 5.5 Worlds in 1965 and won the title in SOUTHERN CROSS IV in 1974.
The most consistent buyer of advertising space in this 3 decade survey was J Farren-Price. The Sydney watchmaker and jeweller usually booked the back cover in colour. Julian Farren Price, a very successful CYCA sailor, now runs the business started by his father in 1942. He can sell you an expensive Vacheron Constantin or Panerai watch and wears a Rolex GMT himself.
Alan Payne Tasman Seabird CHERANA handicap winner 1959
1970’s
Bob Miller wrote a prescient article in the 1969 programme called “Unlimited Possibilities of Yacht Construction”. He wrote;
“Within the next few years, thanks to the new International Offshore Rule and the trend towards “line honours” boats, it will become more the domain of the scientist and the engineer than the traditional boatbuilder”.
The 1970’s saw boats being designed specifically to win the race. Big maxis from the USA came here to win. Ted Turner did the double in AMERICAN EAGLE, a converted 12m in 1972 and Huey Long’s ONDINE took line honours in 1974. Jim Kilroy’s two KIALOA’S took line honours three times including the double in 1977.
The 1970 cover is a terrific splash graphic with Her Majesty’s Leader of the Opposition, the Rt Hon. Edward Heath’s little off-the-shelf S&S, MORNING CLOUD. The fickle wind during the 1969 race, let the English aristos do the double. Son of Lord Beaverbrook and heir to the Daily Express empire, Max Aitken, took line honours in CRUSADE pipping Alan Bond’s APOLLO up the Derwent by 20 minutes. Bond also a Pom, born in Hammersmith and his designer Bob Miller were just starting out in big boats and big business, an Australian story of fame and infamy in equal measure.
In 1977 the graphic artist hit the colour negative button. The reactive return to tradition with ANACONDA II on the 1978 cover suggests the publications committee at the CYCA had changed.
PROSPECT of WHITBY. UK competitor in the Southern Cross Cup 1973
ANACONDA II. Photo Richard Bennett