“Big Ack” is Back!
Cup Regatta 2020
What a great outcome it would be if she could regularly race on Port Phillip, her spiritual home, against her elder sister, providing pleasure not only for a new custodian and her crew, but for all those lucky enough to witness the sight.
The word “Acrospire” describes the sprout of a grain seed, the beginning of a new plant. In the field, after the snow has melted and the moist soil is being warmed by the spring sun, the acrospire grows in a spiral from one end of the seed — hence its name of acro “spire”
However, in Victoria, Australia the word conjures up something different … a series of fast, beautiful and successful yachts all drawn by the legendary local designer Charlie Peel (except for the last one which was a 6 metre Fife) and owned by the brewer Joe White.
We spend a fair amount of column inches in this publication trying to persuade people to part with their hard-earned cash and pour it into a restoration to save this or that “worthy” boat. But here on Port Phillip, there is now an opportunity to own a a boat from the ACROSPIRE lineage without even getting your hands dirty. The immaculate ACROSPIRE IV is for sale and believe it or not the asking price is highly realistic!
In 1913 Charlie Peel sold his business which was gaining a reputation for building freakishly fast centreboard yachts and decided to head off to America to learn more about yacht design and construction. He only got as far as Sydney when World War I broke out and so he spent the next 4 years working in shipyards on the harbour. After the War he became foreman at Hayes and Sons boatyard at Neutral Bay… It was here that the story of the “big” ACROSPIRE boats began with his design and construction of Joe White’s ACROSPIRE III (see image in this week’s email)
Launched in 1924 ACROSPIRE III won the Association Perpetual Challenge Cup Season 1926/7, but then challenged for the Sayonara Cup and was defeated by NORN. The problem seemed to be that ACROSPIRE III rated at 8.93 whereas NORN was a genuine 8 metre, and so the time ACK was giving away was never going to be made up on the water.
Charlie was enticed by Joe White to return to Melbourne where he designed and secretly built ACROSPIRE IV at White’s malthouse in Rokeby Street, Collingwood.
The Brewery/secret Boatyard
Rating at 9.31 metres “Big Ack” as she was known was 54ft overall and carried 1200 sq ft of sail on her Gaff rig. First lowered into the Yarra River in November 1929, she was converted to her originally designed Marconi sail plan the following year. This is how she is in the pictures below. ACROSPIRE IV was more heavily built than many of the racing boats of the time as she was designed not only for the chop of Port Phillip but also to make interstate passages. This paid off when she took line honours in the 1938 Bruny Island race from Hobart. Her record winning time of 14 hours and 13 seconds stood for almost 50 years, finally beaten by the maxi yacht SOVEREIGN.
After a long and active career sailing on Port Phillip, in 1960, following the death of Joe White, ACROSPIRE IV was sold to a syndicate from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and was used in training Jock Sturrock's America's Cup team against the slightly larger GRETEL. ACROSPIRE IV showed impressive speed and handling by beating her larger rival on several occasions.
She was delivered to Western Australia in 1971 and after a comprehensive rebuild from the keel up and an exquisite interior refurbishment was completed in 2011 she returned to her winning ways.
She secured the 2012 Fremantle Harbour Classic, 2012 P & O Fremantle to Rockingham Trophy, 2013 Fremantle to Rockingham Kwinana Industries Trophy amongst others. She returned to her home to Melbourne in 2019 and since then has competed in the CYAA events with panache (see the video on this site)
What a great outcome it would be if she could regularly race on Port Phillip, her spiritual home, against her elder sister, providing pleasure not only for a new custodian and her crew, but for all those lucky enough to witness the sight.
ACROSPIRE IV is listed for sale by COVE YACHT SALES
NB: SWS has no financial arrangement with the yacht brokers or owners of the boats we write about. Our only intent is to see these craft sailed and cared for by enthusiastic and passionate custodians. Much of the history above comes from the records of the late Bert Ferris, RMYS historian.
