A quick scan of the images shows that 13 are of wooden or “traditional” craft, so lets call it 16%. My unscientific gut feeling suggests that about 1% of all yacht racing would be done in these sort of craft so in a sense classic boats are rewardingly over represented.

The outcome of both day one races saw the long time champion, YVONNE, continue her progress through the record books of the Tumlaren Victoria State Titles. With around 30 Sydney-Hobarts, an America’s Cup Campaign and a Whitbread Race between them, the helm (Dave Allen) and main sheet hand (Aaron Cole) were always going to be hard to beat!

The YVONNE project has been an integral part of the life of some of my closest friends for seven years now. So when we heard that the seminal British publication “Classic Boat” had selected her to be on the short list of best “Restored Sailing Vessel under 40ft” then it is cause for celebration.

The plan to restore YVONNE was never about becoming the long term custodians of this unique yacht. It was always focussed on saving her, bringing her home and ensuring that she has the opportunity to sail with the growing fleet of Tumlarens on Port Phillip for the next 50 years

Nurminen was regarded as a wizard for his ability to work his chartered Tumlare class yacht YVONNE to windward. He was rarely beaten by the top skippers pitted against him. In YVONNE, he won over 300 races, including 17 State titles, the last 11 in succession.