ABOUT THE 14ft SKATE

The Skate is a high performance two-person racing dinghy known for exhilarating rides. It is commonly held by skate sailors, both forward hands and skippers, past and present, to outclass all other sailing craft for consistently providing the sensation of speed on the water at the very edge of control in winds ranging from 15 to 25 knots.

The Skate is a national class unique to Australia, originally developed 50 years ago to offer high performance at an affordable price.

Fourteen feet long, they have few restrictions and so can be configured to suit individual preferences. Most Skates have a 10-foot long plank for the crew, and an 8-foot plank for the skipper. Planks are slid across the hull from one side to the other when tacking. Other configurations include short wings with two trapezes, longer wings with one trapeze, or trampolines.

Skates race at the following clubs:

• St George Sailing Club. Riverside Dr, Sans Souci. NSW
• Toronto Amateur Sailing Cub. 27 Victory Pde, Toronto. NSW
• South of Perth Yacht Club. Coffee Point, Applecross. WA
• East Fremantle Yacht Club. Petra St, East Fremantle. WA