12ft Skiff
Encyclopedia
The 12 ft Skiff, is a dinghy
dating to the early 20th century, it is 12 feet (3.7 m) in length, hence the name and is a two man boat. Both the crew and the helm are able to use the trapeze
at the same time. It has a asymmetric
spinnaker
and a jib, in addition to the mainsail
.
Nowadays the 12 ft (3.7 m) Skiff is mainly sailed in Australia and New Zealand, although it is growing in popularity in Great Britain.
. Of all skiffs the 12footer is known for being the hardest to sail, primarily due to its small footprint relative to its sail area, being able to reach up to 25 knots.
The 12 Footers generate considerable power from the fact that they have 2 persons on Trapeze Wire, suspended from the mast of the boat. This adds leverage to the crews' weight, allowing the larger areas of sail to be carried.
The modern 12s also have fixed bowsprits to carry the spinnakers from. This is a relatively recent innovation, with the older style of skiff having an 'end to end' spinnaker pole which would need to be positioned by the crew, and would be stored against the skiff's boom when it was not being used.
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
dating to the early 20th century, it is 12 feet (3.7 m) in length, hence the name and is a two man boat. Both the crew and the helm are able to use the trapeze
Trapeze (sailing)
In sailing, the trapeze refers to a wire that comes from a point high on the mast, usually where the shrouds are fixed, to a hook on the crew member's harness at approximately waist level...
at the same time. It has a asymmetric
Asymmetric
Something which is asymmetric displays asymmetry. Specific uses of the term may include:*Asymmetric relation for information on such relations in mathematics and set theory*Asymmetric warfare for information and theories of modern war...
spinnaker
Spinnaker
A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind, i.e. with the wind 90°–180° off the bow. The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of...
and a jib, in addition to the mainsail
Mainsail
A mainsail is a sail located behind the main mast of a sailing vessel.On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast....
.
History
The origin of the Skiff is dubious, but it is thought to have roots in the smaller skiff's sailed on Sydney Harbour in the late 1800s. The Skiff became a class in its own right in 1924, when it was raced in several clubs around Australia, at this time the skiff was manned by a crew of 5, but around about the 1940s it changed to a three man boat, and then became the 2 man boat that is used today. After the 1940s the skiff went international.Nowadays the 12 ft (3.7 m) Skiff is mainly sailed in Australia and New Zealand, although it is growing in popularity in Great Britain.
Performance
The Skiff is similar to the larger and better known 18ft Skiff18ft Skiff
The 18ft Skiff is considered the fastest class of sailing skiffs. The class has a long history beginning with races on Sydney Harbour, Australia in 1892. The boat has changed significantly since the early days, bringing in new technology as it became available. Because of the need of strength,...
. Of all skiffs the 12footer is known for being the hardest to sail, primarily due to its small footprint relative to its sail area, being able to reach up to 25 knots.
The 12 Footers generate considerable power from the fact that they have 2 persons on Trapeze Wire, suspended from the mast of the boat. This adds leverage to the crews' weight, allowing the larger areas of sail to be carried.
The modern 12s also have fixed bowsprits to carry the spinnakers from. This is a relatively recent innovation, with the older style of skiff having an 'end to end' spinnaker pole which would need to be positioned by the crew, and would be stored against the skiff's boom when it was not being used.