Australian FD Nationals

Rydge and Scarr win with new Mader hull and CST Composite spar

Norman Rydge and Richard Scarr are this year’s Australian Flying Dutchman National Champions after winning the last race in a tight series from incumbent champions Ian McCrossin and James Cook.

The seven race series was sailed in variable and shifty breezes from 8 to 20 knots that both crews managed well for three heat wins each. However, better minor placings put Rydge three points clear.

A feature of the regatta was fine weather and excellent race management by the Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club. Local crew Stuart Edgar and James Maskiell sailed consistently to take bronze.

Strong winds mid regatta strained the seventeen boat fleet and forced the retirement of strong contenders Mike Chapman and crew David Ham.

Rydge and Scarr sailed a new Mader boat and were the only crew to take advantage of new class rules permitting carbon masts. The pair have been developing their rig with the help of CST Composites and the Sydney Ullman Sail loft ahead of the next world championship in Florida where they are looking to improve on the third place they achieved last year in Hungary.

McCrossin and the rapidly improving team of Andrew and Alister McCowan may also represent Australia in Florida.

	Sail No	Skipper	Crew	Race 8	Race 7	Race 6	Race 5	Race 4	Race 3	Race 2	Race 1	Sers Score
1	AUS37	N Rydge	R Scarr	1	2	[18.0F]	2	2	1	ABN	1	9
2	AUS33	I McCrossin	J Cook	2	1	1	3	1	4	ABN	[4.0]	12
3	AUS31	S Edgar	J Maskiell	3	[6.0]	4	1	4	5	ABN	3	20
4	AUS365	G Dagley	R Johnson	[8.0]	4	2	5	5	2	ABN	6	24
5	AUS337	M Thorpe	D Rawson-Harris	4	3	6	8	3	7	ABN	[9.0]	31
6	AUS001	A McCowan	A McCowan	6.5	9	7	4	[11.0]	3	ABN	8	37.5
7	AUS358	I Dixon	P Webb	5	8	5	7	8	[11.0]	ABN	7	40
8	AUS21	P Bartels	D Hocking	6.5	5	3	6	[13.0]	12	ABN	11	43.5
9	AUS339	G Cameron	C Schwartz	[18.0C]	11	8	10	6	9	ABN	5	49
10	AUS332	M Bradley	G McGrath	10	10	11	9	7	[13.0]	ABN	10	57
11	NZL-110	H Tayama	A Laurence	9	7	9	18.0F	12	8	ABN	[18.0O]	63
12	AUS331	B Murphy	M McCartney	11	13	10	11	10	14	ABN	[14.0]	69
13	AUS32	M Chapman	D Ham	18.0C	18.0C	18.0C	[18.0F]	9	6	ABN	2	71
14	AUS322	M Wood	C McLeod	12	12	[18.0C]	12	15	10	ABN	12	73
15	AUS342	A Carson	M Teasdale	18.0C	18.0C	18.0C	[18.0F]	14	15	ABN	13	96
16	AUS330	J Ford	L Ford	18.0C	18.0C	18.0C	18.0C	18.0C	16	ABN	[18.0C]	106
17	AUS7	P McNeill	S Shimeld	18.0C	18.0C	18.0C	18.0C	18.0C	18.0F	ABN	[18.0C]	108