About 16ft Skiffs
More than 130 years of open-boat racing on Sydney Harbour. The 16 is the boat the club was built around.
A Sydney original
The first 16ft Skiffs raced on Sydney Harbour in the 1890s. They were the working man’s racing boat — three crew, big sails, no trapezes, sailed hard.
For more than a century the class has evolved with the times: cedar to plywood, plywood to composite, cotton to dacron to laminate. The class rules have kept the boat recognisable and the racing close.
A national class
Today 16ft Skiff clubs race across NSW, QLD and Victoria. The Australian Championship is contested every summer, rotating between member clubs. Manly has produced more national champions than any other club.
Why three crew?
Three is the magic number on a 16. One on the helm, one on the wire, one on the kite and jib. It teaches communication, trust and timing in a way no two-handed boat ever can.