The Mighty Metres

Wooden boats come in all sizes and there’s no lack of competitive spirit, even when your racing yacht is just one metre long.  Radio-controlled sailing is a popular sport and has the advantage of a reasonably low entry cost and internationally recognised standards.  Many a fine sailor has learned their lessons on the water with these beautifully crafted yachts.  At the MyState Bank Australian Wooden Boat Festival, you can see a wonderful display of the International One Metres along with their historic predecessors, the Four Foot Twos, at the Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hunter Street.  Racing enthusiast Stuart Harris tells the story…

“The International One Metre Class (IOM) is one of the most popular radio sailing classes and has a strong international following. The International One Metre – International Class Association has taken over responsibility for management of the class and Australia was the first National Class Association recognised by the international body.   In Tasmania, IOM’s are sailed with the Risdon Brook Radio Yacht Club and at the Lauderdale Canal.  The Australian National titles were recently held at Montrose Bay with 55 entries including boats from New Zealand and the USA.

The class rules are very tight with three one-design rigs permitted and restrictions on construction materials, overall and ballast weight, and draft. There is a maximum overall length of one metre and a minimum weight of 4 Kg.  These rules are aimed at controlling costs and enabling the amateur builder to produce a competitive yacht.

In Tasmania, there are some 12 boats constructed in wood and a number of these are to be shown at the 2019 Australian Wooden Boat Festival”

The Four Foot Twos on display in The Atrium, Henry Jones Art Hotel