For Sale

VJ sailing boats for sale:

(Last updated 18th May 2023)

1. Big Apple IV: Rego number 9096

Big Apple IV racing at Teralba Sailing Club 18th March 2023

(pic above from 17th March 2021 at Concord Ryde Sailing Club)

Big Apple IV has been racing at Teralba and Concord Ryde Sailing Clubs from 2010 to 2023 and is in very good condition.

This style of VJ is extremely good for training younger less experienced sailors, where they can quickly develop a sense of skiff-style boat handling skills when the breeze is above 10 knots.

The low freeboard hull makes getting back on board after a capsize much easier than in similar dinghy classes such as NS14 Cherub Flying 11 etc. This aspect can be daunting for the beginner, and the VJ’s ease of recovery after a capsize was reinforced to me several times when sailing at Teralba this recent 2022-23 season. My crew was in her first season of sailing, and quickly mastered being out on the leaning plank during fast planing rides and the skill of spinnaker handling during those rides. The video below shows a good example of ease of recovery after a capsize:

3rd December 2022 at Teralba

Teralba VJ Club Champion 2016-17 and  2017-18. Currently sailing at Teralba Sailing Club.

Price is $3995.00   (reasonable offers may also be considered)

Hull built in 1996 by Noel Lancey at Belmont from the 1994  ‘Big Apple III’ David Cleworth hull design jig. Construction: Divinycell 6mm & 8mm foam, S Glass and vinylester resin.

* Completely refurbished, refitted and repainted in 2014 by master boatbuilder Greg Ferguson.

* Re-rigged in 2014 with the upgraded higher aspect 2012-14 VJ rig.

* Mast is aluminium WA Superspar (from NS14 guru Vic Hammond), boom built in 2013 from aluminum Goldspar section, spinnaker pole built in 2013 from 40mm dia drawn aluminium tube from Goldspar.

* Centreboard construction: carbon fibre, foam, epoxy resin built by Mark Thorpe. Centreboard and rudder blade were rebuilt, upgraded and repainted in 2014 by Greg Ferguson.

* New leaning planks were constructed by Greg Ferguson in 2014 from drawn 40mm dia Alcan aluminium tube and foam sandwich.

* Equipment: 1 mast, 1 boom, 1 spinnaker pole, 2 mainsails, 2 jibs, 1 spinnaker, 1 centreboard, 1 rudder, 2 leaning planks, 1 hull cradle.

Overall condition: very good

Contact: Greg Fryer  Mobile: 0401 307367

Email: vauclusejunior@outlook.com

Reason for sale: this boat has been incredible over the past 12 seasons, it is a wonderful boat and because it is so good for training juniors I am loathe to sell it. However I will have a brand new VJ12 on the water in September 2023 and do not have room to store 2 boats.

Photos and video of Big Apple IV 2016 – 2023:

17th March 2021 CRSC

Sat 23rd April 2022 CRSC:

2. The VJ Association has several foam sandwich 1990s VJs available for sale at very reasonable prices. Hopefully George Probert and Lindsay Allan will provide details and photos soon.