Jack Smid hulls

During the 1980s and 1990s Jack Smid from the Georges River Sailing Club  built a number of VJ hulls.

Jack built his hulls using pvc foam and glass, with some use of plywood in the decks. Some hulls were built for himself and some for other people, and all had considerable success.

Boats were:  Foreign Order 9056 (1984), Infinity 9062 (1985), Snifta 9070 (1988), Thunderbird 9076 (1991), Small Quantity 9078 (1992), Bird Of Prey 9090 (1994) and Trouble and Strife 9091 (1994).

The majority of these boats went on to win many championships at Club, State and National level.

Foreign Order 9056 was built in 1984

Foreign Order sailed by Adam Fenech and Greg Dixon photo taken around 1990

Bojangles and Foreign Order at the Dobroyd Reg Rose trophy race

Foreign Order at Taree 1984 VJ National Titles

Foreign Order at 1984 Taree National Titles under spinnaker

Foreign Order 1984-85: crew Cory Lanser and skipper Jack Smid after winning at Port Hacking Open Sailing Club

Infinity 9062 was built in 1985

Building photos (courtesy of Jack Smid):

Infinity was skippered by Jack Smid to win the Australian Senior Championship in 1985-86

Snifta 9070 was built in 1988

Snifta was built by Jack in 1988 for former VJ Australian Champion Bruce Eltoft who returned to VJ sailing after several years away.

In August 1993 Greg Fryer bought the boat and re-named it ‘Big Apple II’ and sailed with the Belmont 16s club. With stand-in crew Rod Carter, Greg finished in second place in the 1993-94 Senior VJ Australian Championships  held at Georges River Sailing Club.

In March 1994 Greg sold the boat to Michael Quirk from Belmont 16s and it was renamed ‘Rattle And Hum’. Michael Quirk and crew Michael Bull won the Junior VJ Australian Championship in 1994-95 at Taree.

This boat was successful with every owner and continued to be one of the top VJs at Belmont sailed by following owners.

In early 1994 the Snifta/Big Apple II/Rattle and Hum hull shape was measured and plotted on computer by Greg Fryer and David Cleworth. The computer drawings below served as the starting point for David’s 1994 VJ design for Greg Fryer which became the Big Apple III/Code Red hull:

Big Apple II lines 1994 #2

Big Apple II lines 1994

1988 Snifta with Jack at left and Jason in backyard at home

1990-91 Snifta with Brendan and Jason Smid sitting on deck

Thunderbird 9076 was built by Jack in 1991 for Bruce Eltoft from Georges River Sailing Club. In 1992-93 Bruce won the Senior VJ Australian Championship which was held at Teralba Amateur Sailing Club at Lake Macquarie.

In 1993-94 Bruce Eltoft again won the Senior VJ Australian Championship at Georges River Sailing Club.

 

Photos below are from the final race of the series 3rd January 1994 sailed in a moderate south easterly breeze

Small Quantity 9078 was built by Jack for himself in 1992

4 photos below are from the Georges River VJ Australian Championships 1993-94

Senior VJ Championships 1993-94 at GRSC Heat 1 start. Boats are from left: G’Day, Big Apple II, Small Quantity, Thunderbird, Razors Edge at far right

Small Qty and Leithall Too Belmont 1995-96 Belmont Aust Titles

At Belmont Aust Titles 1995-96 on the park

Small Qty at Belmont Aust Titles 1995-96

Small Qty at Teralba Aust Titles 1996-97 #1

Small Qty Jack and Jason Teralba Aust Titles 1996-97

Small Qty with Code Red in background at Georges River 1997

Photos below are of Small Quantity skippered by Nigel Hale at Belmont 16s in 1998-99

Small Quantity was later owned by John Shaw and sailed at Manning River Sailing Club. John re-named the boat ‘Winning Ways’, here pictured around 2004. (Photos were kindly supplied by Joy Shaw)

In 1994 Jack Smid built a new jig based on Craig Hughes’ plans drawn up in 1989 for the VJ Association, and built two boats from this jig in mid 1994: 9090 ‘Bird Of Prey’, and 9091 ‘Trouble and Strife’.

Bird Of Prey 9090 was built in 1994 for Matthew Stephens from the Georges River Sailing Club.

Photos below are from 1994-95 Taree National titles (with old mainsail  featuring the Bojangles insignia) and from Teralba in 2012.

In 2021 Jason Smid bought Bird Of Prey and commenced refurbishment of the hull which included a complete repainting. Bird Of Prey was on display at the Vaucluse Yacht Club VJ 90th Anniversary event which was held on Saturday 11th December 2021.

Photos below of the repainting are courtesy of Jason Smid:

Bird Of Prey and Code Red at Vaucluse Yacht Club VJ 90th Anniversary 11th December 2021:

‘Trouble And Strife’ 9091 was built by Jack for himself during winter 1994. He sailed the boat only during the 1994-95 season. The boat was sold in winter 1995 to Andrew McKensey at the Belmont 16s club and was re-named Freaky Styley.

‘Small Quantity’ had been kept by Jack during the 1994-95 season, and for the next two seasons Jack and Jason Smid raced Small Quantity from the Georges River Sailing Club.