The origin of the 12 ft Skiff is dubious, but it is thought to have roots in the smaller skiffs sailed on Sydney Harbour in the late 1800s. The skiff became a class in its own right in 1926 when, at a meeting between Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club, Greenwich 12 ft Flying Squadron, The Spit 12 ft Skiff Sailing Club and Vaucluse Amateur 12 ft Sailing Skiff Club, the 12 ft Sailing Skiff Council was formed. At this time the skiff was manned by a crew of five, but around the 1940s it changed to a three-man boat, and then became the two man boat that is used today. In 1947 the Council changed its name to the NSW 12 ft Sailing Skiff Association. After the 1940s the skiff went international.
Mast height is unlimited but can be up to 8.8 metres
Most boats have three complete rigs
Each skiff is individual, not an off the shelf product
Simple measurement rules allow design development
The asymmetrical spinnaker is set off a fixed bowsprit
Sailing and Racing
Today the 12 ft Skiff is primarily sailed in Australia and New Zealand. Campaigning a 12 requires a range of skills, including boat handling, tuning, boat maintenance, organisation and training. However, with recent equipment developments, and the introduction of carbon masts, 12 ft Skiffs are very manageable boats and any sailor with relative experience, such as Cherubs or Moths, would quite easily adapt.
Performance
The 12 ft Skiff is similar to the larger and better known 18ft Skiff. Of all skiffs the 12 footer is known for being the most difficult to sail, primarily due to its short and narrow hull relative to its large sail area. A 12 ft Skiff is capable of sailing at speeds of up to. The 12 ft Skiff generates considerable power by having two persons on the trapeze wire, suspended from the mast of the boat. This adds leverage to the crews' weight, allowing the larger areas of sail to be carried. The modern 12 ft Skiffs also have fixed bowsprits to from which they carry their spinnakers. This is a relatively recent innovation, with the older style of skiff having an 'end to end' spinnaker pole which would need to be positioned by the crew, and would be stored against the skiff's boom when it was not being used.
