2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship

by Phil Stevenson 13 Jan 18:04 NZDT 6-11 January 2025

2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship © Australian International Moth Association

While the professionals were racing their expensive exotic foiler Moths in New Zealand last week, another group of Moth enthusiasts raced their more traditional Moths at the Australian Scow and Lowrider Australian National Championship, hosted by the Saratoga Sailing Club on the NSW Central Coast. The championships consisted of ten races over a six day period in early January.

Although the demography of the competitors was somewhat more senior, there were a few youngsters, with ages range from 16 to 81 with the majority in their 50s and 60s. Competitors came from Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.

2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship - photo © Australian International Moth Association

The boats covered all the eras of moth history before foiling, from a 1960's Peter Cole designed 'mouldie' to this century's Hungry Tiger lowrider. The championships provided a showcase of traditional moths, including new carbon and composite boats through to rebuilt boats rescued from garages or barn.

This is the third year of the event and the fleet has doubled from 17 to 39. This growth is better than most modern dinghy classes and can be put down to a level of nostalgia, camaraderie and fun, all within a competitive sailing environment.

2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship - photo © Australian International Moth Association

Race results are based upon both scratch and a modified yardstick. The modified yardstick has been developed to balance the results, taking into account hull type, material and age and also rig configuration and materials and whether the moth has wings or no wings. This enables all types of boats to feature in the results, but still requires a level of consistency to ensure good overall results.

The weather for the ten races ranged from a couple of lighter 5 to 10 knots days through to a 20 knot (plus) day of racing, providing a level of variability for all types of boats (and skippers) to perform. The wingless boats going well in the light and the new carbon scows excelling in the heavy winds. In the moderate the 'lowrider skiffs' proved hard to beat over the line. Some damage and prudence resulted in some boats missing results on the windy days.

2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship - photo © Australian International Moth Association

Although the championships is based upon creating a fun, inclusive and sustainable event, the results indicated there is a strong level of competition with former world and national champions featuring strongly.

Scratch Results
First Place Stunned Mullet Andrew Coxall NSW 1980's wooden scow
Second Place Easy Tiger Chris Musto WA 2022 carbon scow
Third Place Go Figure Glen Oldfield WA 2023 carbon scow

Modified Yardstick Results
First Place Chequered Past Ian Clazie NSW 1980s wooden scow
Second Place Stunned Mullet Andrew Coxall NSW 1980s wooden scow
Third Place Snubby Peter Moor NSW 1970s wooden scow

2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship - photo © Australian International Moth Association

Next year the event may be back in Victoria the birth place of the 98 year old class. Building up for a big year in 2028 for the centenary.

2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship - photo © Australian International Moth Association

2025 Moth Lowrider Australian Championship - photo © Ahmet Emir Soner

2025 Scow and Lowrider National Championships Overall Results
SCRATCH

Boat Name	Sail Number	Invitation Race	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Race 7	Race 8	Race 9	Race 10	Overall Points (with drops)	Overall Position
Scratch Position	Race Score	Race Score	Race Score	Race Score	Race Score	Race Score	Race Score	Race Score	Race Score	Race Score

Stunned Mullet	4245	7	2	4	3	1	3	1	9	30	40	2	25	1
Easy Tiger	4904	1	3	5	1	6	2	3	3	9	9	5	28	2
go figure	5049	2	1	1	2	5	1	40	13	12	6	4	32	3
Fusion	9061	10	9	6	5	3	9	8	7	3	2	3	38	4
Skeeta	4177	12	10	10	4	2	4	4	10	4	4	9	41	5
Snubby	3315	5	5	40	6	4	5	40	4	10	5	8	43	6
Chequered Past	8739	9	6	8	8	8	6	6	6	11	8	12	56	7
Firefly	5072	22	14	13	10	10	7	5	18	7	13	14	79	8
Sector 7	9318	3	21	9	7	15	40	40	2	2	21	6	83	9
Cunning Linguist	5079	DNC	13	14	40	17	11	2	5	6	16	16	83	10
My Sanity	4754	11	11	12	13	9	14	10	12	17	10	18	91	11
Tiger on a chain	9343	8	8	3	40	40	40	40	1	1	1	1	95	12
BalatonDesign	5075	DNC	17	7	40	11	40	40	11	14	7	10	117	13
IMP	5042	6	7	11	40	40	40	40	8	5	3	7	121	14
Maritimo	8924	19	15	26	14	16	13	9	25	19	26	19	130	15
Date's Up	4178	DNC	24	20	16	12	40	40	19	13	21	13	138	16
Hysteria	5073	16	40	40	17	13	16	12	15	21	22	26	142	17
Mad Hatter	8888	29	22	28	18	14	10	7	28	28	30	29	155	18
Black Friday	5076	15	20	22	24	40	40	40	21	8	14	11	160	19
Motheeta	5047	14	12	18	12	40	40	40	23	16	17	25	163	20
Paranoid	9342	17	16	16	19	7	8	40	40	40	40	24	170	21
Maggie	4244	21	18	17	40	40	40	40	16	15	12	15	173	22
Rakau	4827	DNF	40	24	15	40	12	40	20	24	18	21	174	23
Basalternator	4892	13	25	15	22	40	40	40	14	23	15	20	174	24
Skippa	8418	XX	26	23	21	40	15	11	26	26	29	28	176	25
george	5045	24	23	40	11	40	40	40	17	18	11	17	177	26
Slartibartfast	3263	DNC	28	21	20	40	40	40	30	20	19	27	205	27
Maybe	9115	4	4	2	9	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	215	28
AGILE	1000	25	32	25	25	40	40	40	29	25	25	32	233	29
Skoobie	5078	20	30	30	40	40	40	40	27	27	24	23	241	30
	4971	30	40	40	40	40	40	40	22	22	23	22	249	31
Jettied	4972	32	40	40	40	40	40	40	32	32	31	33	249	32
Poppet	KA / 5071	27	31	40	40	40	40	40	24	29	28	30	262	33
Cinnabah	5070	31	34	29	40	40	40	40	40	31	27	31	272	34
Running with scissors	5046	28	27	27	23	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	277	35
Glide Free	4176	18	19	19	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	278	36
Kinta	8577 / 8736	DNF	33	31	40	40	40	40	31	33	40	40	288	37
This is the Way	8510	23	29	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	309	38
Bubble and Squeak	9228	26	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	320	39

2025 Scow and Lowrider National Championships Overall Results
YARDSTICK

Boat Name	Sail Number	Invitation Race	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Race 7	Race 8	Race 9	Race 10	Overall Points (With Drops)	Overall Place
Yardstick Position	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points	Yardstick Race Points

Chequered Past	8739	1	1	1	2	2	2	2	1	2	1	1	11	1
Stunned Mullet	4245	3	2	2	1	1	1	1	4	30	40	2	14	2
Snubby	3315	4	4	40	5	3	6	40	3	6	4	6	37	3
Easy Tiger	4904	5	33	6	3	8	4	4	7	16	14	13	59	4
Firefly	5072	23	8	9	11	7	7	6	21	4	8	10	59	5
Skeeta	4177	15	10	14	8	4	5	5	13	10	7	21	62	6
go figure	5049	7	6	4	4	6	3	40	23	19	10	12	64	7
Fusion	9061	14	9	8	12	5	10	10	9	8	6	14	65	8
Maritimo	8924	8	7	18	6	15	11	8	15	7	21	5	74	9
Skippa	8418	DNC	12	12	9	40	14	9	20	11	26	8	95	10
Cunning Linguist	5079	DNC	13	17	40	16	13	3	8	9	17	25	96	11
IMP	5042	2	3	5	40	40	40	40	2	1	2	4	97	12
My Sanity	4754	13	11	16	17	10	15	11	19	27	15	26	114	13
Mad Hatter	8888	27	14	26	13	11	8	7	27	23	28	20	122	14
Hysteria	5073	11	40	40	15	12	16	12	12	20	22	22	131	15
george	5045	21	16	40	7	40	40	40	10	13	5	7	138	16
Maggie	4244	10	40	7	40	40	40	40	5	3	3	3	141	17
AGILE	1000	16	21	13	19	40	40	40	25	5	12	11	146	18
Date's Up	4178	DNC	24	22	16	14	40	40	26	15	25	15	157	19
Paranoid	9342	22	20	23	23	9	9	40	6	40	40	29	159	20
BalatonDesign	5075	DNC	23	10	40	13	40	40	18	22	13	23	162	21
Basalternator	4892	9	22	15	21	40	40	40	11	29	9	18	165	23
Tiger on a chain	9343	24	18	11	40	40	40	40	14	12	11	19	165	22
Rakau	4827	DNC	40	25	14	40	12	40	24	26	16	17	174	24
Sector 7	9318	17	29	19	22	17	40	40	17	14	29	30	177	25
Black Friday	5076	20	25	27	25	40	40	40	28	17	18	24	204	26
Motheeta	5047	18	15	24	18	40	40	40	29	25	23	31	205	27
Slartibartfast	3263	DNC	27	21	20	40	40	40	32	24	20	27	211	28
Maybe	9115	6	5	3	10	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	218	29
Poppet	KA / 5071	25	26	40	40	40	40	40	16	21	24	16	223	30
	4971	28	40	40	40	40	40	40	22	18	19	9	228	31
Cinnabah	5070	31	32	28	40	40	40	40	40	32	27	28	267	32
Skoobie	5078	26	31	31	40	40	40	40	31	33	30	32	268	33
Kinta	8577 / 8736	DNC	30	30	40	40	40	40	30	28	40	40	278	34
Glide Free	4176	19	19	20	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	279	35
Running with scissors	5046	32	28	29	24	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	281	36
Jettied	4972	30	40	40	40	40	40	40	33	31	31	33	288	37
This is the Way	8510	12	17	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	297	38
Bubble and Squeak	9228	29	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	320	39