The Sabre Dinghy is a class single-handed sailboat that is 12'4" or 3.76 m long. The boat was designed in 1974 by Rex Fettell, who also designed the Minnow. As of 2017 over 2,000 sail numbers have been issued.
In the 2012 Australian National Titles, there were 130 boats on the start line, making it one of the largest national championships to be held that year of any class boat in Australia. The first national championships were held at Lake Cootharaba in Queensland in 1979.
The boat is built in either fibreglass or as a composite (timber deck and fibreglass hull) or plywood by the stitch and glue method and weighs in at minimum of 41 kg (90 lbs).
Due to its accessible nature, it is suited to sailors of varying abilities, and is popular both with learners and weaker sailors who find boats like the Laser overpowering.
In Australia the Sabre is sailed in over 36 clubs in the state of Victoria, where it is one of the most active supporters of Victorian Yachting Council activities. The fleets in Victoria are at Albert Park Yacht Club, Albert Sailing Club, Altona Yacht Club, Apollo Bay Sailing Club, Ballarat Yacht Club, Beaumaris Yacht Club, Bendigo Yacht Club, Black Rock Yacht Club, Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, Cairn Curran Sailing Club, Carrum Sailing Club, Chelsea Yacht Club, Colac Yacht Club, Corio Bay Sailing Club, Cowes Yacht Club, Davey's Bay Yacht Club, Elwood Sailing Club, Flinders Yacht Club, Frankston Yacht Club, Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club, Hampton Sailing Club, Indented Head Yacht Club, Lake Boga Yacht Club, Latrobe Valley Yacht Club, Lysterfield Sailing Club, McCrae Yacht Club, Mordialloc Sailing Club, Mt Martha Yacht Club, Parkdale Yacht Club, Portarlington Sailing Club, Rye Yacht Club, Safety Beach Sailing Club, Somers Yacht Club, Sugarloaf Sailing Club, Westernport Yacht Club and Williamstown Sailing Club.
Small fleets in South Australia are centred on the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club, Wallaroo Sailing Club and Port River Sailing Club.
Western Australia has strong fleets sailing out of Maylands Yacht Club, Perth Dinghy Sailing Club and Royal Perth Yacht Club.
Tasmania has fleets sailing out of Burnie Yacht Club, Deviot Sailing Club, Lindisfarne Sailing Club, Midway Point Yacht Club, Montrose Bay Yacht Club and Wynyard.
The boat is also well represented in New South Wales with Connells Point Sailing Club, Kogarah Bay Sailing Club (15 boats), Richmond River Sailing Club, Woollahra Sailing Club, St George Sailing Club, Twofold Bay YC and Wallagoot Lake Boat Club
Queensland has fleets at Maroochy Sailing Club and the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. Tweed Valley Sailing Club (NSW) has a growing fleet. Sabre's can be found at Cleveland Yacht Club, Tin Can Bay Yacht Club, Southport Yacht Club and Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club. In the past Cleveland Yacht Club has had many boats and even held the national championships in 2002, but interest in the boat has dropped off and now Maroochy Sailing Club and Royal Qld Yacht Squadron have the two largest fleets.
Australian Capital Territory sail out of the Canberra Yacht Club. With the Nationals to be run in 2028 the class is surging with a fleet of 11 boats.
+ Sabre Dinghy National Champions Year National Champion Boat # Ladies Champion Boat # Venue 2022 Alan Riley 2094 Susan Hextell 2022 Canberra Yacht Club ACT 2021 Event not held due to coronavirus pandemic 2020 Alan Riley 2094 Lauren Keil 2091 Wallaroo Sailing Club SA 2019 Alan Riley 2094 Lauren Keil 2091 Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Qld 2018 Scott Olson 2059 Megan de Lange 2089 Perth Dinghy Sailing Club WA 2017 Jon Holroyd 1778 Susannah Gillam 2039 Black Rock Vic 2016 Craig McPhee 1832 Lauren Keil 1691 Derwent Sailing Squadron Tas 2015 Mark Soulsby 2030 Laura Baker 1773 Adelaide Sailing Club SA 2014 Scott Olson 1897 Laura Baker 1773 Perth Dinghy Sailing Club WA 2013 Peter Hackett 1932 Susan Hextell 1724 Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Qld 2012 Chris Dance 1778 Laura Baker 1773 Blairgowrie Vic 2011 Chris Dance 1778 Laura Baker 1773 Brighton-Seacliffe SA 2010 Callum Burns 1743 Fiona Martin 1590 Bellerive Tas 2009 Alex Newman 1769 Fiona McCulloch 1776 Safety Beach Vic 2008 John Gratton 1698 Fiona McCulloch 1596 Brighton-Seacliffe SA 2007 Wayne Bates 1610 Fiona McCulloch 1596 Cleveland Qld 2006 Wayne Bates 1610 Maree Early 1613 Lindisfarne Tas 2005 Alan Riley 1564 Fiona McCulloch 1596 Twofold Bay NSW 2004 Wayne Bates 1610 Maree Early 1613 Blairgowrie Vic 2003 Wayne Bates 1610 Maree Early 1613 Brighton-Seacliffe SA 2002 Michael Johnson 1596 Maree Early 1613 Cleveland Qld 2001 Michael Johnson 1596 Maree Early 1613 Lindisfarne Tas 2000 Damien Pound 1565 Krystal Weir 1233 Toukley NSW 1999 Arthur Brett 1552 Faye Mckenzie 298 Black Rock Vic 1998 Nick Mouat 1283 Jacinta Baker 1345 Largs Bay SA 1997 Richard Kingsmill 1319 Maree Early 1437 Runaway Bay Qld 1996 Nick Mouat 1283 Not Awarded Lindisfarne Tas 1995 Andrew Sayle 1287 Maree Early 1267 Gippsland Lakes Vic 1994 Jon Holroyd 1432 Katie Holroyd 1287 Speers Pt NSW 1993 Paul Phillips 1426 Laura Baker 1091 Brighton-Seacliffe SA 1992 John Lurie 1432 Nicole Gibson 850 Kingston Tas 1991 Scott Glanville 1267 Lee Ives 1283 Lake Boga Vic 1990 Leigh Glanville 1267 Nicole Gibson 632 Rye Vic 1989 Owen McMahon 400 Lee Ives 1254 Largs Bay SA 1988 Lee Ives 1254 Lee Ives 1254 Lindisfarne Tas 1987 Paul Richards 944 Lee Ives 1191 Gippsland Lakes Vic 1986 Wayne Bates 1144 Jeni Lidgett 969 Lake Cairn Curren Vic 1985 Wayne Bates 1144 Jeni Lidgett 969 Brighton-Seacliffe SA 1984 Alex Howard 943 Jane Purbrick 1120 Lake Boga Vic 1983 Paul Chodziesner 777 Jane Purbrick 851 Botany Bay NSW 1982 Andrew Lechte 777 Jane Purbrick 851 Largs Bay SA 1981 Stuart Wallace 855 Jenny Theisz 542 Blairgowrie Vic 1980 Peter Anderson 800 Lisa Donald 788 Lake Wallagoot NSW 1979 Peter Anderson 800 Not Awarded Lake Cootharaba Qld
External links Sabre Sailing Association of Australia