Yachting: Mullet boats are cult classics cut from different cloth

Mullet boats will race under the Harbour Bridge in the Lipton Cup.

The cult classics of the Auckland sailing scene take to the water for the 93rd year today to do battle for one of New Zealand yachting's most coveted prizes, the Lipton Cup.

"Business at the front, party at the back", are the words that scroll by behind the eyes of most when they first hear the term Mullety, but these quirky little fishing smacks-cum-racing yachts have been an important part of yacht racing on the Waitemata Harbour since the 1880s.

Their cult following is based on a heady mix of history, infamy, a whopping great trophy and a list of alumni from New Zealand's nautical pantheon.

Say the words "mullet boat" to any sailor and they'll have a tale or two to tell, whether it be fisticuffs outside the "snake pit" - the infamous shed behind the Kawau Island Yacht Club (mullety sailors were banned) - or epic harbour races featuring legends such as Roy and James Dickson (Chris Dickson's father and grandfather), Jim Lidgard, Flap Martinengo, Ralph Roberts, Jim Davern, Dave Nigh and Jim Mackay.

Mullet boats began life sometime in the 1880s as fishing smacks with retractable keels and shallow draft so they could sidle deep into the estuaries of the Waitemata Harbour to ply their trade. The lack of refrigeration back then made them fast - the quickest boat would have the freshest catch for the fish markets at the bottom of Queen St.

As recreational sailing became more popular at the beginning of the 20th century, prize money and gambling took off, too, attracting more mullet boats to the weekend regattas and fuelling refinements in design. Fierce rivalries developed, often spilling off the boats and into the yacht clubs afterwards.

In 1905, the Ponsonby Cruising Club elected Scottish grocery magnate and America's Cup competitor, Sir Thomas Lipton, vice-president. That done, the fledgling club began lobbying Sir Thomas for a trophy. They got more than they bargained for.

Wrought by the same silversmith as the America's Cup, the Lipton Cup stands 5cm taller, is more ornate and, at 250, was by far the richest trophy in New Zealand sport at the time.

The most popular class, the L-class, are 22ft from plumb-stem to tuck-stern, but measure much more from bowsprit to boom-end. And it's that ratio of sail area to hull size that makes these boats exciting. Throw in a tonne of lead ingots as ballast and you've got a boat that has far too much power and an alarming habit of burying its bow or capsizing.

Robert Algie, part owner of defending champion Tamatea, says he enjoys the raw, "first principles" sailing of mulleties as well as participating in an important part of New Zealand's maritime history.

"I like that they're a challenge to sail, that they're unique to Auckland, and the camaraderie that develops among the crew, knowing that one mistake can have you swimming."

Sinkings are less common since the adoption of modern Marconi rigs, but the 101-year-old Arch Logan designed and built Valeria, winner of the first Lipton Cup Challenge in 1922 and still one of the fastest in the fleet, capsized and sank during a race just a few seasons ago. Salvaged that afternoon, she's still a good chance to take the title today.

The pull of the Lipton Cup still attracts top sailors. For many it's a badge of honour to have won one.

This year America's Cup sailors Mathew Mason (Oracle Racing), Dean Phipps (Alinghi) and Warwick Fleury (Team New Zealand, Alinghi) will be in the mix.

But it's the boat owners and crew that sail hard all season every year and the dedication of the Ponsonby Cruising Club that make these boats what they are - a living history of the Hauraki Gulf and an essential part of Auckland's identity.

Lipton Cup

What: The Line 7 93rd Lipton Cup Interclub Challenge.
Where: Waitemata Harbour. Start line off the Harbour Bridge.
When: Today, 11am-3pm.