The following extract is from "Australian Wooden Boats-Volume One, Classic Small Boats" published by The Wooden Boat Association of New South Wales

Ozone drawn by David Payne, Information from John Wood and sources.

These model skiffs are typical of those sailed on Sydney Harbour between the 1890’s and 1940’s. There were two main classes of models in Sydney: the 2 footers, raced by adults (of which Ozone is an example), and the 10 inch (Balmain 10) raced by the young boys off the beach. However there were a number of other sizes - one footers and one and a half footers as well as ”pond“ models which were raced on enclosed waterways.

Besides Ozone (which appears overleaf) we have included lines of a six inch model skiff and a one footer drawn by Bill “Bollard from models owned by Brisbane sailmaker Jack Hamilton.

The two foot model skiffs, sailed by amateur clubs formed at Abbotsford, Drummoyne, Balmain, North Sydney and Double Bay, raced with powerful rigs four foot bowsprits to take the oversize jib and spinnaker, booms which overhung the tuck by up to five feet, and masts which were up to 10 feet tall, all balanced by a deep dagger blade fin with a lead bulb weighing up to 11 kg.

During races on Sydney Harbour where there could be up to 30 starters, each boat was accompanied by a rowing dinghy with the rower facing forward. In the bow the skipper kept a keen eye on the performance of his model. The triangular course was usually between three to four miles long. But sometimes things became chaotic when the wind unexpectedly strengthened and the models started to skip away from the escorting dinghies. The skipper then joined his frantic rower to try to recapture his escaping model.

Each model would have up to 10 rigs to suit varying wind conditions, including spinnakers. To change tack or set a spinnaker while racing, the skipper would catch his skiff to make adjustments including moving the keel position along the sliding track. On large rigs, the spinnaker was raised by halyard.