by I. Campbell and S. E. Hills
Few boats are easier to build than the 12-foot Rainbow.
It is Tasmania’s most popular class and is sailed in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia as well. In the early 1940s H. J. Hill of West Australia believed that he had the answer to the VJ. He designed and built a 12 foot craft that was simple in design, light, and fast to sail. Today it is the strongest class sailing in Tasmania and South Australia, is very prominent in Western Australia and is becoming popular in Victoria and New South Wales. The Rainbow excels itself on the planing run where the flat bottom design allows it to take full advantage of its considerable sail area which is 90 square feet of working sail plus a 70 sq ft spinnaker. This scow is fast on all points of sailing. It is sailed on its chine in true scow fashion and this has the effect of reducing pounding and lengthening the waterline. These qualities combined with the ease of building has made the Rainbow a very popular class. Watertight bulkheads make the boat safe. Venturis bail the boat dry in a matter of minutes after a swim. This feature makes it a safe boat for youngsters. The Rainbow is fitted with a 4 ft 4 in. centreboard made of timber which is 1 ft 2 in. wide. The trapeze gives it good stability. Length is 12 feet, beam 3 feet 10 inches with a maximum depth of 1 foot 31 inches. Minimum weight is 120 lb.
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