Dad's Sharpie History
with photos (if available).

1. Black Rock Yacht Club's Tribute to Dad.
2. 1959 - Heavyweight - V79 Patience.
3. 1961 - Lightweight - Hobart - V4 Omega.
4. 1962 - Black Rock - V50 Omega II.
5. 1963 - Brisbane - V50 Omega II.
6. 1965 - Glenelg - V50 Omega II - Not Available.
7. 1966 - Sydney - V97 Omega III.
8. 1968 - Chelsea - V97 Omega III - Not Available.
9. 1970 - Manly - V123 Omega IV.
10. 1972 - Adelaide - V138 Omega.
11. 1973 - Sydney - V138 Omega.
12. 1975 - Black Rock - V138 Omega.
13. 1993 - Black Rock - V655 The Gorilla - Not Available.
14. Pennants won.

The following Tribute was written by Noel Sutcliffe - BRYC Rear Commodore and Historian and Dad and my friend since the 1960s.
Sudsy originally wrote most of this Tribute back on 10th May 2018 and it was published in the BRYC Newsletter. Dad read it back then and loved it. Thank you Sudsy for the latest amended Tribute.

A Tribute to Keith Frost, Black Rock Y.C. Sharpie Legend.

It is with a great deal of sadness that we acknowledge the passing on Sunday 27th July of Keith Frost (age 94), a former member for many years, an absolute legend in the Sharpie class and an all-round “good bloke”.

Often in life we refer to a person as a 'good bloke' or an 'absolute gentleman' and perhaps we overuse such terminology, but not in the case of Keith Frost.
I have known Frosty since my young teenage years and had the pleasure of sailing with him occasionally. On the water he had the same calm methodical approach that he displays on dry land. In fact, I think his naturally calm manner and his attention to detail was one of the reasons for his sailing success.
In 1959 Keith made a decision after a few drinks (lots) at the Beaumaris Hotel that was to impact on his life for nearly four decades. At the ripe old age of 29 he decided to buy a yacht, a Heavyweight Sharpie, “Patience” which he purchased from local yachtsman Keith McDonald. The boat was very well named as that’s exactly what was required by the new owner who had no previous sailing experience. While he may have started off knowing very little about sailing it wasn't going to be long before that changed.
In 1959 the Heavyweight Sharpies at Black Rock were dominated by Impala, sailed by Porky Newman with a young forward hand by the name of Keith Higgins. In most club races in that season the crew of Impala were in the clubhouse having a beer by the time Frosty finished the race. Frosty and his crew provided entertainment for all by frequently capsizing trying to complete the race and sail into the club. For his efforts, his first sailing trophy was the 'Submarine Trophy'.

Frosty only sailed the Heavyweight for one season as it was the time of transition to Lightweight Sharpies.
He purchased his first 'Lightweight' built by Ron Allatt and Stan Le Nepveu at the Ronstan factory in Advantage Road Highett. It was one of the very early ones built, number V4, which he named Omega, the name he used for all his Lightweight Sharpies. After Keith sold V4, it went on to become Michael Golding's very first Sharpie and was renamed 'Active 4', so it stayed at Black Rock for some years.
By now Keith's sailing had come a long way from a very humble start.
By 1962 he had another new Sharpie, Omega V50 and finished 2nd in the 62/63 Australian Championships in Brisbane. That series was won by George White, with his crew of Brian & John Collins in Futura, but interestingly they both beat the great John Cuneo who was third.
Whilst coming second may have been disappointing, beating John Cuneo was a reward in itself, and an indication of the standard of sailing in the Sharpie class at the time. Cuneo went on to win seven Sharpie National titles, three in Heavyweight Sharpies and four in Lightweights. He was third in the 505 Worlds against the likes of Paul Elvstrom & Jim Hardy before becoming an Olympic Gold medalist in the Dragon Class.

By 1971 Frosty had yet another Sharpie called Omega (V138) in which he again came second in the National Titles in Sydney. In all he had 5 Lightweight Sharpies which he sailed until the mid 70s.
For much of that journey he stuck with the same team, Rolly Newman on main and Alan (Willo) Williams up forward.
During later years Frosty sailed Sabres for approximately 10 years until he just lost the desire to sail when time started to catch up with him.
During the early 60s when the club was struggling financially, Frosty and his wife Maureen would organize dances and helped raise a considerable amount of money for the club.
Sadly Frosty lost his life partner, Maureen on the 29th of June 2017, after 64 years of marriage.

At 87 he could be seen still riding his bike between Beaumaris and St Kilda about 4 days a week. Frosty was not a man to give up easily. He would deal with life’s setbacks, jump the hurdles and “get on with it”.
Frosty, gone but not forgotten, a true “legend” of our Club.
Noel Sutcliffe