Rag & Famish Hotel 2025-26 - Young 18ft skiff team's big rookie season
by Frank Quealey 15 Jan 06:12 UTC
Crew have eyes for the weather mark just ahead of Yandoo © SailMedia
North Sydney's Rag & Famish Hotel has been an 18ft skiff sponsoring partner with the Australian 18 Footers League since 1996 when the late George Calligeros, the hotel's owner, decided to financially support his son's sailing career in the 134-year-old iconic Australian sport.
Along the way since, the 29-year partnership has produced a Giltinan world 18ft skiff championship victory in 2001, as well as three Australian championships.
During that time 'The Rag' has had some very experienced 18 footer skippers and crews sailing its boats, but in 2025-26 the Rag & Famish Hotel team is not only the youngest (average team age of 19 years) in the highly-competitive fleet, it is also the team with the least 18 footers experience.
Ben Crafoord is the skipper, Ryan Ewings the sheet hand and 17-year-old Max Nearn is in the bow. Max is also the only one of the trio with one season's full time competition in the 18s.
The announcement raised a few eyebrows as the team is replacing Harry Price's very experienced international team, which won last season's Australian Championship on Waterloo Bay, Brisbane.
All three youngsters have talent, but how would they handle the pressure of racing an 18ft skiff each week in a 17-boat fleet on Sydney Harbour.
We didn't have to wait long for the answer. In conditions ranging from very little breeze to very strong winds coming from all directions, the 2025-26 Rag & Famish Hotel team finished 3rd in the recently completed NSW Championship, and are now preparing to contest the Australian and Giltinan championships over the next two months.
The Australian Championship will be contested on Sydney Harbour from 17-19 January and the Giltinan world Championship from 7-15 March.
Although skipper Ben Crafoord is just 19-year-old, he is experienced with racing successfully in large international fleets and has already shown he has what it takes for the new challenge.
Ben and Jacob Marks (who is now a rival skipper, Sixt, in the 18s) teamed to contest the 2023 World 29er Championship at Weymouth, UK and finished in 7th place in a 50-boat fleet after winning the 205 team-entry Q (qualifying) series with race results of 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 1, (6) for a total of 8 points.
He also finished 2nd in the 2025 Open Match Racing Nationals.
So what were Ben's and the team's expectations at the start of the season? Simply "To stay upright and train as much as possible to try to sort out the boat handling."
Now, after the successes achieved so far during the season, "Just keep on improving each week and try to keep on training through the 2026 season until the JJs."
"I'm loving the 18s so far and I am keen to just keep on chipping away and taking new lessons on every time we get to sail."
Max Nearn was in the same High School teams racing squad as Ben and Jacob Marks for four years so he did a lot of sailing with them, and raced against both and Ryan Ewings in the 29ers for 2-3 years.
He was 3x national school teams racing champion (with Ben and Jacob) and was twice Vaucluse 12ft SC club champion in both the Sabot and F11 classes.
Max sailed as sheet hand on Burrawang-Young Henrys with Simon Nearn and Tom Quigley during the 2024-25 season and at the 2025 Giltinan Championship.
Asked about his expectations at the start of the season, Max said "My expectations were to try to keep in the top seven with maybe a couple of top 5s throughout the season." After the successful start, what are they now? "Leading into the nationals in January my expectations are minimal. I don't really know what to expect but if we take it race by race and just keep sailing our best we should be alright."
"The average age on the boat is 19-years-old so we are still very young and have a lot to learn, but I'm very excited for the upcoming racing."
Third member of the team is 21-year-old Ryan Ewings, who was NSW State champion in 29ers and has podium finishes in national Sabots and Flying Ants. He has represented Australia in 29ers and Youth Match Racing and more recently he is a crew member on the 100 footer SHK Scallywag and has Line Honours in both the 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race and 2025 Loro Piano Girraglia Offshore Race.
What did Ryan think at the start of the season?, "I think we didn't have a major goal but more so an expectation about ourselves to sail as well as we knew we could and we would see what results came off that. We hoped that it would put us in the mix with the top half of the fleet."
Now, after performing so well in the NSW Championship? "Personally, for the Giltinan, I hope we can continue on from some of our better results throughout the season. I think an ambitious goal would be to finish in the top 5 which would be a great effort for our first season together."
Andrew Buckland, a seven world 18ft skiff champion, is not only one of the greatest competitors, he was a great influence on the class during the late 1970s-early 1980s as a sail maker and innovator, and is noted to have a keen eye for talent. Andrew is full of praise for Ben and his young team.
"Ben is an excellent you sailor who has already had an extensive experience in a variety of classes. His determination is first class and he takes everything in like a sponge."
"Youngsters these days have great support available through coaching and available video of their racing, and their learning is far quicker than it was in my day."
Speaking on the team aspect, Andrew said, "It will be important for the individuals to stay together and be tough on each other as they push ahead to the very top of the class."
Another class champion with immense experience is 100-footer SHK Scallywag skipper David Witt, who began his own 18 footer career as a 17-year-old skipper in the late 1980s, alongside Ryan Ewings' father David (Gilly).
Witty is a great supporter of young, up-and-coming sailors, "Being able to give young 18 sailors the opportunity that eluded me at the same age is so rewarding."
Speaking about Ryan, David said, "Ryan first sailed on Scallywag as a 14-year-old. He continued to ask intelligent questions which showed me then he could be capable of being boat captain of a 100 footer in the future. He started as a junior, now 4 years in, is boat captain doing an outstanding job. His work ethic, added with good intelligence, is a winning combination."
David added, "Ben Crawford, the skipper of The Rag, sailed the Scallywag delivery back and helping with the shore team is probably not far away from getting an opportunity on the race team."
Next test for the talented young Rag & Famish Hotel team is next weekend's 2025-26 Australian Championship, which will be conducted by the Australian 18 Footers League on Sydney Harbour.
A fleet of more than 20 skiff teams representing NSW, Queensland and Germany will contest the six-race regatta over three days:
- Day One - Saturday, 17 January 2026
- Day Two - Sunday, 18 January 2026
- Day Three - Monday, 19 January 2026
According to the host club "Don't miss a moment. We'll be running a spectator ferry service each day, putting you right in the heart of the action on the Harbour. With two races per day, there's guaranteed close racing and plenty of drama."
SailMedia's brilliant, highly professional live stream video coverage will be on the course each day with expert commentary, to keep all viewers up-to-the-minute with everything that is happening within the fleet; it's a must for those who can't get out on the water.