sydney to hobart yacht race smallest boat

Sydney Hobart: oldest and smallest boat a good handicap chance

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Published on December 25th, 2018 | by Editor

Small but mighty for Sydney Hobart Race

Published on December 25th, 2018 by Editor -->

She is the smallest boat with the smallest budget and crew in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet this year, but according to her skipper, Reece Young, Gun Runner has a lot to offer in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 628 nautical mile race.

Gun Runner is a 9.2 metre Jarkan 925 with a crew of six and an annual budget of $4,000. She is the smallest yacht for the start on December 26, but during the year, 200 soldiers sail on her. She is well-used and has a lot of heart.

“It has to stretch a long way,” skipper Young says of the budget. “A large part goes to taking the yacht in the Sydney Gold Coast race and others up north. And five day passages – taking soldiers out for offshore experience and getting them to dig deep.”

Their $4000 is a long way from the major budgets of the bulk of the fleet – it wouldn’t pay to fix a sail on any of the high-tech yachts, but Young is philosophical and is ‘at ease’ with his lot in life – including a new crew this year. He is the lone one to have done the famous race.

The Army, Young says, principally uses Gun Runner to teach its values of courage, initiative, respect and teamwork. They also use Tasars and Elliotts for training and racing.

“Under normal circumstances the Sydney Hobart can be difficult; getting the team together and getting them to work as a team. Those characteristics are already imbued in soldiers – working under duress, responding to directions, and when to offer suggestions. They work together to make sure the team gets there – no superstars.

“To get them ready, we teach a lot in CYCA twilights – we are all taught a certain way and teach a certain way to give and respond to orders.”

On such a small boat – all 30 feet of it, Young says: “It takes us five days to get to Hobart. It’s very close quarters, very uncomfortable, that for me is the real challenge. You go on Gun Runner, you know what lack of sleep and comfort is about – it’s uncomfortable. But if it wasn’t like that, we wouldn’t do it – nor would the Army.”

Young acknowledges his personal challenge in regards to the Rolex Sydney Hobart is “the administration that goes into it beforehand. We spend the whole year making sure the yacht is up to spec – you go into it knowing you are going to spend five days out there.” And, he says, “I genuinely believe in the race as a challenge and the values we represent.”

As to his return to skipper a Sydney Hobart novice crew, he says: “You do the race once and walk away – it’s a great thing. But if you can turn around the next year and do it again with a different crew, it cements the fact that it is achievable, you can do it. You just have to believe in yourself.

“It’s not restricted to the super maxis, multi-millionaires etc. – anyone can do it.”

The father of nearly four children (one on the way) says that two boat owners, Shane Kearns and Sean Langman are mentors. “Sean’s father, Major Langman, was a part of the Army Sailing Club when Gun Runner was purchased. Both Sean and Shane sail and have sailed small boats to Hobart – they give me something to aim for.”

Kearns is going again this year on his S&S 34, Komatsu Azzurro, while Sean has swapped his 9 metre Maluka (the smallest in last year’s race) for a Reichel/Pugh 65, Naval Group.

“Small boats like Maluka and Komatsu are our inspiration,” says Young.

Finally, Young says, “I really appreciate how we’ve been accepted into the yachting community – we came into sailing with trepidation – but it’s been great.”

How to follow the race… click here .

Event Details – Entry List – Facebook

Background : Eight-nine yachts will be chasing line honours and the overall Tattersall Cup win in the 628nm Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which starts December 26, 2018. From Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the south-east coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides the mainland from the island State of Tasmania), then down the east coast of Tasmania. At Tasman Island the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.

Source: RSHYR media

Tags: Sydney Hobart

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Sydney to Hobart's smallest yacht owner has eyes on prize

Super-maxi wild oats xi is already the favourite to take out the line honours in 2015's sydney to hobart, and international entries are rising, but one yacht owner is staying focused on winning..

Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards and reigning Rolex Sydney to Hobart yacht race champion Roger Hickman at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

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Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race- 26 December

Avoid the Crowds

Front Row Seats!

Bucket List Experience

On Boxing Day each year, one of the world’s premier yacht races departs from Sydney bound for Hobart. Take our private VIP charter option or join a group cruise and experience the harbour amid a sea of colour, pomp and ceremony that is the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Click the Tabs to Find out More

Vip private charter - $3,375, harbour cruise - $285 per person.

Enjoy one of Sydney Harbour’s and the yachting world’s biggest days of the year in style and comfort aboard our VIP European SportsCruiser. You’ll get up close to some of the world’s most impressive maxi yachts as we line up alongside the starting grid and follow the flotilla towards the harbour entrance. Once the yachts have disappeared beyond the heads, we cruise to the picturesque and historic Quarantine Bay for lunch, a wander, and an afternoon swim. But if you have a spot in mind, your local skipper will make sure we get there during the day.

VIP Sports Cruiser – Our 11 metre, open-top cruiser brings a touch of Italian Riviera class to the stunning Sydney Harbour. This sleek powerboat comfortably seats 10 (plus a skipper) and is equipped with ample shade covering, downstairs bedroom, kitchenette and toilet facilities, generous food and drink storage and plenty of space for lounging in the sun and moving about the boat. Find out more about your boat here (opens in a new tab) .

11:30 am from Convention Wharf, Darling Harbour.

Maximum Group Size

Lunch and drinks.

Bring your own picnic and drinks (alcohol permitted) or we can stop at one of many harbourside restaurants.

Price includes

Watch the start of the world-famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and follow the flotilla of impressive maxi yachts out towards the heads. We’ll take a short tour of some of the key sights of Sydney Harbour, and head to picturesque and historic Quarantine Bay for lunch, a wander, and an afternoon swim. Your ticket includes a cafe lunch and soft drink at a waterside bar/cafe but you’re welcome to bring other snacks and drinks aboard.

Harbour Explorer – a comfortable open-top boat that seats 16 guests and can drop you right onto the beach. It’s 8.5m with an enclosed toilet and some shading. Find out more about your boat here (opens in a new tab) .

  11:30 am from Convention Wharf, Darling Harbour.

Boat capacity

  16 – single bookings welcome.

Lunch and drinks

  A simple cafe lunch and soft drink are included, but you’re welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks.

Not Quite the Tour for You? Have a Look at Some of Our Other Options!

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Scallywag retires, Rum Rebellion skipper thrown overboard in Sydney to Hobart chaos

There's been plenty of carnage during the Sydney to Hobart, with wild weather on the course leading to a number of early retirements in the iconic sailing event.

After a dramatic start on Tuesday that saw supermaxis Andoo Comanche and Scallywag avoid a massive collision, the latter vessel has since withdrawn from the race overnight.

Elsewhere, the skipper of another premature retiree - Rum Rebellion - was thrown overboard on the first night after high winds caused a knockdown of the two-man boat between Cronulla and Wollongong.

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Shane Connelly was able to return to the boat after attaching his tether and lifting himself back on board, but the pair opted to retire due to a potential concussion suffered by the captain.

"The safety drills and systems all worked, and we could sort ourselves out," Connelly said upon his return to Sydney.

The crew of the aforementioned Scallywag also opted to withdraw from the course, with their social media account revealing the damage caused by the treacherous conditions.

At this stage, Sticky, Maritimo and Arcadia are the other notable retirees, while the smallest boat in the race - Currawong - has also turned back to Sydney on Wednesday afternoon.

Last year's winner Andoo Comanche and the highly-rated LawConnect are in the lead heading towards Tasmania in the bid to claim line honours. 

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart – entries close with 120 teams

• 30 Oct, 2023 06:52:00 AM

Entries for the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race close

Entries for the 78 th   Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race closed on Friday and the lineup of 120 boats is one of the most open and diverse fleets in years.

The 628nm classic which starts on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, 26 December, has attracted entries from around the globe and features ten international teams – representing New Zealand (3), Hong Kong (2), New Caledonia, USA, France, Germany and Ireland.

There are 110 Australian boats hailing from six states – NSW (64), QLD (20), VIC (16), TAS (7), SA (1) and WA (2). Boats range in size from the smallest – two diminutive 30-foot two-handed entries, Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham’s Currawong 30   Currawong   and Marc Michel and Logan Fraser’s Dehler 30   Niksen   from New Zealand – all the way up to the four maxi 100-footers:   Andoo Comanche, Law Connect, SHK Scallywag   and   Wild Thing 100   (formerly the Botin 80   Stefan Racing ). The John H Illingworth Challenge Cup for Line Honours victory will be hotly contested by these larger boats who have all featured in recent years.

The oldest boat in the fleet is Ena Ladd’s Colin Archer-designed double-ender   Christina , built in 1932. Robert Williams is campaigning   Sylph VI,   built in 1960, which competed in the Sydney Hobart five times up until 1972 and is making its return to the Great Race after having circumnavigated the globe and spending the past five decades cruising. Four boats were built in the 1970s: the ubiquitous Victorian entry   Bacardi , first all-female two-handed entrant in 2022,  Currawong , three-time Overall winner   Love & War   and Queensland’s  Son of a Son . A further 27 were launched in the last century.

21 boats will be competing two-handed –17.5% of the fleet. This number is testament to the growing interest and standard of competition in the division across Australia and around the world.

There are 96 boats competing under IRC for the prestigious Tattersall Cup and 24 under PHS Handicap.

With only two more races scheduled in the 2023/24 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore and the 2023 Australian Maxi Championship (1-5 December) ahead of Boxing Day, it will be a busy two months of training and fine-tuning of boats and crews to prepare for what is traditionally one of the most challenging yacht races in the world.

“The 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart promises to deliver another enthralling spectacle for both sailing afficionados and general public alike. As one of the most watched sports over the Australian Summer and with worldwide interest and coverage of the race continuing to grow each year through the support of media and broadcast partners, the race is truly one of the highlights of the international sailing calendar.”   CYCA Commodore Arthur Lane  

Congratulations to all the divisional winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

PHOTOS | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

PHOTOS | Day 5 Morning - Tasman Island and Storm Bay

PHOTOS | Day 5 and Day 6 finishers

PHOTOS | Official Presentation of Tattersall Cup and Rolex Timepiece to the Overall Winner

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - A Race for the Ages

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Daily Video Summary

VIDEO | Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

VIDEO | Race Update - 31 December Morning

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 10

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 9

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 8

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 7

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 6

• Line Honours

Full Standings available approximately three hours after the start.

OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

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At the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Women Are Making Their Mark

The event is attracting more female skippers than in previous years, and many own the boats.

By David Schmidt

The skippers competing in the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race dream of winning a top trophy in this challenging offshore race. This year, 10 of them will be women.

While a female-skippered team has not won the Tattersall Cup, which is awarded to the race’s overall winner, more women have been competing in the race as skippers the last few years. It reflects the expanding ranks in sailing of experienced women, the creation of the race’s two-handed class and an uptick in the number of female boat owners.

Women have been participating in the Sydney Hobart race since 1946, with Jane Tate aboard the Active and Dagmar O’Brien on the Connella. The first all-women’s team, skippered by Vicki Willman, raced in 1975 aboard Barbarian, a 38-foot yacht.

This year, 10 women plan to compete as skippers and co-skippers. This follows an upward trend: nine women raced in 2022 as skippers and co-skippers, and seven competed in 2021. In 2019, this number was six, while three competed in the 2017 and 2018 events.

“It is a changed world for the better,” said Adrienne Cahalan , a two-time Tattersall Cup-winning navigator. She plans to start her 31st race — a record for women — as navigator aboard the 66-foot yacht Alive this year.

“Women are accepted as equal players and leaders,” Cahalan said of the race, noting that women are underrepresented in the Sydney Hobart only among the professional and big-boat crews.

The race, which starts on Tuesday, began in 1945 and is a serious affair. Six sailors died and five yachts sank in the 1998 event. Veterans call it one of the world’s greatest, and hardest , offshore races.

The 628-nautical-mile course begins in Sydney Harbor . After exiting protected waters, teams turn south-southwest and race down the New South Wales coastline, before crossing Bass Strait. This shallow-water swath separates Australia from Tasmania and can sometimes create boat-breaking waves.

Then, navigators approach Tasman Island before the boats make the final 40-mile push across Storm Bay and up the River Derwent to Hobart.

For women, a big part of their overall increase as skippers, sailors said, was because of an inclusive and welcoming community that helped create opportunities.

“There’s a women’s sailing network in Sydney where there’s a lot of engagement from females,” said Lt. Tori Costello, who plans to co-skipper the Royal Australian Navy’s 40-foot Navy One this year. “There’s been so many more females just being involved, being given opportunities to get out there and race.”

Sailors said this change was helped by the creation of women’s sailing events, including the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta and the Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series. They also cite SheSails, an Australian organization that encourages female participation in sailing, and several active women’s-sailing Facebook groups and clubs, as contributing factors.

Internationally, they point to the Magenta Project, which works to create better equity and inclusion within sailing, as another important element.

“Just about every sailing club I know of has a women’s group actively educating and providing opportunities for women” said Kathy Veel, the owner and a skipper of the 30-foot Currawong and a three-time race veteran. “There are now many very skilled, experienced yachtswomen who seek the challenge of being in charge.”

Another catalyst, sailors say, was the creation of the race’s two-handed class, which debuted in 2021. While most boats racing to Hobart have a full crew, two-handed teams race with just two people.

“Even if you don’t own the boat, the second person in most cases is a co-skipper,” said Wendy Tuck, the first woman to win an around-the-world race as skipper and a two-time two-handed class veteran. “It is a great opportunity.”

While two-handed sailing doubles the number of skipper roles, it requires, and breeds, a high level of competency and trust.

“Two-handed racing is a great format for fast-tracking skills in all aspects of sailing and seamanship,” Veel said.

After all, one skipper often sleeps while the other stands watch.

Many yachts that compete in the two-handed class are about 30 to 40 feet long. This matters, as their smaller sails generate less load than the bigger yachts.

“The smaller size of most two-handed boats makes them very manageable for female sailors,” Bridget Canham said. In 2022, she and Veel became the first all-women’s two-handed team to complete the race; they plan to compete together again this year.

Annika Thomson, skipper and an owner of the 52-foot Ocean Crusaders J-Bird, said that it was not as daunting to race two-handed aboard the smaller boats. She would know: In 2022, Thomson and her husband, Ian, raced their 52-footer two-handed to Hobart.

She was skipper.

“It’s not recommended,” she said as a joke, of racing a big, powerful boat double-handed to Hobart. “We did it, now we forgot all about it.”

This year, Thomson plans to skipper her boat with a crew of 11, including her husband, who will navigate.

While professionally-run yachts often hire professional skippers, many amateur teams are led by owner-skippers.

“Sometimes to take on a leadership role a person needs to create their own opportunities,” Cahalan said. “For example, by buying or chartering your own boat and putting your own team together.”

She isn’t alone in this thinking: Seven of the nine female-led boats are racing with full crews.

“My thought is always, and always has been, if I want to skipper a yacht, I probably need to own it,” Thomson said. “The more women that own yachts, the more women who are encouraged to buy their own yachts.”

Case in point: Of the nine female-led yachts, seven are owned or co-owned by women. These include Thomson’s 52-footer, Hilary Arthure’s 35-foot Wyuna, and Jiang Lin’s 34-foot Min River.

There’s more than pride in vessel ownership at stake. The Sydney Hobart race can award dozens of trophies. Of these, three are specifically reserved for women

For some skippers, these aren’t enough.

“While these trophies are great in that they acknowledge the women who were pioneers and role models in the sport, the prize women really want to win now is the Tattersall Cup,” Veel said.

“I think it’s much more likely a female two-handed boat could win a division,” she said, pointing to the costs and complexities of campaigning a competitive yacht. “But I don’t want to rule anything out.”

Thomson was more optimistic. “It would be really cool if someone took it up this year,” she said, referring to the Tattersall Cup.

Still, she was realistic.

“How long is a piece of string?” she asked, using an Australian phrase meaning that something is only finished when it’s finished.

Trophies aside, sailors said the real rewards of skippering a yacht in this race were camaraderie, teamwork and the chance to lead a team through a demanding test.

Half of the race is “not the best times, and you’re questioning why you’re doing it,” said Costello of the often-rough conditions. “It comes back down to those moments where you’re wide-eyed and it’s a bit crazy out there, and everyone has that knowing look like, ‘OK, we’re going to get through this.’”

And, with more women taking on this leadership challenge, sailors said the race’s future had never looked more inclusive.

“Women are a big part of the population, so we aren’t going anywhere,” said Tuck, who plans to start her 16th race this year as a watch captain aboard Disko Trooper, a 32-footer. “Well, yes,” she corrected, “we are going to Hobart.”

Sydney to Hobart yacht race — how to watch and what to look for

Since its beginning in 1945, the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has become one of the pinnacles for sailing competitors, with the event being a test of skill, teamwork, nautical engineering and tactics — with weather providing the wild card.

If you know what to look for, the race can be an enjoyable experience.

Here are some tips for getting the best out of it.

When does it start?

About 111 boats ranging from the supermaxis (longer than 20 metres) to smaller 30-footers (9 metres) will be ready to go at 1pm AEDT Boxing Day on Sydney Harbour.

The start is arguably one of the greatest spectacles in modern sport.

Once the starting cannon is fired, all teams will be gunning for The Heads and into the open water of the South Pacific, with competitors surrounded by all manner of craft.

Watch as boats come perilously close to the supermaxis.

The fleet then begins to make its way down the east coast of Australia to Hobart, a distance of approximately 630 nautical miles (1,166 kilometres).

What are they racing for?

It isn't money. Yes, you read that correctly — there is no prize money for the winners. 

Instead, they race for trophies in a number of categories , the main events for casual observers being Line Honours and Overall.

The first yacht across the line wins the JH Illingworth Trophy, but the overall winner on handicap wins the Tattersalls Cup.

The overall victory is considered the major prize for sailors and a testament to skill and tactics.

Most of the time, handicap honours are won by a smaller, slower boat, which outdoes its larger opposition when time is adjusted for size and other factors.

The reigning overall winner is Ichi Ban. It finished in 4 days, 10 hours, and 17 minutes.

This was after a protest against Celestial was upheld. Celestial was handed a 40-minute time penalty for not manning their radio for a 90-minute period, during which officials were trying to contact the team.

The reigning line honours winner is Black Jack, winning in two days, 12 hours, and 37 minutes in 2021. 

How can I watch it?

Race sponsor Rolex says the race can be watched on the Seven Network. 

7Mate will broadcast the start of the race live around Australia. Their coverage starts at 12:30pm (AEDT).

ABC TV will also provide updates throughout the event.

For those who can't watch the live broadcast of the start of the race on their TV, Seven will have a stream of the race.

You can also watch vision from the event on the Sydney to Hobart yacht race website .

If you are in Sydney and on the water, spectators who wish to watch the start but not follow the fleet are advised to stick to the "western side of the harbour".

Good vantage points for spectator boats include "Taylors Bay, Chowder Bay, Obelisk Bay and North Head on the west and Rose Bay, Watsons Bay, Camp Cove and South Head to the east".

According to organisers, the harbour will be "very crowded and traffic can be chaotic, so stay alert, follow the advice of race officials and remember to keep well clear of the exclusion zone between 12pm and 2pm".

How can I follow the boats online?

You can follow the race on an online tracker , which shows the positions of yachts as they move south.

The locations of yachts are transmitted by a GPS device on each vessel. 

As the race goes on, you can see the course charted by crews — unless of course the boat's GPS device gets switched off, rendering it invisible to spectators and other competitors — an accusation that was levelled at Wild Oats XI in 2018 by the owner of Black Jack.

What should I look out for?

The weather forecast is for northerly winds in the harbour for Monday's start, which will favour the bigger boats. They will push hard to get out of the harbour.

Barring disaster, the Line Honours winner will almost certainly be one of the four super maxis.

LawConnect (formerly Perpetual LOYAL, formerly Investec LOYAL, formerly InfoTrack) set a new record in 2016 when it crossed the line in one day, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 12 seconds, a time since bettered by Comanche the next year.

Black Jack (Formerly Alfa Romeo II) has a strong Sydney to Hobart history and is the reigning Line Honours champion. It's had a strong 2022 already, taking line, record, and overall wins in the Club Marine Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race. Black Jack has a strong rivalry with Wild Oats XI as it was the first boat to break Wild Oats' race record in 2009.

Andoo Comanche is the hot favourite for line honours this year. It has already defeated Black Jack in the Sydney to Gold Coast race this year and has won the inaugural Tollgate Islands race. It beat Wild Oats for line honours in 2017, setting a race record in the process, but only after a controversial protest . 

Hamilton Island Wild Oats XI is the most famous boat in the race but has not participated since 2019 due to COVID. Veteran skipper Mark Richards will once again be at the helm and will be hoping to improve on the 3rd place finish in 2019. 

The favourites for the handicap trophy are Alive, URM Group, Moneypenny and Stefan Racing, with last year's winner, Ichi Ban, not participating.

This year there is also a number of crews made up of father-daughter or father-son teams.

The yacht race is taken seriously for good reason — people have died when the weather has turned bad.

In 1998, six sailors died, five yachts sank, more than 60 yachts retired and 55 sailors had to be rescued by helicopter.

In 2015, a squall hit the fleet off the News South Wales coast, ending the race for 29 competitors.

When does the race finish?

The lines honours winner is likely to come in around 48 hours after the start, but this is very much dependent on the weather —  especially in the 22.2-kilometre final stretch up the Derwent River.

This is when the wind can drop away and it becomes an agonisingly slow crawl , with every trick in the book pulled out to speed the progress up the glassy waterway.

In 2021, Black Jack crossed the line at 1:37am on December 29, followed by LawConnect at 4:11am and SHK Scallywag about 20 minutes after that.

In 2019, Comanche came in at a more reasonable time of 7:30am on December 28, with InfoTrack about 45 minutes later.

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