Posts Tagged ‘Sydney-Hobart yacht race’

Another Challenge

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Another Challenge, owned and skippered by Chris Lewin, has won the Sydney 38 division of the Sydney-Gold Coast yacht race. This is the yacht that Jessica Watson is taking in the Sydney-Hobart this year with a young crew and she was aboard for the experience.

They raced with a combined crew – some of Chris’s regulars and some of Jess’s team preparing for the Hobart. They finished one hour ahead of second-placed Wizzard but were penalised 10 minutes for missing one HF position report. We haven’t heard any reason for this.

The three other Sydney 38s finished within two hours of the winner, with Eleni being awarded two hours’ redress for standing by Wasabi, who lost its keel about three miles offshore.

Water-ballasted, Wasabi was able to stay afloat and was escorted in to Camden Haven.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Grab Bag or Miscellany | Comments Off

Satellite phone vs HF radio

Friday, January 21st, 2011

The skipper of the line honours winner of the recent Sydney-Hobart yacht race believes that the race’s officials should “move with the times” and accept communications by satellite phone as standard. But how can race officials be expected to handle calls for 80 or more yachts?

Two of my recent newsletters have discussed why I believe that HF radio communications should continue to be used in offshore yacht racing:

1. Communication on the water – or is it?

2. More on satellite phones

What do you think? Please join the debate by leaving your comments.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Safety and Emergencies | 2 Comments »

Sailing highlights for 2009

Friday, January 15th, 2010

The other day I wrote about the overall winner of the Sydney-Hobart yacht race, Two True. It was also one of the sailing highpoints published in last week’s newsletter.

The other highlights for me were:

Three round-the-world yacht races:

  • Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09
  • Vendee Globe 2008-09
  • Clipper Round the World 09-10

Two short-handed/solo ocean voyages:

  • Berrimilla’s return to Sydney from Falmouth, UK
  • Jessica Watson’s solo, unassisted circumnavigation attempt on Ella’s Pink Lady

And, finally, the launch of our new product, Nautical Knowledge.

Visit our Newsletter Archive to read more about these highlights and, while you’re there, sign up to receive the newsletter direct to your email inbox each week.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Grab Bag or Miscellany, Nautical Knowledge | Comments Off

Beneteau 40 wins the Sydney-Hobart yacht race

Monday, January 11th, 2010

I was pleased that the overall handicap winner of the Sydney-Hobart yacht race, Two True, is not one of the motor boat brigade. In fact, she’s a brand new Farr-designed Beneteau 40, that doesn’t have a canting keel, water ballast or button-controlled winches. In other words, the crew have to use their muscle power to work the boat. The engine is only used to replenish the batteries and keep the navigation and other lighting powered up and the refrigeration down.

It’s probably just as well that conditions did not deteriorate to match those in the 1993 or 1998 race. The Beneteau I sailed on in 1993, also designed by Bruce Farr, took such a pounding that all the furniture in the forward cabin came free. Luckily, no one wanted to sleep there, forward of the mast, as the boat’s motion was far too uncomfortable but we did have to tie the fittings down so that no further damage occurred.

As the picture shows, we slept on the floor and, just for the records, we made it to Hobart.

Tags: ,
Posted in Grab Bag or Miscellany | 1 Comment »