Sydney-Hobart 2014

Article from ABC Australia on the race:
read the whole article here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-...inner-is-looking-forward-to-defending/5915704

A fleet of 118 yachts, the biggest in two decades, will contest the 70th running of the Sydney to Hobart race on Boxing Day.

Just one month out from the race, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore John Cameron launched the punishing ocean race in Sydney this morning

It is the first time since 2004 that the fleet has exceeded 100 boats with 116 starting that year.

The battle for line honours will see defending triple crown holder Wild Oats XI, owned by Bob Oatley, challenged by last year's rivals Perpetual Loyal and Ragamuffin 100, skippered by 87-year-old Syd Fischer.

"This year will see one of the most compelling battles for line honours over the arduous 628 nautical mile course," Cameron said.

The Tattersall Trophy for the winner of the Sydney to Hobart
PHOTO: The Tattersall Trophy for the winner of the Sydney to Hobart (702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan)
Darryl Hodgkinson, skipper of last year's overall handicap winner Victoire, is relishing the chance to defend his title.

"There is a certain amount of pressure [defending the title], but it is a different kind of pressure," Dr Hodgkinson told 702 ABC Sydney.

"This is a great heavy weather boat so we expect to do well, but we didn't expect to win last year.

"There is terror all along the way.

"There are moments when you are challenged all along the way, physically and mentally.

"Even the sound of the boat: you are always listening to the boat for clues as to what might happen next."

Fischer, on Ragamuffin 100, will this year equal the record as the oldest skipper in the race as he competes in his 45th event.

The veteran sailor crossed the line first in 1988 and 1990, and took overall handicap honours in 1992.

There will be three different starting lines this year to accommodate the large fleet in a safe manner.

Sailors face extreme weather

Dr Hodgkinson is confident his yacht and hand-picked crew of 13 amateur sailors have the mettle to take on the wild weather the fleet will face as they round Eden on the New South Wales south-east coast.

"In heavy weather we are pretty confident with this boat now...and we've got plenty of spares on board," he said.

Many yachts have retired around this point of the race as heavy seas off Bass Strait combine with extreme southerly winds to create treacherous sailing conditions.

Conditions were particularly dangerous in 1998 with the wild seas claiming six lives as five boats sank.

Of the 115 boats that began the race in 1998, only 44 made it to the finish line in Hobart.

Dr Hodgkinson said the intense rivalry amongst the sailors racing is matched by camaraderie and a mutual respect for the elements.

"It's a pretty friendly rivalry with each person looking out for the other and looking out for each other's safety," he said.

The tragic circumstances of the 1998 race led organisers to tighten crew eligibility rules and forced yachts to have improved communication facilities.

"The CYC should be commended for the way they have impressed the importance of safety on us since 1998," Dr Hodgkinson said.

 

If we had a list of all the boats with canting keels, we could have a sweep.
It would be more fun than a Cup sweep.

 

Mate, I'm talking about this year's race, and what might happen in it. Surely we can discuss that? I mean you wouldn't ban discussion of possible weather patterns, tactics or anything else, even if they referenced past examples from previous Sydney-Hobart's, so why be inconsistent about some mechanical details?

Anyway sunshine, the reason this thread is attracting Australians is because this is our iconic national race held in our territorial waters, thank you very much, and we are interested in all aspects of it, which we might be inclined to discuss.

Now seeing as we'd allow you to speak your mind in a thread about an iconic Yankee race, I reckon you should be equally accommodating here.

 

Haz potential.

 

It's awesome that old Syd is still going. Why, I can remember when I were a lad, and he used to own a much smaller Ragamuffin that could get to Hobart without needing a motor at all! That was last century of course.

 

Interesting article here: http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/ne...s-a-new-deal-for-corinthians-in-70th-edition/

“You need to remember that Wild Oats XI was brand new when it broke the race record, took line honours and won the race overall in the 2005 race.”

He went on to explain how Bob Oatley’s boat plans to keep abreast of his new rivals: “We’ve had another good year in the plastic surgery department. We’ve got a new bow which is more streamlined and we’ve lengthened the carbon fibre hydrofoil wing (which helps improve her speed) which snapped off in the Gold Coast race in July.”

Note- as an American I'm sort of torn between supporting the boat from the USA-Comanche-and the historic quest of Wild Oats Xl. Since Wild Oats is using DSS, which she proved was a real asset in the last Sydney-Hobart, I'm sticking with her.

Go Wild Oats Xl !

 

You really like motor sailers. Its good to see someone so passionate about high speed sail assisted racers. Good on you doug.

 

It's quite simple. Wild Oats has the most complex underwater config, therefore Doug loves Oats. If Comanche had two or three DSS foils, as opposed to the one on Oats, this would automatically make Comanche better and Doug would love Comanche.

As for all the other boats in the fleet that only have one normal keel and one normal rudder, these are utterly inconsequential. Even if they don't use motors and can be afforded by more or less normal people.

And Doug, do you realise you just quoted an example of an appendage failure on Oats in a race that wasn't this year's Hobart? A failure of an extra bit that makes the boat faster in some conditions! Shame on you. Breaking your own rules, and impugning the honour of the almighty Oats!

 

Check out the tips on Comanche's boards:
click for best view-

 

Wingtips? If I remember correctly, airbus started with that on commercial scale.

 

Comanche and Wild Oats

Check this out:
click---

Go Wild Oats!

 

Doug, is that DSS foil a single foil that slides from side to side? hydraulically no doubt.

 

I'm not sure Steve-it probably is and longer this year too. The Quant 30 DSS uses two separate boards but that's the only DSS version I'm familiar with that's not a single board.

 

Or the need to pay for his sails...

 

A so-so video of Comanche and Wild Oats XI on the hard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxDTf4Fbn5s&feature=youtube_gdata_player