Sydney-Hobart 2017

Another nice viewpoint from Sean Langman, who has skippered a maxi canter and big tri and daydreamed about an even more outrageous beast, but has found real happiness racing a little old boat.

You can win the Rolex Sydney Hobart at both ends of the fleet - MySailing.com.au http://www.mysailing.com.au/offshore/you-can-win-the-rolex-sydney-hobart-at-both-ends-of-the-fleet

 

WOXI has slowed a good bit and Comanche is still doing almost 25 knots......

Tracker - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2017 http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker/

 

Wonderful story CT That's the spirit.

 

Sean Langman is no 1 position - in front of the legendary Dorade

 

I'm too busy to work out the upcoming weather and its effects on the fleet prospects for the overall win, but word on SA is that Bruce on Chutzpah is looking good. If he took the real win it would be extremely popular since he has been very close for decades.

Quest is currently leading, and that would be another very popular win, putting the boat up there with Love and War and Freya. But of course it's very early days yet.

Michel Quintin from New Caledonia is leading Div 4 on his JPK, at 15 knots - great going for an IRC 36 footer. Michel is an incredible sailor, former world champion in Olympic windsurfers. The old D2 boards were stunning machines but extraordinarily hard to sail downwind, and someone with Michel's skill driving that boat would be great to watch.

This is the longest period I've ever gone without doing the race, and this would have been a cracker to have done. The pity is that the move to bigger boats in Australian offshore racing has made it exhorbitently expensive and shifted most people to boats where sailors are specialists rather than all rounders.

 

Hell of a race these two! Wild Oats XI & Comanche going at it the last few hours. Gotta get some rest now.

 

Both yachst doing well, but Commanche has it sewn up barring accident, to the "Iron Pot" turn.

 

Waiting for Commanche at the Iron Pot

 

Running out of wind -- neck and neck, half hour to finish ???

 

Info from kankama, on the scene. 300m separation now, absolutely no wind. C now has 1-2 knots of wind.

One other record that could perhaps be in danger is the one for the first non-motorboat. On current speeds, Brindabella's old record will be broken by three of the TP52s. That really shows how those who infer that we would lose the thrill of development if we got rid of the 100ft canters are well off the track.

 

Shortage of wind

 

No wind, and an outgoing tide - no wind off South Arm 20:30 EST

 

Seem to both be making around 5 knots - Comanche has a good position, may not need the protest

 

Astonished finish !!!! How about the penalty claimed by Comanche against Wild Oats XI ?

 

The airport wind guide is predicting a stronger breeze in an hour from the north. Comanche is making better speed, but heading into shore, and this will add an extra tack to the line.
In the 2015, Wild Oats headed further north, and came in to the line on a starboard tack while the 2nd place was disadvantaged on the leeward shore.

Wild Oats is in the lead by 200 metres !!