Sydney-Hobart 2017

Big Boat Classic:

 

Isn't that Scallywag? not Wild Oats?

 

Now that you mention it I can't tell. When I first saw the vid I think something associated with it said Wild Oats?

Go Wild Oats!!!

 

Sydney-Hobart: LIVE NOW! 8:41 Eastern USA
tracker- Tracker - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2017 http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker/

FOR RACE WEBCAST: Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2017 http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/
Following the Race - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2017 http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/spectators/following-the-race/

The race coverage will be broadcast on the Sydney-Hobart website starting at 12:30 AEDT which is 8:30pm on Boxing Day. The broadcast date is December 25th on the eastcoast USA at 8:30pm.
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News conference-Adventures of a Sailor Girl https://www.facebook.com/sailorgirlHQ/videos/1596081523768939/

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Rolex Sydney to Hobart | Adventures of a Sailor Girl http://www.nicdouglass.org/rolex-sydney-to-hobart/

 

Very poor start for Wild Oats , great start for Comanche and Black Jack with Black Jack passing Comanche and in the lead now. Comanche is having a hard time with the relatively light air and lumpy water and she was just passed by Wild Oats who is now in second. Comanche protested Wild Oats for tacking too close but Wild Oats apparently disagrees and hasn't done her turns....... Jimmy Spithill at the helm of Comanche and Mark Richards steering Wild Oats. Mark Bradford on Black Jack.
Great broadcast, well photographed. Close ups of Kialoa and Dorade earlier....

UPDATE- coverage over at 10 eastern. I can't say enough about how good it was this year -absolutely terrific-if only it lasted longer......

 

It was over 10 minutes into the broadcast before a small boat got a single mention.

Best fleet ever? Certainly not for overall corrected time. I think there's only one boat in the fleet that has been top 3 in a world championship. In earlier years, there have been up to four of them. A couple of years in the '70s, for example, had more world champions and most of the world's top maxis.

 

Well, that was an interesting start. How long does WOXI have to accomplish penalty turns if she chooses to do so?

 

DELETED - I relied on second hand info.

 

Presuming the rules in Australia are the same
"44.2 One-Turn and Two-Turns Penalties After getting well clear of other boats as soon after the incident as possible, a boat takes a One-Turn or Two-Turns Penalty by promptly making the required number of turns in the same direction, each turn including one tack and one gybe."

It may be too late for the penalty now, but according to the news tonight the committee was still to rule on the incident.

From my view on TV, Comanche is in the right.

 

Comanche way out in front , Wild Oats second(ahead of Black Jack) and just ahead of Infotrack.

The incident between Wild Oats and Comanche is 52 sec in -looks bad for WOXI :

 

I really like the Google Earth feed...much better scenery of the fleet, not to mention ocean & earth view is top notch. Comanche is cooking along at 25kts right now.

Google earth download: Google Earth – Google Earth https://www.google.com/earth/ (for your phone or PC)

Sydney Hobart Google Earth live link: http://feeds.cyca.com.au/GoogleEarth/2

 

Comanche really catching some good wind to the east now. Max SOG was over 28kts at one point. This last southeast tack helped her lead a lot.

Standings: Standings - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2017 http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/standings/

 

Looks like Comanche has it-at least until they get to the Derwent....

 

If the wind stays light while tacking tacking upwind WOXI might fair better. The wind forecast show lighter winds, but notes some gusts. Will it be enough to allow Comanche to remain heeled over and keep good speed? Definitely still a close race.

Windfinder.com - Wind and weather forecast Hobart Airport https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/hobart

 

As of just now Wild Oats is 2 knots faster than Comanche and 14 miles behind. WOXI is doing over 27 knots! This race is going to get tight!

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