Sydney Hobart – Double and everything.
by John Curnow, Editor, Sail-World AUS 26 Dec 2021 19:44 PST
Crux powering over the swell © Bow Caddy Media
Every great ocean race has a two-handed division, and now the Sydney to Hobart has joined them. Talk about a baptism of fire in this 2021 edition. Now I have certainly enjoyed my time sailing two up, but have not done much in the way of racing yachts with just the two on board. Like many, I have been captivated by it, and certainly impressed with its rapid expansion during the COVID era.
To get a handle on it all, I spoke with Lee Condell of Performance Boating, himself an aficionado and much-respected expert of the genre, as to what he witnessed from the start and has learned as they have soldiered on South.
“A fascinating start to the Hobart for the two-handed division, and I have to say the Sun Fast 3300 Hip Nautic made a sensational start under headsail and then set a Code Zero to lead the small boats, closely followed by the J99 Disko Trooper, Sydney 36 Salt Shaker, and then the larger Joker on Tourer.”
“Coming from behind were the two Class 40’s Sidewinder and Eora, with the 46-footer cruiser-racer Kayimai to leeward of them. Eora set a large assy, while Sidewinder set a Code 0. It didn’t take long for Eora to sail through underneath, and then it absolutely took off!”
“Both J99’s struggled in the gusts under their assy’s, but kept it together and stayed lower than Hip Nautic, and regained some of what they had lost when over-powered, while the Sydney 36’s were solid.”
“The Sun Fast 3200 Hell’s Bell’s, and Sun Fast 3600 Maverick both started a little late, bare-headed, and then set assy’s and came back through several boats in their class to round the South Head mark in contention and settle down for the long beat South.”
“As best as I could tell the leading order out of the heads was Eora, Sidewinder, Kayimai, Joker on Tourer, Hip Nautic, Disko Trooper, Salt Shaker, Local Hero, Maverick, Hell’s Bells, and Rum Rebellion.”
“Over the first few hours the Class 40 Eora was very impressive pointing high and fast, while Sidewinder wasn’t far behind, but isn’t racing under IRC, so difficult to make a direct comparison. But within the 32 to 36 footers that form almost all of the division you would have to say that Salt Shaker, Disko Trooper and Hip Nautic looked the most impressive off the start. So my prediction at that stage was that these three would feature at the pointy end.”
“Now after 24 hours it is still anyone’s game as yachts in the division fall in and out of pressure and the current, so placings are constantly changing. However, there have been some noticeable retirements overnight, with Eora out with a broken backstay, Hip-Nautic with a damaged mainsail, and Kayimai also out for reasons unknown at this stage. A report from one of the boats described it as a very difficult night with 20-foot waves and lots of wind at the top end.”
“Disko continue to look very strong, though tactically are to the East of the fleet, which may be a gamble, while Salt Shaker is well West of the rhumbline off Batemans Bay. Also on that side of the course are Rum Rebellion, Shane and Graeme are going well, as they have possibly had the least time of any of the division on their J99, as they only took delivery a few months ago. In close company are Wendy & Campbell on Speedwell doing very well in a yacht that may not be the easiest in a stiff breeze upwind, with Hell’s Bell’s just North of them also heading West of the rhumbline.”
“Loving these conditions are Carlos & Peter on the S&S34 Crux, who are right up there, as is the Queensland First 42 Euphoria II, which has come through from behind overnight.”
In closing, Condell offered this, “It’s literally early days yet, but you would have to be thinking that there are some very tired crews out there very much looking forward to the breeze easing this afternoon, so that they can rest up before dark. The job of conserving themselves and their boats, trying to be in the right place tactically, keep going fast, navigate and keep up the level of nutrition to go the distance is exhausting!”
Stay safe, thanks for tuning into Sail-World.com, and all the best for 2022.