Sydney to Hobart yacht race

[Factor]

Real pity the fastest sailing boats in Australia are not allowed to enter. But boats running engines the whole way down are. As our american friends say - go Figure

[rgscpat]

Are we yanks pretty much out of luck for televised start coverage in the USA, at least without screwy computer hacking sorts of work arounds?

[beneteau-500]

Factor if I am correct it was a triraman that set the record of 1 day 18 hrs some yrs back ,

but looking at the current weather forecast of 30 knt southerly winds predicted some 12 to 18 hrs after the start of race this should slow down the super maxis.

and the heavy weights like helsal 3 and ragamuffin should come into to there own and whilst wild oats is a proven yacht and line winner now going for No 8 I think the dark horse for line honours could be The yacht Rio as I don't think Comanche will push to hard if weather turns foul .

And here is a interesting statistic more young women have entered this yr than young men for the first time

[bob_77903]

Originally Posted by Factor

Real pity the fastest sailing boats in Australia are not allowed to enter. But boats running engines the whole way down are. As our american friends say - go Figure

What are the fastest sailing boats in Australia?

[sparau]

Originally Posted by rgscpat

Are we yanks pretty much out of luck for televised start coverage in the USA, at least without screwy computer hacking sorts of work arounds?

Should be Ok.

Yahoo!7 to live stream Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2014

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by beneteau-500

Factor if I am correct it was a triraman that set the record of 1 day 18 hrs some yrs back , ......

Ahh....
Record is currently held by Wild Oats XI at 1 day 18 hours, 23 minutes & 12 seconds in 2012. Previous best was 1, 18, 40, 10 by Wild Oats XI in 2005.

WO XI is of course, a mono

[UNCIVILIZED]

It's funny, I can recall when the various high end boat support crews, actually had time to pack up all of their gear & tools (onto aircraft), & get there in time to meet the boats, such that they could re-assemble all of the bits broken during the race. Guess those days are LONG over.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by bob_77903

What are the fastest sailing boats in Australia?

Team Australia - Triamran In February 2013, set a new record of 29 hours 52 minutes and 23 (1 day 5 hours) seconds for sailing the famous stretch of water between Sydney and Hobart. This passage record has now been ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.

And didn't have to run an engine the whole way like the canters.

Originally Posted by Wotname

Ahh....
Record is currently held by Wild Oats XI at 1 day 18 hours, 23 minutes & 12 seconds in 2012. Previous best was 1, 18, 40, 10 by Wild Oats XI in 2005.

WO XI is of course, a mono

1 day 18 hours is just so slow. But of course TA had the advantage of choosing when to leave. None the less, it is a faster boat than the engine driven monos

[Johnno]

On the maxies,most of the crew have very specific jobs and if not needed (ie: you don't tack or need a sail change,etc.) you are human ballast on the rail all the way. On my first Sydney - Hobart race on the old Anaconda 11 (84ft maxi ketch) my job was control of the port main running backstay so if we didn't tack, I hugged the rail! Even slept and ate there when on the wind!
no wonder I'm a cruising sailor these days, Heavy weather? I sit in my comfortable captain's chair in the pilot house and only go on deck for sail adjustments. Still put 2 sail boats on the same course and what do you have? A race!

[Mirage Gecko]

I don't mind the engines etc after all its still a yacht and they look great especially going to windward and I can't wait for some vision of the race.
My challenged memory tells me there used to be a multi hull race Sydney to Hobart some decades ago.
Anyone wiser on this??

[Factor]

The thing with the engines, is if the engines stop they have to retire from the race. Hand pumping the canter across is way too slow and thus dangerous, engine stops they pump to centre and with draw. A yacht race where you have to withdraw if the engine stops is not a sailboat race.

[clownfishsydney]

Forecast now is for strong southerly winds from 8 am, so at 1 pm when they start it will be 26 kts southerly. Hard way to hit open water outside the heads.

We were going to sail up to the harbour in the morning, think we will stay in bed now and head out on Saturday.

[Rustic Charm]

I don't think the engine running is the main issue which I have but rather the whole experience with the Maxi's is that they are so electronic,computerised, mechanised. It's taken a large part if the sailmanship out of the race as someone else said.

But the last thing I want to see happen with this race is to see it go the way of the Americas Cup.

Will push-button boats destroy the Sydney-Hobart yacht race?

[beneteau-500]

Rustic charm I wouldn't worry to much about weather they are electronic computerised mechanised yachts when you read half the threads on here about some it's more like they want to have a NASA type mission control on there cruising yachts for me I think these super maxis are pretty amazing and this yr in Nice I had the chance to sail on a super maxi called li lo german built yacht it was just amazing experience

just have a look at how they took the yacht formally known as Lalana Now Rio 100 too New Zealand and cut it up and and rebuilt her check out there face book page some good photos on there

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Factor

The thing with the engines, is if the engines stop they have to retire from the race. Hand pumping the canter across is way too slow and thus dangerous, engine stops they pump to centre and with draw. A yacht race where you have to withdraw if the engine stops is not a sailboat race.

It's not just the canting keel, it's the hydraulic winches as well. If the engine stops their ability to handle their sails disappears.

The engine makes a huge difference to their performance. The engine driven canting keel means they carry much less ballast, and hydraulic winches mean they can handle huge sails.

Make them 100% human and wind powered, (like the maxi multi's) and they'd be much slower than they are now.