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Take a tour of supermaxi Comanche, a yacht so beamy she’s called ‘the aircraft carrier’

• December 26, 2015

Crosbie Lorimer takes a looks at Comanche, the 100ft super-maxi yacht that created such a stir at the last Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

Comanche races in the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex

“The design office were told specifically by me that if this boat wasn’t the worst rated boat in history they have failed,” Dr Jim Clark said about his new raceboat. Not exactly the sort of remark you might expect, perhaps, but Clark, founder of software company Netscape, is well known for his singular approach to his many sailing ventures.

For Clark, owner of the 295ft three-masted schooner Athena and the replica J Class Hanuman , the goal for his brand new 100ft super-maxi Comanche is first and foremost to break records.

At her first major outing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race 2014, she caused something of a stir, although she was pipped for line honours in the 650-mile offshore classic by the well-sorted and immaculately sailed Wild Oats XI .

Not surprising that Clark should look to his regular skipper Ken Read and the French design team collaboration of Verdier Design/VPLP to create his new master-blaster. Despite a punishing one-year timeline for the build team, project managers Tim Hacket and Brandon Linton worked with boat captain Casey Smith – all three were involved in Read’s previous Volvo campaign – to see the new boat launched on time from the Hodgdon Yard in Maine in late 2014, given an impressive first run in heavy airs and then put on a ship to Sydney.

Under sail, first impressions of Comanche  inevitably draw comparisons with IMOCA 60s and the globe-circling multihulls in which the design team excels. With massive beam at the stern, long reverse sheer, the mast well aft of 50 per cent of the boat length, towering narrow mainsail and a long boom overhanging the stern, everything is built for speed when the wind is abaft the beam.

In anything above eight knots of true wind Comanche starts to move out of displacement mode and at 25° of heel she has the same wetted surface as the 100ft supermaxi  Wild Oats XI – the more remarkable when you consider that you could fit two of Wild Oats ’s sterns into Comanche ’s.

Helming Comanche requires a different mindset, according to Read: “You sail the boat a bit like a multihull in a way, it’s so wide you rock it up on its ‘leeward hull’.”

So beamy is Comanche that she was given the nickname the Aircraft Carrier

The photos below show exactly what this remarkable yacht looks like on deck and below.

Specifications

LOA 30.50m/100ft 0in

Beam 7.80m/25ft 6in

Draught 6.50m/21ft 4in

Mast height 46.00m/150ft 0in

Displacement 31,000kg/68,343lb

Mainsail 410m 2 /4,413ft 2

Downwind sail area 1,022m 2 /11,000ft 2

Upwind sail area 350m 2 /3,767ft 2

Largest spinnaker 1,100m 2 /11,840ft 2

IRC Rating 1.958

Designed by Verdier Design/VPLP       

Built by Hodgdon Yachts, Maine, USA and Owner’s build team

Mast/boom Southern Spars

Sails North Sails

Hydraulics Cariboni       

Foils Re Fraschini

Winch System Harken with Jon Williams

Rigging   ECsix

STERN Comanche ’s beamy stern swiftly earned her the tag The Aircraft Carrier. Her optimum heel angle is anything over 20°, while at 25° she has the same wetted surface as Wild Oats XI . The fitting of an escape hatch and the liferaft stowage in her stern are a direct result of lessons learned from the capsize of Rambler in the 2011 Rolex Fastnet

MAST As with the IMOCA 60s, the mast is positioned well back in the boat; sited directly above the canting keel, the mast is deck-stepped on a triangulated mast post integrated into the same frame as the keelbox. Static loads on the mast base are in the order of 75 tonnes, increasing to 150 tonnes under sail

DEFLECTORS The 150ft (46m) four- spreader rig features two running backstays and three deflectors, precluding the need for checkstays for mast bend control, and also reducing windage and weight aloft. Mast height was limited to be able to pass under Sydney Harbour Bridge

COCKPIT AND WINCHES Sail handling is by grinder-powered Harken winches with customised drive shafts, grinder pedestals and gearboxes to cater for the substantial torque. The winch pedestals are placed inboard to permit stacking of up to four sails in the cockpit

WHEEL POSITION The steering pedestals can be moved to a position at the forward end of the cockpit (ringed), just behind a detachable hard dodger over the companionways, affording the helmsmen and crew maximum protection if required for long passages

DEFLECTOR RAMS The three deflectors controlling mast bend are trimmed by three hydraulic rams that work interactively. Although cheat sheets have been developed for basic settings, the crew is still exploring setting refinements for these

CANTING KEEL The canting keel is controlled by a 350kg titanium ram built by Cariboni. The keel can be swung 35° either side of centre and moved through the full arc in about 25 seconds. A secondary slave cylinder can be used to swing the keel if the primary ram fails

WATER BALLAST Manifolds, pipes and valves controlling water ballast are located behind the navstation bulkhead. Water ballast comprises 6.5 tonnes per side in three tanks on each flank. All pipework is built in carbon fibre

COMPASS The cheapest fitting on the boat is a card compass that would look more at home on a Laser. Though the helmsmen and trimmers use the digital read-outs, the rules require a card compass to be fitted, so the team went looking for the simplest and lightest

NAVIGATION STATION is located immediately behind the companionway bulkhead, also being the point from which all the boat’s electrics are controlled. The carbon fibre chart table can be tacked and the bench seat is long enough to allow the navigator to sleep or rest here if required

TACKING HEADS There are two concessions to ‘luxury’ aboard Comanche , one being a carbon fibre tray for six coffee cups and the other a carbon heads that can be tacked! No privacy for the latter, of course

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Rolex Sydney Hobart: Andoo Comanche regains lead in thrilling arm wrestle

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Andoo Comanche wins Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2022 line honours after tussle with LawConnect

Topic: Sport

Andoo Comanche has triumphed in a two-boat chase up the River Derwent to take out its fourth line honours in a late-night finish to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Key points:

• Andoo Comanche's finish was less than three hours off the race record set in 2017
• LawConnect crossed the finish line in second place, with both boats barrelling up the River Derwent at the same time
• The overall winner is yet to be declared, with times adjusted for boat size and other factors

The 24-strong crew on the John Winning Jr-skippered supermaxi crossed the finish line at 12:57am AEDT on Wednesday with a time of 1 day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds.

Favourable weather led to a speedy race this year but it was still not enough to pip Comanche's 2017 line honours win with skipper Jim Cooney, which set the race record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.

This year's tussle for line honours and the JH Illingworth trophy became a clash between supermaxis Andoo Comanche and LawConnect on the River Derwent. 

LawConnect finished a little over 20 minutes after Comanche, with a time of 1 day, 12 hours, 23 minutes and 19 seconds.

Black Jack followed closely behind the pair and all three chased each other down the east coast of Tasmania, hooked a sharp right turn around Tasman Island and closed in on Hobart in quick succession.

Andoo Comanche finished more than 20 minutes ahead of the next competitor. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )

A crowd greeted Andoo Comanche's crew in Hobart. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )

Comanche skipper John Winning Jr said the line honours win felt "pretty unbelievable at the moment" and was "still sinking in".

"I was on [line honours winner] Perpetual Loyal as one of the skippers in 2016 so I sort of know what to expect in terms of all of this," he said.

"But to do it in a campaign that I was part of putting together is really quite exceptional."

Skipper John Winning Jr tastes victory has he hoists the JH Illingworth trophy. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )

He said this year he had "lost a dear friend", Andoo Team X founder Matthew Munting, and would dedicate the win to him.

He also thanked the "incredible legends" on his crew as well as his parents, who he said had put a love of the water into him at a young age.

The 24-member crew of Andoo Comanche celebrate their line honours win in Hobart. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )

LawConnect crew member Gavin Smith said on Wednesday morning the team was exhausted but happy with the result.

"We were always hoping we would be able to catch them in the end, it was just a case that we didn't get there this year, but hopefully next year."

Black Jack crossed the finish in third with a time of 1 day, 12 hours, 40 minutes and 34 seconds.

Hamilton Island Wild Oats lost ground earlier in the race to become a distant fourth.

Wild Oats got into drama on the first night, with a seam splitting across one of its downwind sails.

The crew were forced to pull down the sail to repair it, which took them an hour and a half.

Monday saw a chaotic start to the 77th edition of the bluewater classic, with near-misses, protests and penalties for the big four.

Despite its eventual win, Comanche had a poor start when it did not get enough clear wind to move ahead of its rivals and became jammed by other craft.

It then misjudged a turn and hit the mark, losing even more ground. Shortly afterwards, the crew raised a protest flag.

Comanche romped home with another line honours win but wasn't able to beat the record it set in 2017. ( Supplied: Rolex/Andrea Francolini  )

Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards let loose a number of audible obscenities on the TV coverage as he and his crew tried to navigate their way to the Sydney Heads and out into the ocean for the trip south.

At one point, Black Jack cut back across two of its rivals, running a fine line between LawConnect and Wild Oats.

On Wednesday morning, Comanche's protest flag was noticeably absent as it came up the River Derwent to the finish line.

Skipper John Winning Jr was asked why the team removed it.

"Would you worry about it if you came first?" he asked.

Yachtie injured, more boats retire as wind lashes Tasmania

Moneypenny crew member David Blanchfield received cuts to his leg when he was washed from the bow to the mast.

Stefan Racing suffered a torn mainsail as it raced Willow up the River Derwent. ( Supplied: Leash Harvey )

He was met by an ambulance after the yacht crossed the line in ninth place.

Stefan Racing skipper Grant Wharington said conditions were "heinous" off Tasman Island on Tuesday night, with winds of up to 45 knots from the north.

The sixth-placed yacht was racing Willow and Alive up the Derwent on Wednesday morning when it suffered mainsail damage.

"We got stuck with a jib that was too big," he said.

"It's maximum 18, 20-knot sail and we got like 30, 33 knots or something and it's just broke in half.

"It was quite an old sail. Anyway, you get that."

Although a number of other yachts have retired from the race, including White Noise, Mondo, Navy One, Sail Exchange and Huntress, it is a stark contrast to last year, when almost a quarter of entries dropped out before finishing.

Earlier in the race, Avalanche and Yeah Baby both retired with rudder damage while Koa suffered a damaged bowsprit.

It will be rough sailing for those still in the race, with the east of Tasmania now subject to gale and strong wind warnings.

'Polar opposite' weather conditions compared to 2021

LawConnect was the second yacht to reach the River Derwent. ( Supplied: Rolex/Andrea Francolini )

While Wednesday brought tough conditions for sailors, LawConnect crew member Tony Mutter said for his yacht, the contrast in weather between this year and last year's event had been startling.

Mutter told the ABC conditions were "pretty nice" for the crew and the "polar opposite" to last year.

"I was wearing thermals [last year]; we were in thunder and lightning," he said earlier.

"Now, I am in a T-shirt, shorts and life jacket."

LawConnect docked in Hobart after a "pretty nice" ride. ( ABC News: Liz Gwynn )

While line honours go to the first yacht to cross the finish line, the overall race winner is yet to be declared.

The major prize for sailors is the Tattersalls Cup — which goes to the overall winner on handicap after times are adjusted for boat size and other factors.

Last year, line honours went to Black Jack, but the overall winner — Ichi Ban — was not crowned until two days later.

As many in the fleet made their way down Tasmania's east coast, much of the state was under a severe weather warning for damaging winds. ( ABC News: Alexandra Humphries )

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Comanche sets new Transatlantic Race record

Related articles, superyacht directory.

The 30.48 metre sailing yacht Comanche has set a new monohull race record after taking Monohull Line Honours in the 2022 RORC Transatlantic Race.

Skippered by Mitch Booth, Comanche and its crew completed the 3,000 nautical mile race from Lanzarote to Grenada in seven days, 22 hours, 1 minute and 4 seconds (that's two days quicker than the previous record holder).

Constructed in carbon fibre by American builder Hodgdon to a design by VPLP/Verdier Maxi, the yacht was delivered in 2014 after being commissioned by software mogul Jim Clark.

This is not the first time Comanche has tasted success – since its launch the yacht has set several speed records, most notably sailing from New York’s Ambrose Lighthouse to the UK’s Lizard Point in five and a half days in 2016.

The sailing yacht also finished in second place during the 2014 Sydney Hobart race and broke a 24-hour record in the 2015 Transatlantic Race after covering 618 nautical miles in one day.

Described as a “Laser dinghy or 49er morphed with rocket ship” by BOAT’ International's own Marilyn Mower , Comanche ’s defining feature is its comparatively wide 7.6 metre beam which helps save weight, in turn increasing its speed.

Other notable features include its rig which rises 47 metres above the water and a solid stainless steel keel.

Comanche is the largest yacht entered in the 2022 RORC Transatlantic Race and the team must now wait until the remaining competitors have crossed the finish line, to see if any of the 21 teams performing can eclipse their corrected time.

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE: PROOF PERFECT OF ABILITY

Hobart, 31 December 2022 – One of the world's great sportsmen once said: “Winning takes care of everything”. For Sam Haynes, the Australian owner of Celestial and recipient of the Tattersall Cup for overall victory on corrected time at the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, never have truer words been spoken. To a lesser degree, and without any intended pun on his name, the quote also reflects John Winning Jr’s line honours success with Andoo Comanche.

The 77th Rolex Sydney Hobart started on 26 December, its traditional slot in the global sporting calendar. Once again hundreds of thousands of people crowded the shores of Sydney Harbour, or watched from the water as well as live on television and over the internet. The departure from the familiar setting did not disappoint. 109 yachts, comprising professionals and Corinthians, and some 20 double handed or two-person crews, set off under blue skies and bright sunshine. A 10 – 15 knot north north-easterly meant a beat out to the heads, before spinnakers were hoisted and close to 48 hours of uninterrupted downwind sailing began.

With an international repute that transcends sailing’s perceived boundaries, the Rolex Sydney Hobart is an icon in the sport and has been supported by Rolex for over 20 years. The organizing club, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), works tirelessly with its partner the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania to ensure the race remains at the pinnacle of classic 600 mile offshore competition. Supporting dynamic yacht clubs like the CYCA, institutions essential to the evolution of sailing, is a core facet of Rolex’s relationship with yachting.

Success at the “Great Race South” is dependent upon so many factors. Paul Cayard, legendary yachtsman and Rolex Testimonee, is clear on the qualities required:

“ Success in offshore racing requires rigorous preparation, tactical skill and an unyielding determination to push through to the finish. ”  

A veteran of 11 previous campaigns, Sam Haynes agrees:

“ You have to arrive on the 26 December completely ready. That is the only way to approach a race like this .  Testing, training, analysis ,  getting prepared involves a lot of people who are not even on the race boat. ”

John Winning Jr speaks in a similar vein. His first thoughts on realising his would be first boat to finish the 628nm course turned to who and what had made it possible:

“ This boat is all about line honours and we have done what we set out to achieve. I reflected on all the people in the support crew, the team onboard, the time spent training, doing what it took to make the boat go faster, on everything we did to have the best chance possible to achieve our aim. ”

Ahead of the race, Winning Jr had said about the battle to be first home:

"Second place will not do. It is win or nothing ."

In a race like this, ‘nothing’ is only a heartbeat away. Shortly after the congested start, where the four competing 100ft (30.5m) maxis traded tacks in their concerted effort to be first into open water, Andoo Comanche struck a mark of the course. Recognising their error, the crew performed two 360 degree turns in quick succession to purge the infringement. Failure to do so could have led to a fatal penalty at the end of the race. The pre-race favourite needed to reset and re-focus.

Once in the Tasman Sea, the skilled crew of Andoo Comanche set to work reeling in the yachts ahead and establishing a small but vital lead over their closest pursuers. Winning Jr acknowledged the determination witnessed in the battle for line honours and the J.H. Illingworth Challenge Cup.

"It is an incredible ocean race, something quite special. Equal amounts of effort will have gone into all the yachts competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The three other 100 footers especially kept us honest, and I would like to congratulate them for an amazing competition. "

Andoo Comanche completed the course in a time of one day 11 hours 56 minutes 48 seconds, two hours outside the race record established in 2017.

The hurdle faced by Celestial came a year earlier and was substantial. Turning the clock back 12 months, Haynes, Vice Commodore of the CYCA and a passionate sailor, admitted to being crushed by finishing second overall after a rule infringement late in the 2021 race resulted in his team being demoted from top spot.

"After last year, I was ready to walk away from the sport. Talking to my family and key people on the team, I realised it was not the right way to go. I wanted to try again, to step up to the challenge. ”

As the race unfolded it was clear no crew would have a straight-forward time. The initial downwind sleighride was brutal and tiring, boats racing at speed and on the edge, with race-ending damage a split second away. For the smaller entries, there was an additional, cruel twist as the wind turned on day three forcing them to beat upwind to the southernmost point of the course at Tasman Island, slowing down their progress and effectively removing any chance of overall victory on handicap.

Onboard Celestial the mindset was singular, as Haynes explains:

"We had done our homework. We had done a lot of training, so we could be absolutely confident in the boat and ourselves. At our final pre-race briefing I told the crew we are going to push as fast as we possibly can because we have to do that to beat the other boats.”

The approach was not without danger, particularly in the hours of darkness:

"There is always an element of extreme risk in fast offshore racing at night. It can be quite beautiful, but the second night east of Tasmania was gnarly with a big sea state and gusts of 30 – 35 knots. The boat was waist deep in water, regularly diving into waves, violently shaking, but still being driven right on its limits. ”

Celestial eventually crossed the finish line late in the morning of 28 December, establishing an unbeatable lead in the standings.

Fiercely challenging, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race offers a huge sense of personal achievement to those that complete it. Winning the race on corrected time guarantees a place in sailing folklore. Open to all, only the most determined entrants can truly aspire to this pinnacle of achievements. For this edition, the last words rest with Sam Haynes:

"To win a race like this is a massive, life changing achievement . It is a very hard trophy to win. However good you are there are a lot of reasons why you might not succeed. To finally hold the Tattersall Cup means everything .”

ROLEX AND YACHTING Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand's enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world's most famous harbours. Rolex's partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

Published on December 14th, 2017 | by Editor

Comanche finds new owner Down Under

Published on December 14th, 2017 by Editor -->

Comanche, the innovative record-breaking 100 foot maxi yacht designed by VPLP and Guillaume Verdier and launched in 2014 for Jim and Kristy Clark, has been sold to Australian Jim Cooney.

The yacht was to compete in the 628 nm Sydney Hobart Race as LDV Comanche under partnership between Clark and two-time race winner Neville Crichton, but the last-minute sale now will have Sydney skipper Cooney at the helm.

“I have stepped down as skipper, we still have sponsorship for the boat, and if for any reason he can’t do it, I will step back into this shoes,” Crichton said.

Crichton had assembled a world-class crew for the race – including America’s Cup skipper James Spithill and many of the men who raced her to victory in the 2015 Hobart race. The crew will stay aboard while Cooney, daughter Julia, son James and Waratah Jeremy Tilse join the crew.

“We are all just so excited about doing the race on her, she is one not the most remarkable yachts in the world. I’ve actually never sailed it before. We are all going sailing on Tuesday (Dec. 19) to understand what sort of beast she is.’’

The new ownership means every supermaxi on the start line of the Sydney to Hobart will be racing for an Australian victory. The other three are Black Jack (previously Alfa Romeo), Infotrack (previously Perpetual Loyal), and Wild Oats XI.

“How amazing that pretty much the four fastest boats in the world are now all Australian owned,” said Cooney, chairman and major shareholder of TCI Renewables, a wind energy development company.

“This year competition is fierce, with the strongest line up of super maxis ever seen in one race. Depending on conditions, any of the 100 footers could take line honours, it threatens be one of the best races in the history of the event.”

The race starts on Boxing Day at 1300hrs AEDT and will be broadcast live on the Seven Network throughout Australia.

Event details – Entry list – Facebook

Source: perthnow.com

Tags: Comanche , Jim Clark , Neville Crichton , Sydney Hobart

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Andoo Comanche skipper lauds LawConnect crew for victory

• 28 Dec, 2023 11:59:00 AM

Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jnr could not hide the pain of seeing his dream of a “swansong” victory on the boat slip away in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

This year’s race had added significance for Winning Jnr with his crew including his father John, sister Jamie, and close mates Peter and Nathan Dean, the sons of John Dean, one of six people to die in the 1998 Sydney Hobart who was also a friend of his father.

However, Winning Jnr had nothing but praise for Christian Beck and his crew for how they sailed   LawConnect   towards a sensational come-from-behind Line Honours victory today.

“I don't like coming second. I don't mind it sometimes, but certainly when you are the favourite it's pretty painful,” said Winning Jnr from the boat at dockside in Hobart.

“We were the favourite because we’ve got an amazing boat that should have won the race.

“We've got an amazing crew. I know I beat myself up around not being able to deliver a win for those guys and my sister [Jamie] is included in that. But the other guys [on   LawConnect ] sailed their butts out. They sailed out of their skin. They left nothing on the table.

Credit: CYCA/Salty Dingo

“We should have beaten them had we sailed as well as I know we can. I think our boat was definitely the better boat, as Christian sort of said in the past. I say that with a bigger compliment to them that they didn't just beat us, but they beat us with an underdog boat.”

Andoo Comanche , the defending champion, went into the 628 nautical mile race organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) as the major favourite to cross the line first.

The 100-footer, that Winning Jnr was skippering for the last time in the race after chartering it for two years, looked set for back-to-back wins as it entered the Derwent River.

The two maxis had fought neck and neck for much of the race. Then, in the crossing of Storm Bay,   Andoo Comanche   moved away to a 2nm lead. But on the ever-tricky Derwent River,   LawConnect   fought back to catch them in the slight and fluky breeze.

In the last 1.5nm, the lead changed five times as the two maxis executed jibes to milk what wind there was.   LawConnect   managed to finally make the last move to win by 51 seconds.

In arguably the most exciting finish in years,   LawConnect   crossed the finish line in Hobart in first place at 08.03.58am and in the time of 1 day 19 hours 03 minutes 58 seconds.

Andoo Comanche   crossed in 1 day 19 hours 04 minutes and 49 seconds for the second closest finish in race history, the closest being seven seconds between winners   Condor   and   Apollo   in 1982.

“Those guys deserve all the praise they get,” said Winning Jnr of the   LawConnect   crew. “They must have sailed so bloody well to be there with us, then to take us right to the finish.

Winning Jnr took some solace in the fact that the duel between   LawConnect   and   Andoo Comanche   was so dramatic. “It was one of the most epic finishes in probably any sailing race,” he said.

“Unfortunately, I'm on the wrong side of that Battle Royale, but it's amazing for the sport.”

Winning Jnr said he is unlikely to return to the Sydney Hobart next year, even on another boat. “I'm not looking to do another Hobart next year. I want to do some other stuff,” he said.

But he admits he will miss   Andoo Comanche , now that his charter of it is at its end. “We have put a lot of love into her. She's given us so much in return,” he said. “The memories, we will cherish forever. I'll let someone else have their own memories with it. Maybe we'll cross paths at some point. Hopefully someone else is paying the bills and I can be crew.”

Written by Rupert Guinness/RSHYR Media

Congratulations to all the divisional winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

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PHOTOS | Official Presentation of Tattersall Cup and Rolex Timepiece to the Overall Winner

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - A Race for the Ages

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Daily Video Summary

VIDEO | Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

VIDEO | Race Update - 31 December Morning

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 10

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 9

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AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 6

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From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

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URM Group notches up its third victory, Andoo Comanche dominates and Philosopher takes Two-Handed honours in 2023 Bird Island Race

In Saturday’s 83 nautical mile 2023 Bird Island Race, the fourth of six races which comprise the 2023/24 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore, competitors relished favourable sailing conditions and a beautiful spring day for the sprint to the Central Coast and back. After a clean start off Point Piper at 1000hrs, 33 boats raced out Sydney Harbour to face a building NE for the upwind leg of the race to Bird Island, 3nm NE of Norah Head. The trip back home in 15-20kts with stronger gusts was a quick one for the front runners.

Anthony Johnston’s Reichel Pugh Maxi 72 URM Group backed up her recent impressive form by taking Overall victory – following wins in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Race and Flinders Islet Race. She was second across the line in Watsons Bay after  Andoo Comanche , ahead of David Gotze’s Reichel Pugh 63  No Limit, Sebastian Bohm’s TP52  Smuggler, and Peter Wrigley and Andrew Kearnan’s TP52  Koa . Smuggler was 2nd IRC Overall with No Limit placing 3rd. John ‘Herman’ Winning Jr and the crew of Andoo Comanche once again took Line Honours in a time of 6 hours, 15 minutes, 51 seconds – almost an hour outside the blistering record set by URM Group back in 2021.   The 100-foot VPLP/Verdier 100 maxi averaged 13.4 kts over the journey, finishing just after 1615hrs later that afternoon. She was 53 minutes ahead of URM Group . John ‘Herman’ Winning Jr said afterwards: “The conditions were terrific and it was a very enjoyable sail. Everything but the kitchen sink was thrown at us mechanically with gremlins in our hydro and electronic systems. We lost about 30 minutes on the work up to Bird Island but the team did a fantastic job to get us going again and able to finish the race. Bring on Cabbage Tree.” David Henry, winner of the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Two-Handed division back in August showed that the Sydney 36 Philosopher that he races with Stephen Prince is a boat to be reckoned with in all conditions. The pair were 21st across the line and took out both the Two-Handed IRC and PHS divisions, finishing in a time of 14 hours 26 minutes, 23 seconds.

DIVISIONAL RESULTS IRC Overall 1st – URM Group 2nd – Smuggler 3rd – No Limit IRC Division 1 1st – URM Group 2nd – Smuggler 3rd – No Limit IRC Division 2 1st – Supernova 2nd – Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth 3rd –  Mondo IRC Corinthian 1st – Koa 2nd – Pretty Woman 3rd – Supernova Wild Rose IRC 1st –  Pretty Woman 2nd – Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth 3rd – Mondo PHS 1st – Sticky 2nd – Smuggler 3rd – URM Group TWO-HANDED IRC 1st – Philosopher 2nd – Rum Rebellion 3rd – Blue Planet TWO-HANDED PHS 1st – Philosopher 2nd – Rum Chaser 3rd – Rum Rebellion

The next & penultimate race in the 2023/24 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore will be the Cabbage Tree Island Race which will get underway at 1900hrs on Friday 1 December. This race also doubles as the first race in the 2023 Raymarine Australian Maxi Championship for eligible race boats over 60-feet in length.

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