Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - First instructive round for Comanche

by Anne Guillard on 29 Dec 2014 2014 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Comanche was finally defeated by Wild Oats in Hobart. But the new record breaker has shown great potential in the medium and strong wind. It still remains to work on its performance in the low wind.

Jimmy Spithill was one of six helmsmen on Comanche.

'We can’t leave it at that,' he declared after finishing in Hobart. 'This morning the boat reached a top speed of 32 knots and I know what she is capable of. Everybody got to see the true potential of this boat at the start. I remember looking up at Kenny (Ken Read, the skipper) and he just had this huge grin from ear to ear. Unfortunately we just didn’t see those sort of conditions again until the end of Bass Strait.'

Ken Read, the skipper:

'Wild Oats deserves all its success,' he said. 'They deserve their eighth record, Lord knows we tried hard to take it from them. This team, our team, did an unbelievable job, and special credit to the boat builders and the design team because Lord knows we tried to break it, and it wouldn’t break!!!'

Designer Xavier Guilbaud, on site for VPLP Design and Verdier Yacht design, said he couldn’t take his eyes off the yacht tracker, keeping notes as Comanche changed angles and the wind circled the compass.

'I’m excited to see Ken’s list, but on top of my own list, what I can see, is work on the weight of the boat to try to lighten her up a bit more, to increase performances in light winds,' he said.

'I’ll discuss with the guys here, a little later, the little bits and pieces on the deck to improve manoeuvres, how the boat is sailed. Then on the sail configuration; how to use each sail, in which condition and improve the sail shapes.

I think we do have a record breaker on our hands. The real answer will be in June next year when he does the Transatlantic Race. I think the boat is really fast.'