Pittwater Water Coffs Race - Wharro goes to War, Part 2

by Rob Kothe & the Sail-World Team on 2 Jan 2010

Etihad Stadium retires Sail-World.com /AUS http://www.sail-world.com

As Grant Wharington and his Etihad Stadium supermaxi crew sailed under the Harbour Bridge, on their way to the 2009 Rolex Sydney to Hobart start, the owner/skipper turned to his after guard and asked – 'Does anyone else feel like we are off to war?'

It had been a tough two weeks for the Victorian crew, after the boat was dismasted on her way north to the Sydney Harbour start line. She sailed into battle very much ill-prepared and she was forced to retire soon after the Hobart start with ‘rigging issues.’

Etihad Stadium was left in the harbour testing their rig, before announcing their retirement shortly after 2pm. - Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2009 © Teri Dodds http://www.teridodds.com

Now Wharro along with Graeme Taylor (GT) and crew, are back on the battlefield.

This afternoon, January 2nd, they plan to line up along with their 100 foot rival, Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI on the start line for the 226 nautical mile Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race.

As Wharington explained after retiring from the Hobart battlefield ‘There were two issues; the first on these high tech masts, is mast alignment, it's critical.

‘As soon as we loaded up the mast we were losing jack pressure; as we loaded up the sail the mast was bending sideways, that is we were ‘unable to keep column’.

‘Secondly, we felt our set up with our runner blocks was not right with the new four spreader mast. Given the fact that our mission was to sail 628 nautical miles to Hobart, the combination of the two problems stopped us.'

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]Now Wharington is ready for Round 2. He explains. ‘After retiring on Boxing Day, we spent the entire following day tuning the rig and we think we have completely solved the runner block problem too.

‘We just needed the time to get the rig in perfect alignment and by loading and unloading the rig a number of times, we were able to get the strops attached to the runner cars to 'bed in', to align correctly, so now we are ready to race.

‘What we have already seen is that the boat will certainly be much faster going forward. We might have the fastest boat in the world now, with a new keel and a new mast… so we will be keen to test ourselves.

'A race record to Coffs Harbour might make us all feel better.

'After losing out to Alfa Romeo in the Hobart race, Mark Richards and his Wild Oats XI will be on the Coffs start line for this race, they hold the record and we are looking forward to the opportunity to sail against her going north…'

'We know Coffs Harbour entrance is only six metres deep at low tide (Etihad Stadium draws seven metres), so we are trusting that the Race Officials will use the alternate finish line, which is outside the harbour.’

Sail-World.com will be on the battlefield for the start of this 29th Pittwater Coffs Harbour race and will report in detail.