Wild Oats XI declared ‘race ready’ for 2009 Rolex Sydney - Hobart race

by Rob Mundle on 3 Dec 2009
Bob Oatley’s 30.48 metre long supermaxi, Wild Oats XI, which will this year face its strongest ever challenge for supremacy in the Rolex Sydney Hobart race, has been declared ‘absolutely race ready’ by skipper Mark Richards following an intense 24-hour sailing trial off Sydney.

The 200 nautical mile test was also recognised as Wild Oats XI’s offshore qualifier for the classic.

'I couldn’t be happier,' Richards said when he stepped ashore from the yacht at Woolwich Dock, on Sydney Harbour, this morning. 'It was without doubt the most productive and exciting time we’ve had on the water since we completed the modifications to the yacht. Everything just clicked into place.'

During the winter months the yacht was lengthened by half a metre and underwent many modifications and refinements, most aimed at reducing weight and increasing speed.

Wild Oats XI, which in 2005 set the course record time of 1 day 18 hours 40 minutes 10 seconds for the 628 nautical mile course to Hobart, will this year be going for an unprecedented fifth consecutive line honours. But to be successful Richards and his team will have to put down challenges from the most impressive line-up of supermaxis the world has seen. There will be six other big boats measuring in at between 30 and 30.48 metres that will be out to end Wild Oats XI’s unbroken chain of line honours.

'We’re not kidding ourselves; this will be the toughest ever contest when it comes to being first to Hobart,' Richards said. 'If we are to defend our crown we have to be perfectly prepared, and that’s what the past 24 hours was all about.

'It was pretty rough when we left Sydney yesterday. There was a big swell coming out of the south, so initially we pushed the boat to the limit by sailing upwind, treating it as though we were racing to Hobart in a strong southerly wind. We managed to get airborne off a few waves and much to our delight everything came through unscathed.

'We have some new generation sails in our inventory for this year so we used this opportunity to test them, checking on shapes and setting angles. We also spent a considerable amount of time tuning the mast. That resulted in us coming back into the Harbour on a number of occasions so we could be in smooth water. It was too rough offshore for us to do the adjustments.

'Overnight the breeze died, and that was a bonus because we were then able to test some light wind sail and rig configurations.'

Richards added that the 24-hour run confirmed that the decision to reduce the crew number from 24 to 18 for the Hobart race was the right one. The smaller team was able to complete every sail change and manoeuvre to perfection. The skipper also said that back-up helmsman, kiwi Mike ‘Moose’ Sanderson, slotted into the team as though he’d been there forever. He was very impressed by how Wild Oats XI performed.

There was no rest for the Wild Oats XI crew after they returned to the dock this morning. Within a couple of hours they were back out on the water testing a new and larger mainsail and a headsail, made especially for the Hobart race, which had been delivered overnight.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart starts at 1pm on Boxing Day, December 26.