The personal ocean racing and endurance skills of Terry Archer will be challenged when he and the crew of Questionable Logic represent the Whitsunday Sailing Club in the 628n/ml Rolex Sydney Hobart Race which is set to begin on Boxing Day.
Archer who contested the blue water classic in 2010 as a member of the Ocean Affinity crew will be a first time entry as an owner skipper. He is not the first and will not be the last ‘rookie’ skipper to have the personal ambition to record a Sydney Hobart in his offshore racing log book.
Questionable Logic designed by the leading New South Wales team of Iain Murray, Ian Burns and Andy Dovell and built by Sydney Yachts has raced competitively in short course events including the Airlie Beach and Audi Hamilton Island Race Weeks but has rarely been tested on long ocean passages since joining the more relaxed fleet racing in the warm Whitsunday Island waters.
Her delivery crew will face a serious test during the long haul from Airlie Beach to Sydney to complete the pre-Hobart formalities including a stringent safety inspection before the enthusiastic Terry Archer has the chance to fulfil his ambition. However the enthusiasm will take on a more demanding role when the comparatively smaller Questionable Logic tests her handicap rated ocean racing speed against a number of high profile yachts including the 2010 Audi Australian IRC champion Loki and the Mark Richards helmed super maxi Wild Oats X1.
None of the many Whitsunday Sailing Club supporters of the Questionable Logic Hobart Race challenge are prepared to make a pre-race prediction but believe both skipper and crew have the skill and determination to share a mooring in Hobart’s historical Constitution Dock.
But meanwhile Questionable Logic and the Leo Rodriguez skippered Volvo 60 Merit winner of the Rolex Performance Handicap class trophy in 2008 continue with their pre-Hobart race preparations.
Merit racing under the Stratco sponsorship was the 18th to finish last year and the crew will be hoping for a more favourable spinnaker sailing breeze to beat their relatively slow 7.7knot average and three day, nine hour 18 minute 53 second elapsed time.
Terry Archer will remember stepping ashore in Hobart for the first time and despite being a maiden race skipper will positively focus on steering Questionable Logic to the required boat speed to challenge his personal best target of three days 15 hours 42 minutes 52 seconds when Ocean Affinity finished 22nd last year.
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