Sydney-Hobart- Wacky Races 3 – Gravel and Red Max versus VMG

by John Curnow on 25 Dec 2014 Professor Pat Pending had the most amazing Convert-a-Car in the 60s cartoon series, the Wacky Races. It could do just about anything. Come Boxing Day and the start of the 70th Sydney-Hobart, some may well wish they had a Convert-a-Boat. Being a hundred feet at the start would be cool. You get away off your own line and in clear breeze. You’re also well inside the rulebook. Later, perhaps in the dark of night, you could become a super-powerful trimaran, maybe even on foils if the seaway was right, and then skedaddle off with blistering pace. 30+ knot average VMG here we come. WoooHoooooooo!!!


OK. Yeah, that was the cartoon and this is reality… Who and in what will look good and for which prize? A couple of years back, when Wild Oats XI set the new Line Honours record, before the race it became apparent that they only needed to do a little bit more than their upwind boat speed to crack the code. As we know, they did. The Swiss Army Knife has had a few more mods since then, but there could well be one serious motivating factor, no matter what Huey delivers. Oats will become the boat of the modern era, with more Line Honours titles under her belt than any other. Nice work!

It is interesting that many now refer to the great race as a windward/leeward not passage event, and it even has cans for you to get around. With that in mind, let’s start with a focus at the front and note that the non-canting Rio100 should run deeper than her supermaxi brethren, but will it be enough and will the lighter running conditions that require actually eventuate. She has one hell of a prodder, but then Rio100 also sports a shorter rig. Equally, those very comrades have been off trying to improve their downwind VMG, so is there still an advantage at all? Syd Fischer has brought out a brand new Ragamuffin 100 for his 47th tilt at the blue water classic, but just what can her new Andy Dovell penned hull do?

Comanche will be on maiden sail in anger and will want to go hard, but at just 628nm, is the race to short for her super-long legs? Seeing as we’ve had such a notable motor racing theme going on throughout these pieces, think of it as sort of like having the Nürburgring (Nordschleife) gearbox and diff ratios in the car when you’re running at Winton in rural Victoria. The mighty Porsche 917 even came with different aero packages (Short and Longtail) to suit various tracks.

Back to yachting and we find that Perpetual Loyal will be out there with the biggest bag (Spinnaker) in the monohull business. To learn a little more we spoke with Michael ‘Cocko’ Coxon, who is the boat’s Sailing Master and Tactician under owner and Skipper, Anthony Bell. Interesting point for the side – Coxon is the MD of North Sails Australia and Comanche’s Skipper is Ken Read, who is President of North Sails globally…

Anyway, Coxon said, 'Yes. The new A2 running spinnaker is 1120m2 and rated for 11-18 knots True Wind Speed. We’re learning as we go along with it, but it will provide for more tactical options. The bow will now go down past 138° to say 145-148° with equal or perhaps even better boat speed. We know that Wild Oats XI will be the best in light running, so it will allow us to stay in contact and be in same water as her.'

'It has only been up twice. Once coming back from Cabbage Tree Island and once in training, so it does need a good airing. It has a top-down furler, which is a bit of an art', said Coxon by way of describing that there is a technique to its deployment. 'When unfurling, you can get flogging in the bunched areas, but don’t go looking for foam pads like some cruising boat sails use to ensure a smooth and even wrap of the fabric. She’s 10 years old now and when constructed as a record breaking boat she had a Sail Plan was suited to blast reaching. Our Achilles heel was VMG running under 20 knots.'

Being a beamy boat, Perpetual Loyal has a lot of wetted surface area, far more than the ‘skinny’ Wild Oats XI, so a sail like this will offer a lot more grunt to power the boat and get past some of the ‘stickiness’ her hull has when she is running flatter (deeper) and without as much angle of heel. It is a deeper sail than the others on board, and significantly larger when you look at the next gear down, which is just a ‘paltry’ 900m2!!! To allow for all of this added area, the boat recently had 1.5m added to her prodder (bow sprit).

A Southerly blowing will allow for a spinnaker start and that may see this huge sail used in anger. Conditions on the East coast of Australia are subject to change at a moment’s notice, but some models allow for a soft sea state and gentle breezes for a good part of the race window. 'The rougher conditions are better for us and I’m looking forward to the battle between Comanche and Oats. We’d like to be in that mix and hopefully this new sail can close a bit of the performance difference in under 10 knots of breeze', said Coxon. Remember too, Perpetual Loyal and Alfa Romeo II are the only ones to have beaten Wild Oats XI since the 98’ (now 100’) party arrived on the Sydney-Hobart scene.

Since its inception in 2009, Perpetual Loyal has delivered 300 pieces of medical equipment to hospitals, all around Australia. This nudges AU$5m in value, but is priceless to all those who have benefited from their use. The man totally responsible for this great work is, Anthony Bell, who commented, '100% of all monies raised goes through to our cause and delivers the much needed lifesaving materials. There are no administration fees or costs with our charity. We are one of the most successful sailing charities in the world. Our shop front window is the supermaxi and the tools we use to boost awareness include the ProAm aspect of our campaign. We have professional sailors with icons of sport and media personalities. The better we race, the better our awareness, and ultimately that means more equipment ticked off hospitals’ lists!'

Of his sailing in general, Bell says, 'I am still getting a buzz from it. I was infected with sailing when I was a kid, with skiffs and cats, before I went to rugby union for ages. We have a good management structure on the boat. It runs like a leadership group, is team orientated and the key positions are filled with the right people. We are an aspiration led campaign. Our cause is our glue that holds us together. In 2011 we had a good strategy, a rehearsed model and showed that we can be victorious. We are keen to do it again. Last time was made all the sweeter by beating the best supermaxi team in the world and that is something. We feel good, our preparation has been spot on and it is the team and boat that provides confidence. The positivity you draw from sailing is what always draws me back to it.'

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So that’s the hundreds taken care of. What then of the Tattersall’s Cup for the overall winner? Previously, we saw how the advancement of technology meant that the top boats had become that quick so as to make it unlikely that a smaller craft will be able to lay claim to the ultimate prize. By way of example, look at how 46/47 foot boats now play with 50s that are but a few years old. Accordingly, you would think that 50+ is where the focus on the overall winner will have to be.

Of course, nothing changes the fact that you still have to win your division to win overall and that Huey will always have the last word on all matters. You would think that it would have to be an absolute drifter (the nautical one, not the automotive one) at the front and then the back get delivered home with a strong running breeze for anything 40 feet and under to do the job.

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Wandering through the starting list you find the carbon fibre Botin 65, Caro. She’s listed as a racer/cruiser, but just look at her!!!!! It is one very good-looking boat… Botin Partners know a lot about the High Performance Rule and she also has an experienced and talented crew on her. How much comfy has stayed on board in the battle for weight savings? We are about to find out. Elsewhere, Matt Allen’s Carkeek 60, Ichi Ban, is due for some results.

Now the Carkeek 47, Indian should join last year’s overall winner, Victoire, and Pretty Fly III in a nice little battle. Over Winter, there was one prelude that garnered a lot of interest. It involved the last two and the Ker 46, Patrice. Will their luck turn? Personally one hopes so, but it could be fair to say that they have even prayed so! Patrice’s Skipper, Tony Kirby, has taken a wonderful view of it all. 'I have promised McConaghy’s a Patrice-free Christmas next year! It has drawn us all together, however, and that is a great thing to witness.'

'All praise goes to McConaghy, both here in Australia and China. They built a new bulb in just seven days and then it was on a ship getting here for another 18 days. We used the time to do all the odd jobs and get her into tip-top shape. A couple of new sails also arrived and in combination with all that and a heap of adrenalin, we expect to fly out of the blocks!'

'The lighter breezes could favour us. We are stronger, lighter and faster than last year and have been learning a lot about the boat, as well. As an all-round boat, a bit of everything will suit us. We will try to win our division and Huey will sort out the rest. Celestial has been doing well, they are competitive and will pounce on us if we slip up. Indian is the unknown factor, but is a new boat, just like us last year. I think it is 10% up on last year in terms of the quality of fleet and sailors who race them.'

'The weather forecast changes each and every day. Things do change and they’re never quite sure of it until you’re out there', said Kirby who has master Navigator, Richard Grimes, on board. 'Not sailing for a month has left us with itchy fleet, so we’ll need to ensure we control things and avoid incidents. Little steps and tweaks have us thinking we’re in good form on this slow curve upwards. I’m really looking forward to it.'

Kirby said, 'Gail Harland is doing her 20th and our Sailing Master, Peter Messenger, joins the 25 Hobarts club. He wants to win five from 25, which would be a good effort. We have a few Hobart winners and crew like Ian ‘Barney’ Walker, so the hope is that we can earn a win in the 70th!'

Perhaps the well-rated DK46s can also do something if the weather window suits and then what can the village of TPs or near TPs like Balance, Cougar II, Duende, Scarlet Runner and Primitive Cool muster? The mid-50s like Wedgetail and Onesails Racing have to get a mention at least. Finally, what does one say and do with the giant killing Volvo Ocean 70s, Giacomo and Black Jack? Keep more than a weather eye out and see if a breeze blows in to push them right on top of the hundreds, no doubt.

The Wacky Races gets underway on Boxing Day and here on Sail-World, the coverage will be non-stop. The Wacky Races has plenty on offer and not just at the pointy end of the fleet. Many rules of racing and the platitudes they provide are used for this event. Yes, in order to finish first, first you have to finish and the quickest way between two points is a straight line. So will it be a Boulder Mobile, a Crimson Haybailer or a Creepy Coupé that get’s the chocolates, sorry watch? Velocity Made Good really does seem to be the best way to describe it, for whether you’re working to windward or running to the leeward mark, anything you can do to improve your angle will help you win. Stay alert, keep your eye on the trim and look after the one-percenters…

Season’s Greetings to all on-water and shore crew, family, friends, interested work colleagues and the countless volunteers manning course boats and cold, lonely finish towers in the dead of night. Happy sailing!

Should you wish to read Wacky Races 1, it is http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=129625!here!, and Wacky Races 2 is http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=129938!here!.