Brindabella

by John Hearne on 12 Oct 2005 Launched in 1993, George Snow's IMS maxi Brindabella, has posted some brilliant results using Fraser Sails exclusively. She took line honours in her first major ocean race, the Gosford-Lord Howe Island Race, repeating the experience in 1996. Poised to take line honours in the 1993 Sydney-Hobart race with a convincing lead and only a short distance to go, she disappointingly withdrew with hull damage just off the Tasmanian coast. Always a short odds favourite for the Sydney-Hobart race, she has since won line honours in 1997 with, with four 2nd places in other years.

The 1999 Sydney Hobart race was a bitter sweet experience for the crew of Brindabella. Weather conditions saw the record smashed but over 18 hours, but Brindabella once again had to settle for 2nd place over the line. This time to the water ballasted Whitbread 60’ Nokia. She also finished 2nd overall on IMS, missing overall honours by just 7 minutes. See race report

Brindabella has proven a top performer for both line and IMS handicap honours with double victories in the 1994 and 1995 Sydney-Mooloolaba races and the 1995 Sydney-Southport race.
Race records include the 1994 Sydney - Mooloolaba race where she broke the 17 year old record with a time of 44 hours, 1minute, 43 seconds. The 1999 Sydney-Southport race saw the 10 year old record shattered by over 3 hours. With a race length of 390 n.m. Brindabella averaged 14.2 knots. Adding on the 40 n.m. of adverse current recorded by the navigator, the average speed over the course was 16 knots!

Brindabella now carries a complete D4 inventory including headsails and an offshore D4 mainsail built prior to the ’99 Hobart race.