Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

Sydney Hobart - Georgia sinking - all crew rescued

by SW on 26 Dec 2008
Georgia leaves the seaward mark - Rolex Sydney Hobart 2008 Crosbie Lorimer http://www.crosbielorimer.com
Drama this evening in the 64th Rolex Sydney to Hobart race when Victorian yacht, Georgia, the New Zealand built Farr 52 belonging to two Sydney to Hobart veterans John Williams and Graeme Ainley who between them have sailed 49 Hobart races, this evening issued a May Day at 21:25 local time, when the vessel was around 34 miles east of Ulladulla.

Georgia reported she had broken her rudder stock and was taking water, she was about to lose her electrics, she sent up a red flare and activated her 406 Epirb.

Leo Rodriguez’ Volvo 60 Telecoinabox Merit, was just a mile away and she went to the aid of the stricken vessel along with Chris Welsh’s US flier Ragtime, which at the time was four miles away.

At 22:25 Georgia deployed a life raft to affect a crew transfer to Merit.

Traffic between the radio relay vessel JBW and Merit included a request for the Georgia crew to take their EPIRB aboard Merit.

22:41 Merit informed JBW that she now has seven Georgia crew aboard, the raft was returning for the last seven crew.

22:53 All Georgia crew aboard Merit, along with life raft and Epirb.

Their position was around 34 miles east south east of Ulladulla. Merit informed JBW that Georgia was floating with water to deck level, with mainsail still up.

A Water Police vessel was on way to the scene to take the Georgia crew off Merit.

10:55 Ragtime was advised she could continue racing.

10:56 Fleet was notified that all boats could continue racing.

11:01 Hobart Race control requested that Georgia’s Epirb be turned off.

Merit is heading towards Bateman’s Bay and will rendezvous with the Police Launch Nemesis.

All crew safe and well.

At the 005 Listening sked, JBW reported that Georgia was awash at 35 29 S, 151.16.68 E, with no lights showing and was therefore a navigation hazard.

The Sail-World team are monitoring race frequencies and is only releasing this story because it has been advised that next of kin have been notified.

Up ahead it's a neck and neck race between the two 98 footers Skandia and Wild Oats XI, now off Montague Island.



Palm Beach Motor YachtsZhik 2024 DecemberSelden 2020 - FOOTER

Related Articles

31st Block Island Race Week Day 4
Round The Island Race on Mount Gay Rum Race Day Mount Gay Rum Race Day featured everyone's favorite race of Block Island Race Week: the Regatta Craft Mixers Round The Island Race. The breaking of the recent heatwave made for a fast and furious counter-clockwise lap.
Posted on 26 Jun
SailGP's return to Auckland for Season 6 confirmed
ITM is the NZ's Grand Prix's Title Partner, marking a fourth year supporting Black Foils. After a record breaking debut, the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix Auckland has been confirmed to be returning in 2026 and is set to be bigger than ever.
Posted on 26 Jun
Rolex SailGP Championship 2026 dates confirmed
Including a return to fan-favorite destination, Auckland SailGP has released further details of forthcoming 2026 Season, including the return of fan-favorite locations, multi-year hosting agreements secured across all regions, and an evolved regional structure to raise the stakes for athletes and fans alike.
Posted on 26 Jun
44Cup Marstrand 2025 day 2
Aleph Racing takes the lead after glorious four race day The 44Cup is nothing but surprises. Day two of competition for the one-design owner-driver RC44s at the 44Cup Marstrand was forecast to be light but in fact provided further magnificent conditions, with sunshine and flatter seas than yesterday.
Posted on 26 Jun
Pip Hare Announced as Patron of WORLDSTAR 2026
A meaningful return to her roots with the Royal Western Yacht Club of England The Royal Western Yacht Club (RWYC) is absolutely delighted to welcome solo ocean racing legend Pip Hare as the Patron of WORLDSTAR 2026—our flagship round-the-world sailing event. This is more than a title; it's a homecoming.
Posted on 26 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 7
British mixed dominance in dinghy and catamaran After the second day of the Sailing Grand Slam in the Olympic mixed classes, Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris are leading the 470 class even more dominantly than John Gimson and Anna Burnet in the Nacra 17 on Thursday (June 26).
Posted on 26 Jun
29th Superyacht Cup Palma day 1
Cervo and Open Season take opening day honours The Superyacht Cup Palma 2025 swung into action today, with captains and crews across the varied and inspiring fleet seizing the opportunity to take the measure of the competition out on the racecourse.
Posted on 26 Jun
J/70 Mixed-Plus Worlds at Lake Garda Day 1
Yupi leads after a perfect opening day in Torbole Lake Garda delivered its finest conditions for the opening day of the first-ever J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship: three races completed in a steady, warm Ora breeze peaking at 20 knots.
Posted on 26 Jun
Tschüss 2 - Transatlantic Titans
Line Honours for Christian Zugel's Volvo 70 in the Transatlantic Race 2025 Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 (USA), owned by Christian Zugel and co-skippered by Johnny Mordaunt, has taken Line Honours in the West to East Transatlantic Race 2025 in an elapsed time of 07 Day 15 Hrs 29 Mins and 10 Secs.
Posted on 26 Jun
Craig Wood Makes History
The first triple amputee to sail solo non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific Craig is the first triple amputee to sail solo non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific, completing the 7506nm journey from Mexico to Japan in 90 days.
Posted on 26 Jun