Queensland yachts have sights set on Sydney Hobart honours

by Ian Grant on 16 Dec 2009 A rather parochial New South Wales journalist remains embarrassed following his rum fuelled statement that a Queenslander has never won the Sydney Hobart Race..

He was promptly reminded to look at the results from the toughest race of them all the 1998 blue water ‘demolition derby’ when the small sloop AFR Midnight Rambler weathered the 100 year Tasman Sea storm to record her remarkable victory.

Sure AFR Midnight Rambler was skippered by Sydney’s Ed Psaltis while his part owner Bob Thomas a proud member of North Queensland’s Mackay Cruising Yacht Club showed his skill as the successful navigator and to claim
a special place in the history of the 628 n/ml ocean race.

The hours of slogging against the growling foam crested waves and screeching winds under a storm trysail are indelibly etched into the memories of Ed Psaltis and his long time sea faring mate Bob Thomas.

There will certainly be a flash back when the 1998 race champions enter the challenge to add another major entry to their personal log books after the fleet set sail on Boxing Day.

It will be another special moment for the Psaltis/Thomas racing team who added the Audi Sydney-Gold Coast Race to their collective list of race wins earlier this year.

As expected the dual Sydney to Mooloolaba race champions will be well prepared for another serious challenge over the course which has a history of testing the physical endurance of all the crews.

A similar attention to detail will unfold on the deck of 25 year old Sunshine Coast sloop Pippin when her owner skipper Roger Sayers defends his 2008 Cruising Class victory.

Pippin one of the older generation yachts has a well proven racing record however as her 2008 race average of 6.28 knots suggests she will again finish in the back end of the fleet, but Roger Sayers believes the ‘Old Girl’ still has the potential to successfully compete on handicap.

Similar interest will focus on the 2008 Performance Handicap class trophy winner Telcoinabox Merit skippered by Leo Rodriguez from the Whitsunday Sailing Club and the Abel Point Yacht Club entry Another Fiasco (Damien Suckling) while the three Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron sloops Ray White Spirit of Koomooloo (Michael Freebairn), Charlies Dream (Peter Lewis) and Mondo (Ray Sweeney) also promise to feature in their respective class honours.

All the yachts are crewed by sailors who are well prepared for the challenge of experiencing limited sleep in a warm and dry bunk and surviving on rations to brave the elements for a post race reward of entering another Hobart in the log book and sharing the New Year Eve party spirit on the historical Constitution Dock.