Sydney Hobart - Eventful night at sea for the fleet

by Di Pearson on 27 Dec 2010 Rolex Sydney Hobart update.

Despite a night of 20 plus knot southerly winds, hail, thunderstorms and steep uncomfortable seas, the Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet has remained intact with no further retirements since Jazz Player withdrew with a torn mainsail last night.

In the early hours of this morning, Bob Oatley’s 100ft Wild Oats XI held a slim lead over her contemporaries in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, clocking boat speeds of 13-15 knots in a 20-25 knot southerly wind, but a fifth line honours victory is not in the bag just yet.

The Mark Richards skippered Wild Oats XI (NSW) is 434 nautical miles from the finish line, sailing north of Green Cape on the NSW south coast this morning, yet to reach Eden. Hot on her heels is the Sean Langman skippered Investec Loyal (NSW), around 19 miles behind the race leader and Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing (Vic) approximately 8 miles astern. There is a further 12nm to Peter Millard/John Honan’s Lahana (NSW).

Wild Thing’s navigator Graeme Taylor reported this morning: 'We’ve been sailing in 15-25 knots throughout the night and this morning. We‘re taking things relatively easy as we set up for a south-westerly change.

'The change should hit us around 9.00am and will build up to 30-35 knots, but it will die off this afternoon, so it only gives us a short window of opportunity,' said Taylor who confirmed the Victorian yacht was positioned south of Tathra on the NSW south coast.

With the southerly buster hitting the fleet early last evening, slowing the pace down, Wild Oats XI is behind her race record of one day 18 hours 40 minutes set in 2005. And as her navigator Adrienne Cahalan prophesied yesterday, the bulk of the fleet is hugging the coast, sailing inside the rhumbline course to the Apple Isle.

At this stage of the race last year, the Reichel/Pugh designed supermaxi had travelled beyond Eden, the last port of call before hitting Bass Strait, with 411 nautical miles to reach the finish line on the Derwent River.

Ludde Ingvall’s 90ft Yuuzoo is currently in eighth place. They have reported a man overboard incident yesterday, though the two hapless crew were quickly recovered. 'Greg Homann and Will Mueller spent about 10 minutes having an unauthorised swim (yesterday afternoon). Both are well and in good spirits.'

At 5.00am, Ingvall reported: 'We’re closing on the coast south of Montague Island waiting to launch into Bass Strait. We’re not happy with boat speed at present, as we are still learning about the new settings.

'We just woke up to the forward compartment full of water. Our log through-hull fitting has either broken or popped through its fitting, leaving a 40mm hole in the bow. We think that we have it fixed, but there’s half a metre of water between keel and forward hatch. What drama. Not funny. What on earth have we done to deserve this?'

All is happy aboard overall race favourite Loki, the RP63 owned and skippered by Stephen Ainsworth (NSW). Navigator Michael Bellingham, reported: 'At the moment we are just south of Montague Island. Spirits are high, the boat is dry and wind is 20-25 knots from the south.

'Breeze has remained constant in speed and direction. We expect it to build over the next six hours and come from the south-west building to 30-40 knots - and the seas to build as well. At the moment, the sea is around 2 metres; short and sharp. Crew are all well and looking forward to the challenge ahead.'

Bellingham, who maintains 'we are comfortable and looking OK on handicap,' said Loki was in touch with Ran (the JV72), Limit (Alan Brierty’s near-sistership that has kept them honest in the lead-up series) and Bill Wild’s RP55, Rodd & Gunn Wedgetail.

Meanwhile Rodd & Gunn Wedgetail’s navigator, Will Oxley told: 'We have had no wind instruments since the pre-start, which has made driving overnight more challenging. The boys did an excellent job of helming. We also had an alternator issue with the batteries not charging, so that caused us a worrying two hours while Jeff Scott sorted it out.

'As for sailing, we’ve had a pretty good night and have just tacked onto starboard about 15nm north of Montague Island. Wind has started to come around as predicted, but we have a nasty head-sea left over from the earlier south-south-easterly wind. We are looking forward to dawn so we can see the tell tails!

'The boat is going well and we are settling in for a long haul on starboard,' Oxley said.

Polaris of Belmont has maintained her rear-guard position now 8nm miles south of Kiama. So far, despite the heavy southerly, there has only been one casualty, Jazz Player, which retired last evening with mainsail damage and is now back at the CYCA marina in Rushcutters Bay.

In the early stages of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race, Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin (NSW) is leading Wild Oats XI, Wild Thing and the English entry, Ran, owned by skype inventor Niklas Zennstrom, in the chase for overall honours and the Tattersall’s Cup.

The fleet can be tracked on Yacht Tracker click here