Rolex Sydney Hobart - JBW watching the fleet

by Di Pearson on 26 Dec 2011 Ehen the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race competitors head to sea, one of the rare comforts is knowing the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Radio Relay Vessel is accompanying them and keeping them safe; the ‘eyes and the ears’ of the race until the last yacht reaches Constitution Dock in Hobart. For two of the team, there will be a special interest in the race - their sons.

Ask any sailor worth their salt what makes them feel safe during the race, especially through the harsher periods that come each year, and they will tell you it is the Radio Relay Vessel (RRV). For the seventh year, John Winning, one of the sport’s biggest supporters, has loaned the use of his beautiful motor cruiser, JBW.

David Kellett, with 37 Hobart’s worth of experience, including two line honours wins, one of which was the double line and overall win on Bernard Lewis’ Sovereign in 1987, leads an experienced team aboard JBW, named for Winning’s late father and great sailor, John Berry Winning, or ‘Chocko’, as he was known to mates and sailors.

Kellett’s companions are also some of the best seamen around, and include two crewmen coming up for their 25th Hobart’s; John Woodford and Dave ‘Hoddo’ Hodgson. They will receive medallions for their efforts once they are in Hobart.

Others on the team are; Colin Wildman (42 Hobarts), Bruce ‘Gouldy’ Gould (41) Col ‘Tip-Toes’ Tipney (28), all of whom raced to Hobart with Kellett during the 1980’s, as did Woodford. They are joined by Hobart veteran navigator, Rob ‘Scriv’ Scrivenor (18), Richard Winning, a well-known yachtsman and cousin of the boat’s owner, and JBW’s competent skipper, Andrew ‘Steak’ Copley.

As head of the RRV team on JBW, it is Kellett who conducts the thrice daily fleet skeds and monitors any problems that crop up, talking with competitors throughout the race.

The past Vice President of ISAF is also in a fairly unique position in that his son Brad is the navigator aboard racing yacht, Brindabella. As such, Brad is the person aboard the yacht (the last conventionally ballasted yacht to win the famous race in 1999) who speaks to Kellett on the radio when the race skeds, or position reports, are conducted.

'It’s nice to be out there with him (Brad) knowing what he’s going through,' Kellett said. 'Like all parents, you like to support your children. You take an interest in your children and what they’re doing - and we’re fortunate to have this interest in common,' he says.

For Brad’s part, he could not speak more highly of Dad. 'I did my first three Hobart races with Dad, then I started getting rides on other boats and making my own career, but it’s really nice having him at the other end of the radio. It’s straightforward, because we know each other so well,' says Brad, who sailed his first race as a 16 year-old (well before the minimum 18 years of age rule came into effect).

'It’s fantastic having him there; he’s most professional on the radio. I remember in the 2000 race aboard Ausmaid letting him know we were getting sleet and 70 knots of wind. It went from a voice on the phone to a voice I know and trust implicitly,' Brad says.

'It’s like Gary (Ticehurst, who was tragically killed in a chopper accident in August), we’ll all really miss him this year. It was always a great uplift having him buzz us from overhead – and I’ll miss the chats we used to have through the race,' the 35 year-old added.

Being involved on the RRV is different to actually participating in the race, as Kellett is all too well aware. 'I do wish I was back in the race. When the CYCA asked me to take this job on the Radio Relay Vessel in 1999, I thought I’d be doing it for a couple of years, but here I am 11 years later,' says Kellett, who has had a passion for the Rolex Sydney Hobart since he was a boy of eight or nine.

'We lived in Mosman, so we’d go to Clifton Gardens to watch the start. I was around 16 when Boy Messenger took me on a couple of races and steered me in the right direction. I did my first Hobart race with Charlie Middleton on Calliope in 1968,' says Kellett.

During his years as head of the RRV team, Kellett and his crew have had to deal with some serious issues, such the keel falling off Wild Thing in the 2004 race, and the sinkings of Koomooloo in 2006 and Georgia in 2008, among others.

'We had a fair bit on at those times; helping co-ordinate the rescue of those crews and maintaining contact with the crews, authorities and the CYCA throughout,' Kellett said.

JBW crew member, ‘Scriv’, also has his son Robert contesting the race aboard the super maxi line honours contender, Investec Loyal. From three generations of Hobart sailors all bearing the name Robert, ‘Scriv’s’ dad Bob raced five Hobarts and did three more on the RRV, while’ Scriv’ raced 15 as a navigator and has had three more on the JBW, while young Rob is coming up for his fifth race.

JBW, named after John’s father, the well-known sailor John Berry Winning (Chocko to all who knew him) is a long range displacement motor yacht. She was conceived by John and master craftsman Ian Perdriau with the lines drawn by Faustman, resulting in a very sea-kindly and comfortable vessel of 20 metres. And she is beautifully appointed below decks.

Built of Oregon planking on Queensland maple frames covered with epoxy fibreglass sheathing, she was launched in 1997 after being christened by John’s mother, Davida.

Accommodation consists of a master cabin with ensuite aft, a double cabin with ensuite forward under the wheelhouse, alongside a twin guest cabin and a twin crew cabin. As would be expected when associated with Winning Appliances, every mod convenience conceivable is in the galley, which adjoins the main saloon.

While to some it might look like a cruise, the reality is that a motor yacht has a very different motion to a sailing yacht at sea, particularly in a blow, and is not as pleasant as the motion of a yacht.

The RRV team are on the go 24 hours a day covering the fleet, conducting the position and safety skeds and the Green Cape safety check with yachts, relaying the positions and other information to and from Race Control at the RYCT, collecting weather updates and talking with the media about the conditions at sea.

Then, of course, the crew gives handicap and other sporting results where possible, not to mention keeping the vessel going.

Rolex Sydney Hobart website