Sydney to Hobart – Last boats standing?

by Rob Kothe on 27 Dec 2015

George David's RAMBLER 88 (USA) surfing downwind - 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Rolex/ Stefano Gattini http://www.rolex.com

It was a hard night for the front end of the 71st Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet.

The Super maxi thoroughbreds found the going hardest, with Wild Oats XI, Comanche and Perpetual Loyal all announcing their retirement. Comanche did a Lazarus though, calling Hobart Race Control to say they were going to head south again which they did, with a damaged daggerboard and rudder.

Two American boats lead the fleet. George David’s Rambler is now well into Bass Strait, with Comanche now second and the top Australian boat Ragamuffin third.

Here are the top ten on line honours and IRC handicap

At racetime 00:14:30 Line honors top ten

Yacht		DIV	Position	DTG	SOG	COG	Est. Elapsed Time & Speed
1	Rambler George David USA		37°28'S 151°53'E 89nm E of Green Cape	430.0	11.9	184	02:04:21:4912.0 28 Dec, 05:21:49 PM
2	Comanche Jim & Kristy Clark USA		37°28'S 152°11'E 103nm E of Green Cape	436.2	11.6	184	02:10:36:2110.7 28 Dec, 11:36:21 PM
3	Ragamuffin 100 Syd Fischer NSW		37°15'S 152°17'E 107nm E of Green Cape	449.3	10.0	170	02:17:07:399.6 29 Dec, 06:07:39 AM
4	Maserati Orca SRL Italy		37°15'S 152°51'E 134nm E of Green Cape	462.9	10.7	170	02:16:32:259.7 29 Dec, 05:32:25 AM
5	Black Jack Mark Bradford QLD		36°38'S 151°35'E 70nm E of Montague Island	469.3	9.9	192	03:02:28:258.4 29 Dec, 03:28:25 PM
6	Ichi Ban Matthew Allen NSW		36°46'S 152°00'E 92nm E of Montague Island	470.1	8.3	195	02:21:59:589.0 29 Dec, 10:59:58 AM
7	Chinese Whisper Rupert Henry NSW		36°45'S 152°09'E 98nm E of Montague Island	473.6	9.0	187	03:02:24:348.4 29 Dec, 03:24:34 PM
8	Balance Paul Clitheroe NSW		36°07'S 150°09'E 9nm NW of Montague Island	478.9	8.9	238	03:01:37:288.5 29 Dec, 02:37:28 PM
9	Primitive Cool John Newbold VIC		36°03'S 150°16'E 12nm N of Montague Island	483.7	8.5	149	03:06:40:218.0 29 Dec, 07:40:21 PM
10	Triton David Gotze & Michael Cranitch NSW		36°01'S 150°14'E 14nm N of Montague Island	485.8	6.9	166	03:03:19:108.3 29 Dec, 04:19:10 PM

At racetime 00:14:40 IRC top ten

Yacht		DIV	Position	DTG	SOG	COG	Est. Elapsed Time & Speed	HCAP	Est. Corrected Time & Speed
1	Teasing Machine Eric De Turckheim Switzerland	3	35°52'S 150°17'E 7nm S of Batemans Bay	494.8	7.7	159	03:08:05:507.8 29 Dec, 09:05:50 PM	1.169	03:21:38:016.7 30 Dec, 10:38:01 AM
2	Imagination Robin & Annette Hawthorn NSW	3	35°41'S 150°20'E 6nm NE of Batemans Bay	505.9	8.3	248	03:12:56:237.4 30 Dec, 01:56:23 AM	1.108	03:22:06:486.7 30 Dec, 11:06:48 AM
3	Rambler George David USA	0	37°30'S 151°53'E 89nm E of Green Cape	428.1	12.0	187	02:04:28:2912.0 28 Dec, 05:28:29 PM	1.826	03:23:49:086.6 30 Dec, 12:49:08 PM
4	Black Sheep Derek & Martin Sheppard NSW	3	35°40'S 150°27'E 11nm NE of Batemans Bay	508.6	7.8	227	03:14:49:497.2 30 Dec, 03:49:49 AM	1.111	04:00:28:066.5 30 Dec, 01:28:06 PM
5	After Midnight Mark & Greg Tobin NSW	3	35°43'S 150°19'E 4nm E of Batemans Bay	503.6	6.7	173	03:13:51:577.3 30 Dec, 02:51:57 AM	1.145	04:02:18:596.4 30 Dec, 03:18:59 PM
6	Merlin David Forbes NSW	2	35°49'S 150°20'E 6nm SE of Batemans Bay	498.4	7.7	159	03:09:56:347.7 29 Dec, 10:56:34 PM	1.222	04:04:08:036.3 30 Dec, 05:08:03 PM
7	Wild Rose Roger Hickman NSW	4	35°34'S 150°42'E 28nm S of Jervis Bay	517.1	8.4	239	04:00:05:566.5 30 Dec, 01:05:56 PM	1.048	04:04:42:426.2 30 Dec, 05:42:42 PM
8	Balance Paul Clitheroe NSW	1	36°08'S 150°09'E 7nm NW of Montague Island	477.9	8.0	153	03:02:25:018.4 29 Dec, 03:25:01 PM	1.364	04:05:30:176.2 30 Dec, 06:30:17 PM
9	Mayfair James Irvine QLD	4	35°34'S 150°30'E 17nm NE of Batemans Bay	515.1	7.1	147	03:22:56:376.6 30 Dec, 11:56:37 AM	1.082	04:06:43:446.1 30 Dec, 07:43:44 PM
10	Courrier Leon Gery Trentesaux Belgium	4	35°36'S 150°44'E 30nm S of Jervis Bay	515.7	8.8	246	04:02:27:236.4 30 Dec, 03:27:23 PM	1.045	04:06:53:136.1 30 Dec, 07:53:13 PM