Please select your home edition
Edition
Rolly Tasker Sails 2023 LEADERBOARD

Sally Rattle the sole woman owner/skipper in Sydney Hobart race

by Peter Campbell on 18 Dec 2009
Sally Rattle - owner Archie Andrea Francolini Photography http://www.afrancolini.com/

Derwent Sailing Squadron (DSS) member Sally Rattle will be the sole woman owner/skipper in this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, sailing her Archambault 35 Archie.

The 628 nautical mile race will her first Sydney Hobart, but she and her boat have already established a most successful record in ocean racing, including winning Tasmania's Bruny Island and Maria Island Races and the
2007 Melbourne to Hobart Rudder Cup Centenary Race.

Archie is one of eight yachts sailing under the burgees of Tasmanian yacht clubs, including Sean Langman's 100-footer Loyal, which he has entered as representing the Huon Yacht Club, as he did previously with his gaff-rigger
Maluka of Kermandie..

Archie will be the sole representative of the DSS, with Sally entering the yacht for both the IRC and new ORCi handicap categories. 'We are confident of a good showing on corrected time.the boat rates particularly well and we
have had considerable success, this season winning the AMS division of the Maria Island Race,' she said in Hobart today after receiving the news that her boat had safely completed its delivery voyage to Sydney.

Graduating from racing a J24 on the River Derwent, then crewing on various offshore racing boats, Sally bought the French-built Archambault 35 brand new. 'I did a lot of research on a yacht competitive for racing and comfortable for cruising in Tasmanian waters and it came down to the Archambault 35,' she said. 'My first ocean voyage was bringing the boat from Melbourne, where it was commissioned, to Hobart.'

Since then Archie has proved that Sally made the right choice, notching up a second across the line in the 2006 West Coaster Race, followed by IRC wins in the Bruny Island and Maria Island Races and then, in 2007, an
overall victory in the Melbourne to Hobart Bass Strait and East Coaster Race that celebrated the Centenary of the Rudder Cup, Australia's oldest long ocean racing trophy.

Sally lays no claims to being the 'skipper' of Archie on long ocean races.'I do the entire pre-race plan.and at sea keep the crew from killing each other..but I will be doing some of the helming in the Rolex Sydney Hobart,' she said.

'We have a fantastic crew for the Sydney Hobart.

Mick Souter will be skipper, his brother Phil the navigator and Scott Brain is the sailing master,' she added. 'I'm excited but nervous about my first Sydney Hobart, but really looking forward to racing against two other Archambaults in the fleet, Papillon from the CYCA and 41 Sud from New Caledonia, both 40-footers.'

In addition to Loyal and Archie, the Tasmanian entrants in the Rolex 65th Sydney Hobart Yacht Race are:

Auch, David Bean's Beneteau 44.7, RYCT
Dekadence, David Creece's DK46, BYC
Helsal III, Tony Fisher and Bob Fisher's Adams/Barrett 20, RYCT
Matangi, David Stephenson's Frers 39, TYC
She's the Culprit, Todd Leary's Jones 39, BYC
Valheru, Tony Lyall's Elliott 43, RYCT
sMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZSydney International On-Water Boat Show 2025Selden 2020 - FOOTER

Related Articles

2025 World Sailing Awards finalists revealed
Voting opens today, including Rolex World Sailor of the Year World Sailing is very proud to announce the finalists for this year's male and female Rolex World Sailor of the Year, male and female Kuehne+Nagel Young World Sailor of the Year, 11th Hour Racing Impact Award, and Team of the Year.
Posted today at 10:27 am
2025 Aloha Classic Grand Final day 3
The biggest masters field in windsurfing history and junior champions crowned Day 3 of the Aloha Classic Grand Final delivered a spectacular showcase of windsurfing talent across generations, from the rising stars of the Junior and Pro Junior divisions to the legendary Masters.
Posted today at 9:39 am
Drummoyne Cup 2025 overall
The event saw more than 70 boats registered The second annual Drummoyne Cup, held on Sunday, 21 September, kicked off the 2025-26 sailing season in spectacular fashion, celebrating community spirit and competitive sailing at Drummoyne Sailing Club.
Posted today at 8:49 am
The Crazy Week of the Globe40
After two weeks at sea since the start from Cape Verde This has been a week we won't soon forget in the story of this second edition of the GLOBE40. After two weeks at sea since the start from Cape Verde in this high-coefficient (3) leg 2, the competitors continued their descent of the South Atlantic.
Posted today at 7:13 am
Sail Port Stephens adds cats, keelboats, and more
2026 will be the biggest and best in the regatta's 18-year history Sail Port Stephens 2026 will be the biggest and best in the regatta's 18-year history, with new events being added to further spice up the racing format.
Posted today at 5:39 am
America's Cup: Big day for 38th Cup
ETNZ announce new team members; Dalton and Ainslie expand on the ACP; Kiwis have their first sail. Friday October 17, was a big day for the America's Cup - when the Defender went sailing for the first time in the new Cup cycle; the Kiwis announced four new team members; Grant Dalton and Ben Ainslie explained more on the new America's Cup Partnership.
Posted today at 3:55 am
Hamilton Island backs next wave of skiff talent
AST 16ft Skiff is set to line up in the iconic Port Jackson Championship The Australian Sailing Team (AST) 16ft Skiff is set to line up in the iconic Port Jackson Championship this weekend, hosted by the Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club (Manly 16s).
Posted today at 3:07 am
Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race Day 7
Two more finish as Lucky declared overall winner Frantic and Antipodes have finished the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A), as RPAYC declared Bryon Ehrhart's Lucky the overall winner of the 1250 nautical mile race, adding to her line honours and race record victories - a triple crown for the US entry.
Posted today at 1:22 am
Emirates Team NZ rounds out sailing team
Emirates Team NZ team are back out sailing with their AC40 from their home base in Auckland. Almost a year to the day since Emirates Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup the team are back out sailing with their AC40 from their home base in Auckland.
Posted today at 1:02 am
Transat Café L'or fleet has mustered in Le Havre
148 skippers, 74 boats, 4 classes At nine days before the start of the 17th edition of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie, all the skippers have now arrived in Le Havre, marking the start of the festivities.
Posted on 16 Oct