Sydney Hobart – Secret Men’s Business 3.5 Overall winner -Its Official

by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World Team on 30 Dec 2010 Rolex Sydney Hobart 2010 Overall Handicap winner - we ran this story seven hours ago but now its official - crew pictures of Geoff and his winning team will be posted in a few minutes.

South Australian Geoff Boettcher has sailed his Reichel Pugh Secret Mens Business 3.5 to victory, winning the Tattersall’s Cup in his 22nd attempt.

Overnight the three boats most likely to finish with a better corrected time faded away. Darryl Hodgkinson's Beneteau 45 Victoire finished more than two hours off the pace and Anthony Paterson and the Tow Truck boys aboard L’Altra Donna have stalled along with Peter Mosley’s Sydney 36 Local Hero.

This is the second South Australian Sydney Hobart IRC handicap win in a row. Last year the winner was Andrew Saies Two True.

Boettcher, an Adelaide supermarket owner has been racing on the east coast circuit for more than two decades. His first Secret Mens Business, a Murray 43 built in 1996 is still circulating, sailing in this Hobart race.

His Secret Mens Business II was badly structurally damaged in a heavy prestart Race 1 at Hamilton Island Race Week in 2008 and then on the trip back the truck was involved in an accident and the mast and rigging was written off. It sailed the 2010 race as Shamrock.

Secret Mens Business 3, his new Reichel-Pugh 52 which appeared a year later was slow against its handicap rating that Beottcher and the designers went back to drawing board and came back with a re-work, a completely new hull, hence the 3.5, and this boat has been quick all year as his strong win in the hard fought Audi Victoria Week 2010 showed.

Sail-World.com talked to Geoff soon after he finished yesterday and again this morning.

‘We’ve had 22 Hobart starts, always say starts. My crew used to call me the Mayor of Eden; we’d retired there so many times over the years. The guys used to joke about making a motel booking there in advance.

‘But we’ve been going much better in recent years and on Boxing Day this year my navigator Steve Kemp said 'We don’t have an Eden Travelodge booking this year- we are just going to have to keep going.'

‘Seriously, we have a really strong team with us and we sailed confidently all the way in a very tough race. The guys were fantastic. It was such a great crew.

‘The first night was very hard work. The winds clocked 50 knots with choppy seas, not like some of the classic races. We just found it horrendous, as the number of boats who pulled out later proved.

‘We had our share of problems on the second night too. On that second night Caillin Howard, our mast man, was one of three guys dropping our headsail. He was just lifted straight off the bow in green water into the drink, still tethered and we got him back in, but it was hard work in those seas getting him in, it took five crew to get him on deck.

‘He was pretty hurt and he was full of salt water. We initially thought he had crushed a couple of ribs. Even though we smile about it now it was quite a dangerous thing at the time.

‘We drove the boat hard. We kept to our original pre-start plan, we worked hard predicting the weather and the guys worked hard driving to what we predicted.

‘We just matched the game plan with a little bit of error correction because the wind didn´t come through quite on time as predicted but our preparation was the key.

‘We made some big gains on the second night and that set the race up for us.

‘We just picked a path, it was all heavy duty gain, we came in when some of the other boats stayed wider and we just got a little bit of current.

‘From Tasman Island we had every bit of wind condition you could dream of.

‘There were four or five boats that, we thought, could knock us off quite easily.

‘We figured with our luck they will just scream up with a great breeze behind them and come straight in, which is what normally happens to us unlucky blokes.

‘Yesterday I said to the guys as we were coming to the finish line 'we don’t know if we have won anything but we’ve sailed the best we could.'

‘To wake up and look at the standings this morning and see how the weather treated the other boats is amazing. It feels great, after all these tries. My first trip south in my own boat was in 1993. So its been a long time coming. It’s going to be quite a day.’

'This year, I asked Michael Dunstan, with Julian Freeman and Kempie to put a crew together who could win Hobart. I am just grateful they included my name.'

The winning crew was Geoff Boettcher (21) A Common (2), Caillin Howard (4), J Clark (2), Julian Freeman (12), Michael Dunstan (7), T Cowen (7), Steve Kemp (11), J Paterson (2), Nick Cleary (5), Simon Cunnington (4), Andrew Hutchinson (4), Euan McNicol (5) Declan Brennan (9).

David Oliver who has been an integral part of the crew for the last five years, was injured in a twilight sail midlast week and was unable to sail south. However he was on the Derwent to see the boat come in yesterday.


Standings At racetime 03:23:50 - 30 December 2010, 12:50pm


EST. ELAPSED EST. CORR. YACHT NAME DIV LAT LONG DTG SOG COG TIME & SPEED H'CAP TIME & SPEED

IRC Overall

1 Secret Men's Business 3.5 1 Finished 03:00:42:10 8.6 1.341 04:01:29:40 6.4
Geoff Boettcher (21) SA 29 Dec, 1:42pm

2 Jazz 0 Finished 03:00:20:19 8.7 1.356 04:02:05:28 6.4
Chris Bull (3) NSW 29 Dec, 1:20pm

3 Shogun 1 Finished 03:00:18:54 8.7 1.357 04:02:07:53 6.4
Rob Hanna (4) VIC 29 Dec, 1:18pm


4 Pretty Fly III 0 Finished 03:00:33:18 8.7 1.362 04:02:49:12 6.4
Colin Woods (4) NSW 29 Dec, 1:33pm

5 Victoire 2 Finished 03:15:41:40 7.2 1.13 04:03:05:41 6.3
Darryl Hodgkinson NSW 30 Dec, 4:41am

6 Rodd & Gunn Wedgetail 1 Finished 02:23:44:50 8.8 1.402 04:04:35:23 6.2
Bill Wild (6) QLD 29 Dec, 12:44pm


7 Living Doll 1 Finished 03:00:18:35 8.7 1.395 04:04:52:19 6.2
Michael Hiatt (5) VIC 29 Dec, 1:18pm

8 Ran 1 Finished 02:17:22:55 9.6 1.563 04:06:11:31 6.1
Niklas Zennstrom (1) England 29 Dec, 6:22am

9 Vamp 2 Finished 03:08:36:59 7.8 1.269 04:06:18:08 6.1
Mikhail Muratov/Roger Hickman (33) Russia 29 Dec, 9:36pm


10 Chutzpah 2 Finished 03:13:03:30 7.4 1.209 04:06:50:08 6.1
Bruce Taylor (29) VIC 30 Dec, 2:03am

11 AFR Midnight Rambler 2 Finished 03:17:04:53 7.1 1.157 04:07:04:02 6.1
Ed Psaltis (29) NSW 30 Dec, 6:04am

12 Terra Firma 1 Finished 03:07:27:42 7.9 1.307 04:07:51:23 6.0
Nicholas Bartels (7) VIC 29 Dec, 8:27pm


13 Lahana 0 Finished 02:14:09:44 10.1 1.674 04:08:03:34 6.0
Peter Millard (1) NSW 29 Dec, 3:09am

14 Limit 1 Finished 02:21:30:31 9.0 1.499 04:08:11:36 6.0
Alan Brierty (7) WA 29 Dec, 10:30am

15 Loki 1 Finished 02:21:33:16 9.0 1.5 04:08:19:54 6.0
Stephen Ainsworth (13) NSW 29 Dec, 10:33am


16 Ichi Ban 0 Finished 02:16:52:55 9.7 1.611 04:08:31:29 6.0
Matt Allen (21) NSW 29 Dec, 5:52am

17 Extasea 2 Finished 03:15:44:39 7.2 1.202 04:09:28:07 6.0
Paul Buchholz VIC 30 Dec, 4:44am

18 Local Hero 4 43° 12' S 147° 42' E 26.2 04:03:57:59 6.3 1.056 04:09:33:52 6.0
Peter Mosely NSW 5nm NW of Cape Raoul 30 Dec, 4:57pm


19 Paca 3 43° 01' S 147° 23' E 8.2 7.0 340 04:01:17:41 6.5 1.085 04:09:33:53 6.0
Philippe Mengual (1) NSW 3nm NW of Iron Pot 30 Dec, 2:17pm

20 Titania of Cowes 2 Finished 03:12:11:29 7.5 1.264 04:10:25:04 5.9
Richard Dobbs United Kingdom 30 Dec, 1:11am

21 Wild Oats XI 0 Finished 02:07:37:20 11.3 1.925 04:11:04:22 5.9
Bob Oatley NSW 28 Dec, 8:37pm


22 Ragamuffin 1 Finished 03:07:43:15 7.9 1.344 04:11:08:41 5.9
Syd Fischer (41) NSW 29 Dec, 8:43pm

23 Patriot 3 42° 53' S 147° 21' E 0.2 3.8 312 03:23:52:11 6.6 1.118 04:11:10:56 5.9
Tony Love (5) QLD 0nm SE of Rolex Sydney Hobart Finish 30 Dec, 12:52pm

24 Ray White Spirit of Koomooloo 4 43° 11' S 148° 06' E 45.5 3.8 152 04:08:41:06 6.0 1.027 04:11:30:41 5.8
Mike Freebairn (7) QLD 5nm NE of Tasman Island 30 Dec, 9:41pm


25 L'Altra Donna 4 43° 13' S 147° 44' E 27.9 2.7 296 04:05:26:22 6.2 1.063 04:11:49:48 5.8
Andy Kearnan NSW 3nm NW of Cape Raoul 30 Dec, 6:26pm

26 Patrice Six 2 42° 55' S 147° 22' E 1.9 1.6 320 04:00:10:39 6.5 1.125 04:12:11:59 5.8
Tony Kirby (25) NSW 0nm NW of John Garrow Shoal 30 Dec, 1:10pm

27 L'Ange De Milon 3 43° 10' S 147° 34' E 20.4 1.6 256 04:03:38:57 6.3 1.086 04:12:13:08 5.8
Jacques Pelletier France 9nm SE of Iron Pot 30 Dec, 4:38pm


28 Copernicus 3 43° 13' S 147° 45' E 28.2 4.3 284 04:05:55:20 6.2 1.073 04:13:21:45 5.7
Greg Zyner (3) NSW 3nm NW of Cape Raoul 30 Dec, 6:55pm

29 Ocean Affinity 2 Finished 03:15:42:52 7.2 1.253 04:13:54:22 5.7
Stewart Lewis (3) QLD 30 Dec, 4:42am

30 Zen 3 43° 10' S 147° 34' E 20.4 3.2 276 04:03:42:45 6.3 1.106 04:14:16:55 5.7
Gordon Ketelbey (7) NSW 9nm SE of Iron Pot 30 Dec, 4:42pm


31 Eleni 3 43° 10' S 147° 32' E 19.2 1.1 348 04:03:55:36 6.3 1.105 04:14:25:08 5.7
Tony Levett (6) NSW 8nm SE of Iron Pot 30 Dec, 4:55pm

32 Another Challenge 3 43° 10' S 147° 32' E 19.2 1.1 328 04:03:40:53 6.3 1.114 04:15:02:42 5.7
Chris Lewin(3) VIC 8nm SE of Iron Pot 30 Dec, 4:40pm

33 Shepherd Centre 4 43° 07' S 148° 05' E 49.4 2.7 284 04:09:01:55 6.0 1.066 04:15:57:51 5.6
Hugh Torode (1) NSW 9nm NE of Tasman Island 30 Dec, 10:01pm


34 Cadibarra 8 2 Finished 03:20:46:20 6.8 1.214 04:16:37:32 5.6
Paul Roberts (7) VIC 30 Dec, 9:46am

35 St Jude 2 Finished 03:23:31:37 6.6 1.179 04:16:37:35 5.6
Noel Cornish (3) NSW 30 Dec, 12:31pm

36 Investec LOYAL 0 Finished 02:11:11:34 10.6 1.909 04:16:59:56 5.6
Sean Langman (19) NSW 29 Dec, 12:11am


37 Chancellor 3 43° 04' S 148° 09' E 52.4 4.3 124 04:10:18:13 5.9 1.078 04:18:35:43 5.5
Ted Tooher (5) NSW 12nm NE of Tasman Island 30 Dec, 11:18pm

38 Tevake II 2 43° 00' S 147° 24' E 7.4 0.5 276 04:01:12:32 6.5 1.186 04:19:17:23 5.4
Angus Fletcher (1) VIC 4nm N of Iron Pot 30 Dec, 2:12pm

39 Geomatic Joker 3 43° 09' S 148° 15' E 52.1 4.3 160 04:11:35:12 5.8 1.093 04:21:35:32 5.3
Grant Chipperfield (1) VIC 12nm NE of Tasman Island 31 Dec, 12:35am


40 Secret Men's Business #1 2 43° 15' S 147° 52' E 34.4 7.6 260 04:06:18:02 6.1 1.158 04:22:27:51 5.3
Ross Trembath (13), Rob Curtis (4) NSW 3nm E of Cape Raoul 30 Dec, 7:18pm

41 She's The Culprit 2 43° 15' S 147° 57' E 38.0 04:09:07:55 6.0 1.138 04:23:38:25 5.3
Todd Leary (2) TAS 2nm W of Tasman Island 30 Dec, 10:07pm

42 Allegro 4 42° 40' S 149° 00' E 96.2 5.4 184 04:21:30:58 5.3 1.019 04:23:44:56 5.2
John Taylor (15) NSW 35nm SE of Cape Sonnerat 31 Dec, 10:30am


43 Wild Thing 0 Finished 02:17:15:29 9.6 1.848 05:00:35:49 5.2
Grant Wharington (23) VIC 29 Dec, 6:15am

44 Illusion 4 41° 40' S 148° 49' E 141.8 4.3 208 05:01:40:17 5.2 0.996 05:01:11:05 5.2
Jonathan Stone NSW 30nm SE of St Helens Point 31 Dec, 2:40pm
Time to Win 04:01:53:08 30 Dec, 2:53pm

45 Aurora 4 42° 24' S 148° 24' E 93.8 6.5 188 04:20:19:43 5.4 1.048 05:01:54:45 5.2
Jim Holley (22) NSW 4nm SE of Cape Sonnerat 31 Dec, 9:19am


46 Crossbow 4 41° 59' S 148° 57' E 127.2 04:23:48:42 5.2 1.025 05:02:48:25 5.1
David Stenhouse (1) & David Cutcliffe (5) NSW 35nm NE of Cape Sonnerat 31 Dec, 12:48pm

47 Blunderbuss 4 42° 23' S 148° 26' E 95.8 4.3 200 04:20:13:08 5.4 1.067 05:04:00:20 5.1
Tony Kinsman QLD 5nm SE of Cape Sonnerat 31 Dec, 9:13am

48 Wahoo 4 41° 57' S 148° 38' E 123.1 6.5 172 05:00:12:40 5.2 1.034 05:04:17:54 5.1
Graham Mulligan NSW 27nm NE of Cape Sonnerat 31 Dec, 1:12pm


49 Dawn Star 4 42° 01' S 148° 34' E 118.2 6.5 200 05:04:53:04 5.0 1.023 05:07:45:24 4.9
William Hubbard III USA 22nm NE of Cape Sonnerat 31 Dec, 5:53pm

50 Wave Sweeper 4 41° 19' S 149° 24' E 171.7 6.5 220 05:02:37:56 5.1 1.06 05:09:59:25 4.8
Morgan Rogers (2) NSW 47nm E of St Helens Point 31 Dec, 3:37pm

51 Mille Sabords 3 41° 59' S 148° 32' E 119.5 8.1 192 04:22:15:39 5.3 1.109 05:11:09:05 4.8
Stephane Howarth VIC 23nm N of Cape Sonnerat 31 Dec, 11:15am


52 Charlie's Dream 4 41° 24' S 148° 33' E 153.8 2.7 200 05:12:44:01 4.7 1.015 05:14:43:29 4.7
Peter Lewis (2) QLD 11nm SE of St Helens Point 1 Jan, 1:44am

53 Young Ones 3 41° 25' S 149° 22' E 165.6 6.5 236 05:08:20:13 4.9 1.072 05:17:34:38 4.6
Ian Miller (2) VIC 46nm E of St Helens Point 31 Dec, 9:20pm

Alchemy III* 3 Retired - at Port
Jarrod Ritchie TAS


Bacardi* 4 Retired - at Port
Martin Power (8) VIC

Calm* 1 Retired - at Port
Jason Van der Slot (5) VIC

Exile* 2 Retired - at Port
Rob Reynolds (1) NSW


Jazz Player* 2 Retired - at Port
Andrew Lawrence (1) VIC

Nautical Circle* 3 Retired - at Port
Matthew Prentice (1) NSW

Pirelli Celestial* 2 Retired - at Port
Sam Haynes NSW


Salona II* 2 Retired - at Port
Phillip King (13) NSW

Scarlet Runner* 1 Retired - at Port
Robert Date (2) VIC

Shamrock* 2 Retired - at Port
Tony Donnellan (1) VIC


Shining Sea* 3 Retired - at Sea
Andrew Corletto (1) SA

Swish* 3 Retired - at Port
Steven Proud (3) NSW

Two True* 3 Retired - at Port
Andrew Saies (5) SA


Wot Eva* 1 Retired - at Port
David Pescud (19) NSW

Yuuzoo* 0 Retired - at Port
Ludde Ingvall (7) NSW