Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Rolex Sydney Hobart - Pale Ale Raging

by Sail-World.com/AUS on 29 Dec 2008
PALE ALE RAGER, Sail No: YC 560, Owner: Gary Shanks, State: SA, Division: IRC, Design: Elliott 56, LOA: 17.10 m. Rolex/Daniel Forster http://www.regattanews.com
By the time Sail-World caught up with the Pale Ale Rager Team dockside this morning, they were definitely raging. 25th boat across the line in the 64th Sydney to Hobart race, they’d arrived at 05:42 and since then the famous South Australian Coopers Pale Ale had proven as popular as ever.

However Rager’s owner and skipper Dr Gary ‘Gaz’ Shanks had been pacing himself. He talked about the 2008 race.

‘It was mostly downhill and that suits a boat like our Elliott 56. The Tasmanian Coast was good, we were screaming along we were doing 15 to 16 knots and it was really only just before Tasman Light when the wind died out quite quickly within 15 to 20 minutes. That’s where our chances died at the same time.

‘We had a fast time; a really, really great run and the new guys on board had a fabulous time. We sailed the boat sensibly but sailed really fast. It was really good but the weather decided that it wasn’t for us.

‘Not a typical Sydney Hobart because it was a lot more down hill than your normal Sydney Hobart, but if you were putting it down in the history of Sydney Hobart’s weather, this is one for glamour – absolute glamour.

‘Storm Bay and the Derwent ... a big difference this year. In past years we’ve had zero knots, this year we had 50. We got smacked at the end of the race rather than at the start of the race. It was really quite spectacular.’

Earlier this year Rager finished in second place on line honours behind Grant Wharington’s 98ft Skandia Wild Thing in the storm ravaged Adelaide to Port Lincoln Bluewater Classic, in which half the fleet withdrew during the first five hours.

She took Line Honours in the 2002 and 2003 Adelaide to Port Lincoln Yacht Race. Her Hobart results include PHS fifth overall in 1998 and third overall in PHS in the 1999 Hobart.

A personal footnote about beer. The Sail-World.com team has been post race testing beers for decades at race venues around the world.

Our personal favourite is South Australia’s Coopers Red. It’s the closest thing you are ever going to get to having an angel crying on your tongue.

PredictWind - Routing 728x90 BOTTOMNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastV-DRY-X

Related Articles

Oliver Heer confirms 2028 Vendée Globe ambition
The Swiss skipper aims to return for the 2028 edition of the legendary solo race with a newer boat After completing the Vendée Globe 2024 on his first attempt, Oliver Heer, the Swiss-German skipper of Tut gut Sailing, has confirmed his intention to return for the 2028 edition of the legendary solo race.
Posted today at 8:18 am
SailingFast to provide unrivalled event support
During the WASZP Games at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy SailingFast UK is set to land in Weymouth on the 8th of July and will be on-site until the 26th of July to provide the GOLD STANDARD in event support.
Posted today at 7:00 am
2025 29er Europeans at Lake Garda Opening Ceremony
More than 500 sailors paraded through the Riva del Garda's beautiful streets The 2025 29er European Championship officially opened today in stunning Riva del Garda, hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva. More than 500 sailors paraded through the city's beautiful streets in a colorful, high-energy opening ceremony.
Posted on 2 Jul
The power of tech
What is the cost of safety? How do you measure it? More importantly, how do you appreciate it? What is the cost of safety? How do you measure it? More importantly, how do you appreciate it?
Posted on 2 Jul
Jazz Turner Faces Everything and Rises
Non-stop, solo, unassisted British Isles navigation has captivated sailors & non-sailors alike Jazz Turner's Project FEAR, her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles in her Albin Vega 27ft yacht has captivated sailors and non-sailors alike.
Posted on 2 Jul
GKSS Match Cup Sweden & Nordea Women's Trophy D3
Surprise exits in Marstrand as Quarter-Finalists decided The qualifying round-robin stages at GKSS Match Cup Sweden in Marstrand finished today with the surprise departure of defending champion USA's Chris Poole/ Riptide Racing and Switzerland's Eric Monnin/ Capvis Swiss Match Racing Team from the Open Class.
Posted on 2 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais Day 1
Sled sparkle in Cascais' Atlantic surf to lead After seemingly being starved of boisterous top end conditions for some years now Okura's Sled crew have been relishing a return to big breezes and big waves.
Posted on 2 Jul
Freestyle Pro Tour Paros overall
The Meltemi winds once again set the stage for the final day As the riders gathered at the event site of the 2025 FPT Paros for one last time and the Meltemi winds once again began blowing strong, the stage for the final day of the event was set.
Posted on 2 Jul
CSA commits to collaboration and sustainability
This year's AGM saw participation from a diverse group of stakeholders The Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) proudly announces the successful conclusion of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Regatta Organizers Conference, held from June 25 to June 28, 2025, in St. Maarten.
Posted on 2 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race: Offshore classics set to race
IRC Zero has a rich seam of ocean-going history running through it IRC Zero has a rich seam of ocean-going history running through it. While French round the world race legend Jean-Luc Van Den Heede (aka VDH) isn't competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race, two of his former steeds will be on the IRC Zero start line.
Posted on 2 Jul