They just have to be Taswegians!
by John Curnow, Sail-World.com AUS Editor 16 Nov 23:00 PST
Might be the first Y88 to have an Asymetric? © Rob Cumine
Yes, they are completely unique. Little wonder too, as their home is just so special. However, rather than talk about all 575,000 souls that call Tasmania home, we are going to focus in on just two. Yes. One plus one equals two, which is the number you need to go double-handed.
Now at this time of year, the spotlight gradually gets turned onto the Apple Isle. Much like how the sun has lifted from its Northern track of Winter to high in the sky, and added hours of much welcomed daylight to the 24-hour span, and a few delightful degrees C, as well. Adventurists and tourists plan escapes ranging from food and wine extravaganzas, to trekking into the wilderness of the Southwest during January and February.
Our two have taken it a bit further, shall we say... Use a 30-foot boat, a Young 88 to be precise, just the two POB as mentioned, and do a lap of Tassie, non-stop, and unassisted. Waiting for the kicker? Then how about this! Make your attempt during a suitable weather window between July and September of 2026. Yes. You got it. The dead of Winter. Simply have to be a pair of Taswegians, where the blood in the veins is thinned with a liberal amount of antifreeze.
Rob Cumine and Justin Hickey are the said Taswegians, and as Cumine said, "The best way to appreciate something is to try and let it kill you at least once. Justin is probably a bigger idiot than me. He has had the bejesus kicked out of him and he still comes back for more. That's probably why we like each other. When I learned what he had been up to and heard that Justin lived in Hobart, I just had to meet him. I said, 'I've got this idea about going around Tasmania double-handed.' And as soon as I mentioned it, he was in. We've been friends ever since."
All of that said, Cumine has a distinct history of taking it on, and completing it, whether that is representing Australia in cycling, or the fact that he is a late comer to sailing, having only got into it about five years ago after going for a twilight race in Hobart.
Another thing to note is that Hickey has a thing for Mini Transats, so you might think two peas in a pod, and when you consider Hickey is the best part of six and half feet in the old language, that's kind of what they'll be on board Cumine's Young 88, Excalibur. B&G Excalibur, as she'll be known, is triple King Billy Pine plank crafted in 1986, and like her sailors, built tough in Tasmania.
She's had a significant refurb under Cumine's stewardship. "Over the last two years, we've put new rigging in, new shaft, seals, engine, and prop. It has gone all the way back to the wood, faired it all, then painted it all again. You couldn't make a Young 88 out of King Billy anymore, because it's too expensive. This year we're putting new deck fittings on. You couldn't buy a boat for what we've done with to Excalibur."
In the four or so years Cumine has owned Excalibur, they have completed the Launceston to Hobart race (L2H) each Christmas, and will do so again in just over a month. We've done a lot of work, and they're great. "They can go upwind, they love a good reach, downwind, offshore, and inshore." Cumine is proud that they have cranked 21.8 knots out of the little planning hull, as he should be.
What are we talking?
Now there are reasons pace has been mentioned so early. It will be a record, so the World Sailing Speed Record Council is all over it. No matter the elapsed time, it will stand. Small boat, double-handed, non-stop, unassisted. Lisa Blair has indicated she may come along to beat it afterwards, but of course, that's solo, and in a fifty-footer.
Next. Routing. They can go either clockwise or anti-clockwise from Hobart, and return in hopefully something like five days, but maybe up to seven. It will be 800-1100nm depending on the final path that the WSSRC requires, for recently they have mandated that Three Hummock Island (No'west corner) and Flinders Island in the Furneaux Group (Nor'east corner) have to be included. (Not sure what that means about King Island, but there you go. They pretty much like being considered stand alone, so may not phase them at all... To say nothing of the Kent and Hogan Groups, as all the islands of Bass Strait are administered by Tasmania) One upshot of this path is that Cumine and Hickey will not have to take on Banks Strait, which is a real plus. The standing waves there can be 'noticeable', shall we say.
As for me, well, clockwise seems the most logical, as you will go up the West Coast, not down, and with the wind behind you it will be happy, if decidedly cold days. However, the thing is, to get there first you will have passed South East Cape, and then South West Cape before the big righthander with potentially 40-50 knots on the way, plus gusts.
That particular part of the journey, taken very early on in the scheme of things, will be brutal. Baptism of fire all right, for after surviving that, you'll have a lot of work in hard charging conditions to contend with. Storm Bay may give them a wee taste of it just after exiting the River Derwent, so they could be well seasoned by the time the greenies take hold.
I said to Cumine that they will become Australia's first Los Angeles Class Attack Submarine, for the rollers between the two Capes are famous (easily 4-5m high), when you're going the other way, as per the Westcoaster. Only thing is, they can do 40 knots submerged, and not feel a thing of what's happening up on deck. Excalibur may do sixes in this stretch, and who knows what the VMG will be.
Hickey's experience with the Minis will assist with that knowledge that you might be going really slow, like Captain Cook level at four knots or whatever, but eventually you will get there. Cumine's take on it all, "As for Maatsuyker Island... We are Tasmanian, but not entirely stupid."
All jokes aside for a second, there is a strong back catalogue to investigate here. Despite only being at it for just the five years, Cumine has already crossed Bass Strait more than 10 times, completed three L2H, and one S2H, as well as going double-handed from Hobart to Southport. Hickey has 14 S2H and five M2H Westcoasters racked up thus far, three Transats, holds an Offshore Yacht Master, and would have had to have crossed Bass Strait proper at least 60 times.
One thing to bank on is that the weather systems in those latitudes are usually running on a three-day timetable.
Not all beer and skittles
As you can tell, there were plenty of laughs as we rambled on, but also, it is way serious, hence the WSSRC's involvement already. They will be professionally routed before departure, and both sailors are exceptionally keen to get back to family and friends. The West Coast may be known as nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, but as far as they are concerned, it is all about the run, and as fast as they can make it, within the realms of seamanship and safety. As Cumine says of the reason for doing it in the first place, "It's because it's there!" True enough. Not like you're going to meet anyone else at the Customs House who got in ahead of you...
B&G Excalibur will be doing L2H crewed (six-up), then there's the King of the Derwent on January 2, the 100th Bruny Island Race pops up, as to the Crown Series Bellerive Yacht Club Regatta, the Barnes Bay Regatta, and the Derwent Sailing Squadron's Autumn Double-Handed Series, just before they go. (DSS is B&G Excalibur's home club BTW.)
One of the boat's crew is an ER and Army Combat Nurse who is going to take them on a journey that includes, "How to staple someone back together. How to practically administer adrenaline and morphine (carefully), diagnose a heart condition, splint a busted bone, relocate a dislocated joint, to calming a panicky patient, and yourself. It is about giving us practical and pragmatic advice. Show us photos of real injuries, so that we have confidence in dealing with emergencies far from professional help. Regulations require us all to have a comprehensive kit, but few really know what is in it and what for. It's no use having a First Aid certificate if you faint at sight of blood, or can't deal with real injuries."
"We'd really like to thank our naming sponsor, B&G, for equipping us with cutting-edge Triton Displays, Processor, and wind instruments. Itech World rewired the boat with DCDC/ACDC chargers, inverter, and 360Ah lithium power. Robship delivered new cockpit bags and lee cloths. ORCA provided an ORCA display and Core 2 for navigation, complemented by Oricom's all-new radios and Velocitek Pro Start. Nebos headlamps and torches, Wichard Pacific gear, Crewsaver lifeline life slings and offshore lifejackets, plus ODEO EVDS, round out our setup. Also, a huge thank you to SailExchange and Aquacare Marine for doing the installation and boat work."
Mission oriented
"If there's a challenge and if it's of interest to me, then I'll just straight away take it on. I don't listen to negative comments. I become solely focused, which is good and bad. You can ask my wife! So, I become very narrow focused, and nothing gets in my way. Good thing she loves me nonetheless. Climbing Mount Everest has probably been on my bucket list for 10 years now. My wife made me promise that I won't go and do that, so this is the 'compromise' adventure."
Obviously, there are PLBs with AIS, immersion suits, flares and whole shebang, and a life raft, which is not going to fare so well on the spiky rocks around ye Apple Isle, but the deal is not to need them. Back in time to say, 'Job well done!' That's the ticket. Keeping the comms up is crucial, as much as food and sleep, and getting the 'never been done before' time to put down on the bar. It is likely that only a couple of penguins named Sleet and Snow would be game enough to take it on, and should anyone else consider it, remember now, we're talking just 30 feet LOA, and double-handed.
Of course, you can do everything right, and then be becalmed in Storm Bay or even the River Derwent. Nav will be critical, and neither will want to 'stop' on the Iron Pot on the way home, when at best you'll be toast. The mental game for this circumnavigation will be immense, and being cold and wet will only compound it all. That requires drive.
I know a bit about both sailors. They have the right stuff. They need fair winds, a click of the heels and salute from us, and rum on arrival back home. Sleet and Snow may well look at Rob and Justin, then themselves before putting the money down.
They have alarms for over-strength, and angle of heel, amongst others. When we all pull the covers up next Winter and roll over, they'll have to jump on deck to attend to it. You'll be able to talk with some of the brilliant cray fishermen that work that part of the world, and swap stories. It will add to your mental reserves. They'll need it. Hard won't even get a look in.
Modelling indicates something like 30% of upwind time, with average VMG of six or so for the voyage. I reckon that sort of thing will be for afterwards. There'll be plenty to take on at the time.
Thanks for tuning into Sail-World.com
John Curnow
Sail-World.com AUS Editor