Not done yet!
by John Curnow, Sail-World.com AUS Editor 3 Nov 15:00 PST
26 December, 2026
Juan Kouyoumdjian's hull form was always designed for reaching - InfoTrack -SOLAS Big Boat Challenge © Crosbie Lorimer
By any means, as it turns out. So what keeps a person coming back to a race that will, given half a chance, belt the bejesus out of you for the better part of two days when you are part of the pointy end of the fleet?
Ask Christian Beck, who owns the 100-foot SuperMaxi for exactly that purpose, and the answer is neither silverware nor speed, and it most certainly is not the weather. It is the people. Hold that thought, because it runs through everything about the 2026 InfoTrack Sailing for a Purpose campaign, from the sail locker right through to the charity auction block.
Back to Black
Apart from returning to her predominantly black livery that was under the blue and white LawConnect wrap, for the 2026 Hobart InfoTrack sports a new Doyle Sails wardrobe. Yet the big deal is arguably that the whole enterprise has been handed a purpose that reaches well beyond the River Derwent. 'Sailing For A Purpose' is the banner, the Starlight Children's Foundation is the partner in 2026, and then a land-based viewing party, a first-time ambassador sailing on board, and a camera package that goes places the old one never did, are all part of the fresh, new mix. Not a bad little build-up to Boxing Day, really.
Interestingly, LawConnect is a B2C brand, whereas InfoTrack is decidedly B2B, so promoting the former certainly makes a lot of sense for Beck who owns both businesses. Thing is, it is the staff of InfoTrack who have embraced SuperMaxi with real gusto, and could not wait to have it back. "They love being involved with the boat," added Beck matter of factly.
That involvement is not merely a figure of speech. Beck normally takes up to four company members on the Hobart, but this year the list tells its own story. Two are sailing mates who were there for him during a tough stretch last year when his son was in intensive care. "I had a couple of guys, actually sailors, that were really helping through that, visiting every day, so I've asked them along. The corporate seat goes to Brendan Smart from InfoTrack, who was due to sail during the previous sponsorship, but missed out when Covid intervened, so it's a nice story to get him back on this time."
For InfoTrack's Chief Marketing Officer, Sandra Falzon, the return also offered the chance to elevate the boat, the experience, and the meaning. The passion for these elements is so clearly obvious when talking with her. The Sailing For A Purpose campaign is clearly about community benefit, by virtue of the involvement with Starlight, but equally, it is almost as if she is on a mission to demystify sailing, and make it as accessible and popular as horse racing. Oorah!
The connection with Starlight Children's Foundation is both corporate and deeply personal. "The foundation, she says, touches so many people's lives every single day, and InfoTrack's COO sat on its board until recently. We've had lots of families who have been fortunate enough to have Starlight there for them when in need. I'm one of those people. So it was an obvious choice for us to work with them," stated Falzon.
"The new sails have the Starlight logo and the Sailing For A Purpose message on them. Our target is to generate $50,000 in this first season together. We think that's very achievable, and we already have strong early interest in donations before the campaign has even been launched." Anyone wanting to be involved, whether by donating or buying a ticket for the on shore start party, can head to straight here.
Taking the party ashore and to the people
Amongst the activations being announced as the campaign launches are sailing experiences up for auction, including a corporate day for up to 13 people on board SuperMaxi on Sydney Harbour, and a berth aboard Dancing Queen, one of Christian's cruising yachts. That boat will follow SuperMaxi out of Sydney Harbour for the start of the race, with food, drinks, and a close-up and personal view of the Boxing Day action.
The headline act is something different again. For the first time there will be a viewing party on land, at the Deckhouse at Woolwich Dock, with room for around 400 people and all of the profits going to Starlight. "It's the first of its kind on land. Our aim is to repeat the idea in multiple locations in the years to come. Think of what the Spring Carnival does for horse racing, where a young crowd now makes a social occasion of it every Spring. If sailing could capture even a fraction of that, the benefits for the sport would be considerable," said Falzon.
"Live streaming from the boat has been intermittent in the past, but this year we've really amped up the technology. There are extra cameras, night vision, footage from near the nav station, so viewers can see what is happening down below, and a camera up the mast. There will also be a live cross from the viewing party to the Harbour, and then out into the Tasman."
Starlight ambassador, and media personality, Matty J (Johnson), who is the Australian Father of the Year 2026 has never sailed before. He has SSSC lined up, and Flazon says, "He wants to be an active contributor on the boat, and not sort of a celebrity bystander." I will be catching up with him after Cabbage Tree Island, once he has had his first taste of the real thing, and we will see how many times he asked for Scotty to beam him up.
The move is deliberate. Looking in from the outside, Falzon noticed that the celebrities chosen for these boats tend to come from the same mould. She hopes a different kind of ambassador will bring a younger crowd into sailing and widen the interest. It is a worthwhile and necessary aim.
New rags, and a crew that does not need fixing
Now, if you were watching the 2025 Hobart, and saw our live cross to Chris Nicholson, you would have seen him point out the hole in the mainsail. Nicholson likened it to a cannonball going straight through it, and whilst it was hardly welcome at the time, it has delivered a silver lining. The mainsail is the hardest sail to rebrand, and with a new one already on the way, and plenty of others due for replacement as well, the team has barely had to scrape any logos off.
Doyle Sails' hybrid construction has been used for the new J1, J2 and J3, a Genoa staysail, and the Mainsail, then there is an A2, and a Masthead Code Zero. They are either here now, or just about on the dock. They will get fitted this week, well ahead of the Cabbage Tree Island race on December 4. Many of the new inventory replace sails that are three years old, so had their time per se, and considered use of the new ones will keep them tip top for when the real anger is required, like just two years ago when they took out Line Honours!
On a supermaxi, reliability is key, and Nicholson is quite to say, "Last year was a bruising one, with lots of small things breaking. It's not the boat's fault, it was ours for how we had prepared. There has been a full squad working on the boat to go over the systems and parts, so as to be all set when the gun goes.
A previous winner, and one-time record holder, the boat is good now, and getting better, by virtue of being more dependable. One part of this mix that is most certainly dependable is the crew, who are very good humans, and as we pointed out, the real reason Beck keeps coming back.
So, Tony Mutter is back as Sailing Master, Nicholson is on board as Watch Leader and Tactician, Ty Oxley is the Boat Captain, and Christopher 'Lew' Lewis is the Navigator. Nicholson refers to his colleagues as, "...an awesome group of sailors." There is also a lot of experience to tap into.
Beck states clearly, "If it wasn't for Tony and Nicko and the team, I probably wouldn't be doing it for so long. They're such good people, and they make it super easy for me. All I really do is support them."
Wide, heavy, and still under development
The boat itself remains the same big, wide beast it has always been, and that is both the challenge and the charm. Beck is convinced the beam matters. "A broad Supermaxi is a very different proposition to sail than a narrow one, and the loads are far greater. I'm not quoting numbers, but the righting moment is roughly double that of slender designs. Every winch load follows suit, which is why these boats take a lot of getting used to, and why that angle of heel can be rather scary when you first start sailing one."
Candidly, Beck gives us a glimpse of his shrewd and not sugar-coated observation. "Loyal (nee Comanche) has been on charter for a considerable time. Every time there's a change, it gives us a bit of an opportunity because there's disruption, which means it gives us a chance of making up for that difference in our boat compared to it."
Last year demonstrates why. "When there were ten hours or so of good reaching weather, Comanche goes about four to six knots faster than us. They were so far ahead that the Derwent's famous shutdown never came into play. It's not that easy to beat Comanche. You need quite a few things to happen in our favour," stated Beck.
Of course, two years ago they got them. They were close enough at the Iron Pot, the River Derwent did park up, and we had the dogfight to the end. In super-light air, Beck reckons his boat has the slight edge, since the very things that help Comanche reach so well, then work against her when the breeze fades. Namely, it all becomes wetted surface area.
Back to the Future
Where to from here, then? Foils are firmly on the radar, and a wide boat is rather well suited to carrying them, because they demand plenty of righting moment. "We are considering putting foils on our boat, though not in the way others have approached it. We're in the early stages, with some concepts that could work", so watch this space. The thinking is straightforward. Foils are no use in light airs or upwind, yet in the right conditions they could help, provided they do not cost too much weight when they are not being used.
As for hanging up his sailing boots, forget it. "I'm definitely not done. I've said many times I think I'll just keep doing it until the boat becomes obsolete." Funnily enough, the style of boat is proving more resilient than he expected. A design born as a Speedboat that is still fast enough, and might yet find another gear with a few modifications, is not a bad foundation for a long career.
That brings us back to the question of why. Christian does not pretend it is all fun. Last year featured around 32 hours of bashing into it, and he spent a fair slab of it being sick downstairs. "That was terrible, but I love the start. I love the finish. I love the people." It comes down to something very simple. "I think happiness has a lot to do with the people around you. It's like in a company. You know that there's a people problem if you don't want to go to work." Christian's wife has done the race twice, one of his kids is back for more, and the staff get their share too, with twilight sailing over summer.
He also admits to enjoying the fact that "...people treat me like I'm a proper sportsman, even though I'm not really." Anyone who has watched him stick at it whilst so many others have bailed would say he is being unkind to himself. Staying the distance is the mark of the man, even if he insists that Tony, Nicko and the crew deserve the credit.
The final reckoning
So there it is. An owner who stays because he likes the people, a crew that has not changed because it does not need to, a locker full of brand new sails with fresh stickers attached, a charity with $50,000 in its sights, and a party on the shore for 400 or so. Not a bad way to go about a Hobart campaign.
The racecourse will, as ever, have the final say, and Huey is entirely indifferent to branding, decals, or good intentions. But there is something pleasing about a campaign built from the people up. Ponder that Christian reckons he will carry on until the boat is obsolete. On present evidence, and with a purpose now riding on the bow, that could be quite some time.
Thank you for being a crucial part of Sail-World.com
John Curnow
Sail-World.com AUS Editor