RSHYR: Tassie yachts heading for home

Helsal III, skippered by Rob Fisher, passing through Sydney Heads. Image copyright ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo.

by Greg Peart

One of the biggest contingents of Tasmanian yachts left Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day racing to their home port of Hobart and for the eight yachts, getting to Sydney for the start of the 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race was itself quite a feat.
However, it was a real ‘kick in the guts’ for Todd Leary’s Ingles 39 She’s The Culprit which failed to make it out of Sydney Heads after a collision at the first mark forced her early retirement. Skipper Leary remains bitterly disappointed and will eventually head for home after minor damage is repaired and the yacht is deemed seaworthy to make the journey back to Hobart.

Skipper of the modified Elliott 13 Valheru, Tony Lyall, and his crew know only too well what it feels like to prepare, start, but not make it out of Sydney Harbour. In the 2002 race, Valheru was severely damaged in a pre-race collision which knocked her out of the event. And for several years, the yacht sat in Tony’s backyard until it was rebuilt and prepared for ocean racing last year.

Valheru is currently in 62nd place and involved in a duel with David Bean’s Beneteau 4.7 Auch which is lying in 61st place. However, ahead of both yachts is Matangi from the Port Dalrymple Yacht Club and skippered by David Stephenson, holding 58th place.

As Alfa Romeo, ICAP Leopard and Wild Oats XI engage in an enthralling battle for line honours in the 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart, the leading Tasmanian yacht in 19th place in the fleet is Helsal III, skippered by Rob Fisher.

Close behind her is Dekadence, the newly acquired D46 owned and skippered by David Creese from the Bellerive Yacht Club. This is a great performance which could catapult her into handicap calculations in her IRC division.

It is arguable that the first Tasmanian yacht to finish will be Investec LOYAL, crewed by professional sailors and a handful of celebrities, and skippered by the owner of the Kermandie Hotel at Port Huon, Sean Langman. The 100 foot supermaxi is currently in fourth place on line honours, south of St Helens on the Tasmanian east coast, having made up considerable ground on the leading yachts overnight.

Investec LOYAL is registered to the Port Huon Yacht Club but is crewed by New South Welshman.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race