Sydney to Hobart weather latest has 50 knot gusts first night, warnings of boat damage

Sailors are bracing for up to 50 knot gusts the first night at sea in the Sydney to Hobart with warnings of boat and sail damage, storms and plummeting temperatures. Latest weather and news

The yacht Midnight Rambler racing in last year’s Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Rolex/ Andrea Francolini

Australian Olympian and round the world sailor Chris Nicholson is bracing for up to 50 knot wind gusts the first night at sea in what could be a dramatic and boat-breaking opening to the 79th Sydney to Hobart.

Nicholson is the sailing master aboard LawConnect, Christian Beck’s defending champion and one of the favourites for line honours with arch rival Master Lock Comanche.

“This race will be about executing things well,’’ said Nicholson, aboard LawConnect when she beat Comanche a year ago by less than a minute.

“There’s a little bit of 50 knots sailing downwind the first night.

“Thats a lot of breeze for these boats. It can get sketchy.’’

Nicholson said there will be times after the start that the crew will have to slow the yacht down to keep it from being damaged in the big nor’easterly breeze which will intensify gradually after the 1pm start.

“The 50 will be in gusts but we will see steady breeze in the 40s and that's the limit for having a spinnaker one, hanging on and riding it out,’’ he said.

“At times it will be about nursing it through.’’

A fleet of 105 yachts will start after the late withdrawal of the yacht Unicoin on Christmas Eve.

Nicholson and Master Lock sailing master Iain Murray both agree the race record is still on the cards - but could go either way.

“It’s plenty fresh with that nor’easter at the start but it will be what happens on the east coast of Tasmania and further down that will decide how close we get to a race record,’’ Murray said.

“How we get there, what we have to do, if there are holes. That sort of thing,.’’

Comanche holds the race record of one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.

The start of the 2022 Rolex Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Picture Carlo Borlenghi

DECEMBER 24: Gale force winds, thunderstorms, icy temperatures and boat breakage will add an extra dimension of unpleasantness to this years Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Sailors were on Tuesday warned of a challenging race ahead foe the 105 strong fleet complete with super fast surfing, winds gusting to 45 knots at night, rain and a big chill along with one change for the big boats and another one or two for the minnows of the fleet.

“It will be a fast race but people will be caught in significant weather,” said race director Lee Goddard.

Goddard also told sailors that there are “lots of dolphins and sunfish around” and to reports sightings and incidents, along with wind in excess of 40 knots to the race committee during the race.

“I would expect boat breakage,’’ said LawConnect skipper Christian Beck after the briefing where sailors were also given a run down on safety measure and procedures in case of emergency or a beacon is activated during the race.

“It’s going to be a real dogfight.’’

The extraordinary finish between LawConnect and Andoo Comanche last year. Picture: Andrea Francolini/Rolex/AFP

Master Lock Comanche co skipper James Mayo said keeping the crew and the 100-footer in good working order is a priority.

“The first things is obviously safety of the crew on a boat like Master Lock Comanche,’’ he said.

“In 60 seconds you can virtually cover a kilometre so there are significant speeds.

“Secondly it’s about keeping the asset in one piece and making the right (tactical) calls at the right time.’’

LawConnect and Matt Allen and James Mayo’s 100 footer Master Lock Comanche are favourites to claim line honours but like all others will have to survive the fast conditions and wild winds where sail damage and boat breakage could occur.

A fleet of 105 yachts will start the race off four lines at 1pm in a moderate nor’easterly which will strengthen during the first afternoon and night. There will also be big seas offshore.

LawConnect skipper/owner Christian Beck is thrown overboard after winning the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race. Picture: Chris Kidd

Meteorologist Roger Badham has warned of gale force winds in the opening stanza of the race.

“The first night is fast,” he said of 35-40 winds which could gust to 45 knots as the fleet flies down the coast under spinnaker at breakneck speed.

But whether a new race record is set is still blowing in the wind.

“It’s a possibility but probably not,’’ Badham said.

The records will largely depend on weather in the second half of the race off the east coast of Tasmania and down to the finish line on the Derwent River.

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Originally published as Sydney to Hobart weather latest has 50 knot gusts first night, warnings of boat damage