It could be Happy New Year at sea for up to eight yachts in 78th Sydney—Hobart

Up to eight yachts face New Year’s Eve at sea in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. The ones likely to ring in 2024 at sea.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, NOVEMBER 22, 2023. Sylph VI skipper and owner Robert Williams with his cat Oli who will sail with Bob in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on board Sylph VI. Photographer: Adam Yip

It’s a slow boat to Tasmania for the tail enders of the 78th Rolex Sydney-Hobart fleet as up to eight crews face the prospect of celebrating New Year’s Eve at sea.

On their current projections halfway through day two of the 628 nautical mile classic, NSW yacht Salt Lines was due to finish on January 5 and Sylph, which has a cat on-board with its crew of two, was predicted to finish on January 6.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, NOVEMBER 22, 2023. Sylph VI skipper and owner Robert Williams with his cat Oli who will sail with Bob in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on board Sylph VI. Photographer: Adam Yip

Among the slowest boats is local yacht Hanson Tasmania, sailed by owner/skipper John Townley, who has his sons Max, 20, and Matt, 18 — the youngest sailor in this year’s race — on-board making their Sydney-Hobart debuts.

DECEMBER 25, 2023 Pictured at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia at Darling Point in Sydney is skipper of the yacht Charles Devanneaux and his European crew getting gifts from Santa before they head off on the 2023 Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Boxing Day. Picture: Richard Dobson

The Sydney-Hobart race computer gave Hansen Tasmania an estimated finish time of about 5pm on January 2, along with Queensland entry She (skipper Philip Bell).

Son of a Gun, skippered by Peter Webster, of Queensland, will be racing the clock to finish before midnight on December 31, its estimated finish being 9.30pm on New Year’s Eve.

Allegresse, a Two-Handed competitor skippered Michael Carter, of New Zealand, NSW yacht Millennium Falcon (Robert Griffiths), and Queenslander Silver Fern (David Hows) were looking at a January 3 finish.

Originally published as It could be Happy New Year at sea for up to eight yachts in 78th Sydney—Hobart