Nick Smith, 65, remembered by Bowline owner Ian Roberts as ‘consistently good humoured’ after Sydney Hobart Yacht Race tragedy

The owner of the Bowline has described what happened when SA sailor Nick Smith was killed during the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race – and paid tribute to his friend.

Friends have paid tribute to a beloved South Australian sailor who tragically died on turbulent water when competing in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race on its opening night.

Nick Smith, 65, died aboard the Bowline vessel – which was approximately 30 nautical miles off Batemans Bay – after suffering a serious head injury from a moving boom on Friday.

The crew members attempted to save Mr Smith’s life on the yacht but he died from his injuries.

Nick Smith, 65, was tragically killed at about 2am while racing on Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron's boat, Bowline, on Friday. Picture: Bowline

Bowline vessel is owned by South Australian lawyer Ian Roberts, who was aboard when tragedy struck. Picture: Ian Roberts

The Bowline owner, a prominent Adelaide barrister Ian Roberts, told The Advertiser he had travelled “for many miles” with Mr Smith but will remember his friend for his good character above all else.

“Nick was consistently good humoured, an experienced sailor and very reliable,” he said.

The pair first met when they started training for their first Sydney Hobart race in 2021, shortly after Mr Smith retired from his telecom job.

Their training efforts paid off as their crew placed 33rd overall in 2021.

However, Mr Roberts said their trip home was his favourite memory of Nick.

“From that first Sydney Hobart we sailed back to Adelaide by the west coast and we had a fabulous cruise, which Nick navigated,” he said.

Mr Roberts was aboard the Bowline on the night of the tragedy.

He described the crew to be “in very difficult sailing conditions” when Mr Smith was “hit by main sheet in a gybe that threw him against a winch” and caused the fatal injury.

“Despite immediate CPR administered by the crew, Nick was unable to be resuscitated.”

Peter Hutchison, Anthony Pennington (front), Reid Bosward (red cap), Melanie Bushby, Troy Mohler (standing at the back), Nick Smith (seated at the front), Paul Senior (standing front right), and Paul Greaves (standing back right). Picture: Supplied

An outpouring of tributes have also surfaced online in the Royal South Australian Yacht Sqaudron group.

Cat King wrote “RIP Nick” and added “You were one of a kind, with the biggest happiest welcoming smile always. Thank you for everything you taught me and the chats we had”.

Meanwhile, Mal Bloo Diamond said: “You loved adventures and you certainly had some with us and other boats. You will be sadly missed. Your smiling face and laugh and willingness to help at anytime will never be forgotten.”

Nick Smith, 65, (3rd from left) was tragically killed while racing on Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron's boat, Bowline. Picture: Facebook

The Bowline crew was mostly uninjured, apart from Paul Senior who remains in a Canberra hospital awaiting shoulder surgery. Other crew members, Peter Hutchison, Reid Bosward, Melanie Bushby, Paul “Banjo” Greaves, Troy Mohler and Anthony Pennington were not hurt.

Mr Smith’s death came three hours after 5-year-old West Australian sailor Roy Quaden died in similar circumstances aboard Flying Fox Arctos.

The two yachtsmen are the first deaths in the Sydney to Hobart in 26 years, following the disastrous 1998 race, during which six sailors died and five yachts sank in Bass Strait.

Originally published as Nick Smith, 65, remembered by Bowline owner Ian Roberts as ‘consistently good humoured’ after Sydney Hobart Yacht Race tragedy