James Watson ready to race as 2019 Sydney to Hobart yacht race celebrates 75th anniversary
Ignorance could be bliss for this teenager about to compete in his first Sydney to Hobart yacht race as the bluewater classic celebrates its 75th anniversary.
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Teenager James Watson believes you can’t fear what you don’t know.
It’s why he is looking forward to his first Sydney to Hobart with excitement rather than trepidation.
Watson is the latest in a long line of young sailing talent to emerge from the CYCA youth academy and take up a position on a Sydney to Hobart racer.
And while he is used to contesting 20 minute bouts in match-racing regatta, Watson, 18, is unconcerned about the prospect of being at sea for numerous days aboard the Sydney yacht Wax Lyrical - or the potential for a rough ride south.
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“Everyone is saying we are overdue for a bad one,” said Watson, studying applied finances at Macquarie University.
“But you can’t fear what you don’t know.
“I have heard stories of what to fear but I haven’t come close to anything like that so I’m not worried about it.”
Watson, who has spent family holidays on his fathers cruising boat in the past, will wear medicated patches to deal with potential sea sickness as he works on the yachts foredeck and bow, changing sails, assisting in getting spinnakers up and keeping the halyards untangled.
The Macquarie University student from Mosman is one of the youngest sailors in the race to Tasmania.
In the wake of the deadly 1998 Sydney to Hobart a raft of safety changes were implemented, including a minimum age of 18 for participants.
In the lead up to his first race Watson has also completed a Safety and Sea Survival course designed by the CYCA in the wake of the 1998 race tragedy 21 years ago and now adopted globally.
Practical exercises include the use of life rafts, inflatable life jackets and distress flares,
“It made a lot of sense doing the course,’’ he said.
“It gave me a sense of what could happen. It was good training being in the water with all my gear on and such.
“I would like to know what’s could go wrong and be able to fix it.’’
Watson’s father Muir is also racing south on the yacht Enigma.
“We’ve beaten him before so I hope to do it again,” Watson sad.
Skipper Les Goodridge regularly gives young sailors the chance to do their first Hobart’s on his yacht which in certain conditions, could well press for the handicap honours. The start and the finish are the two aspects of the race Watson is most looking forward top.
“The finish because I have have heard stories about that, how good it is, going past and having everyone cheer,’’ he said.
“And the start with 150 plus boats, that will be just amazing.’’