Sydney Gold Coast yacht race: Andoo Comanche’s plans, man overboard after slow start, latest news

There was a late rush to supermarkets and takeaway outlets before the start of the Sydney to Gold Coat race - and a sailor who went for an unscheduled swim after the start.

The supermaxi Andoo Comanche out training. Pic: Michael Kennedy

There were men up the mast hunting for breeze and it took the supermaxis more than an hour to clear Sydney Heads after one of the slowest starts to a Noakes Sydney to Gold Coat yacht race in recent memory.

Ultra-light winds made the start slow and uneventful but that changed for Wild Oats X1 after she cleared the heads and started the trip north.

Black Jack at the start of the Sydney to Gold Coast race. Pic: Andrea Francolini

There a sailor went overboard off the 100-footer but was quickly scooped up by his crewmates with the yacht barely missing a beat in the incident.

The only other drama on the day was the late start of the yacht Frantic which was waiting for a sail and started around 50 minutes after the 1pm gun.

Prior to this many crews rushed around bringing extra food supplies onto the boats to cater for the light winds - and the potential of being at sea far longer than expected.

Wild Oats at the start of the race.

Late on Saturday the Sydney to Hobart line honours winner Black Jack was leading the fleet north with Wild Oats and Andoo Comanche in her wake.

Ultra light winds are best suited to Black Jack and will also favour Wild Oats. Andoo Comanche’s Achilles heel is in the light.

Comanche at the start of the Sydney to Gold Coast. Pic: Andre Francolini

WINNING FORMULA FOR ANDOO COMANCHE

They want to win races and break records but there’s another reason the famous supermaxi Andoo Comanche is now back playing in Australian waters.

The 100-foot ocean mauler was built to smash records and win races and has done just that since Netscape billionaire Jim Clarke launched Comanche back in 2014 with the supermaxi a multiple Sydney to Hobart line honours winner, 24 hour monohull world record holder and owner of numerous major ocean race records.

The supermaxi Andoo Comanche out training. Pic: Michael Kennedy

Now Sydney businessman and former 29er skiff world champion John “Herman” Winning has bought the hi-tech piece of ocean machinery back to Australia to campaign at least two Sydney to Hobart races along with other major events, including this weekend’s Noakes Sydney to Gold Coast race.

And while top results and potentially race records are on the hit-list, there’s another reason the yacht has returned to Sydney for racing.

“We like doing cool stuff,” said Winning, CEO of the Winning Group and one of the helmsmen. “This is fun and cool.

“I also don’t like going slowly because I don’t really love ocean racing at the best of times. My races are few and far between.’’

The rebranding of the supermaxi to Andoo Comanche is also a way to promote a new arm of the family company and the Sydney to Hobart campaign a way for Winning to spend time with mates, including his childhood friends Peter and Nathan Dean, whose father John, racing aboard the Winston Churchill, was lost at sea in the deadly 1998 Sydney to Hobart.

Comanche racing in the 2017 Sydney to Hobart.

“Winning is a goal, so is bringing everyone home safely and also promoting Andoo,’’ the skipper said.

“The crew is a mix of local young funs, old hands in Australian sailing and some international experience.”

The big, powerful Andoo Comanche excels in stronger wind conditions and holds the 24 hour sailing record for monohulls after covering an extraordinary 618 nautical miles at an average of 25.75 knots.

Comanche won the 2017 Sydney to Hobart yacht race, with a time of 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes 24 seconds, a record that still stands.

The 100-footer has been campaigned in the Sydney to Hobart on a number of occasions with great success.

Winning, who started his sailing at the Vaucluse Amateur 12-foot skiff club, said no stone has been left unturned to ready Andoo Comanche for the racing ahead.

“”It's a very high tech boat. We spent a whole week getting the front to back looked over.

“We blew up a winch and now we’re getting every one checked, every ram is being X-rayed and checked

“We aren’t sparing any expense, except a full sail inventory. Everything is brand new and is not aged at all.’’

A fleet of 65 is set to start the race to the Gold Coast on Sunday including another former line honours winner in Wild Oats X1 and current champion Black Jack

Also in the fleet are 12 two-handed boats with 10 of these eligible to race for the IRC overall honours and the Peter Rysdyk Memorial Trophy.

NOAKES SYDNEY TO GOLD COAST YACHT RACE FLEET

NAME, SAIL NUMBER, STATE TYPE

Andoo Comanche CAY007 NSW VPLP 100, Ariel A140 NSW Beneteau First 40, Ausreo 6755 NSW Beneteau 47.7, Avalanche (TH) 2400 NSW, Black Jack 525100 Monaco RP100, Blink B40, NSW, Beneteau First 40, Celestial 9535 NSW TP52, Chutzpah R33 VIC Caprice 40, Ciao Bella SM888 NSW Hanse 505, Cicero 11980 NSW Italia 11.98, Cinquante 5038 NSW Sydney 38, Corum 1088 NSW Mumm 36, Mod Crux (TH) MYC8 NSW S&S 34, Crystal Cutter III 6661 NSW Beneteau 40.7, Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth (TH) AUS99 NSW J/99, Enterprise Next Generation F1701 WA Botin Carkeek Gp42, Farr N Away 7778 NSW Beneteau 40.7, Flying Cloud 6808 NSW Beneteau First 40, Frantic GBR 5211L, NSW TP52 Donovan, Gunshot NZL 8425, NSW, Elliot 52, Gweilo 052 NSW TP52, Hamilton Island Wild Oats, AUS10001, NSW, RP100, Highly Sprung 8108, NSW TP52, Highly Sprung US7771, NSW Beneteau First 45, Huntress 888, TAS, Sydney 39 CR, Ichi Ban AUS 001, NSW Botin 52, Joker on Tourer (TH), MY1250 VIC Elliott 1250 Tourer, Joss, F177, NSW, J122, KD4 (TH) 99 NSW Dehler 44, Khaleesi 46 NSW DK 46, Koa 52152, NSW TP52, Local Hero (TH) 1236 NSW, BH36, Mako N40, NSW, Sydney 40, Mayfair M16, QLD, Rogers 46, Minerva 6837 NSW, DK 43, Mondo 5656, NSW, Sydney 38, Moneypenny, AUS 1, NSW, Reichal Pugh 69, No Limit AUS 98888, NSW, Reichel Pugh 63, Oz Design Patrice Six 7779, NSW, X-41, Patrice AUS 52, NSW, TP52, Pekljus 6419, NSW, Radford 50, Penzance 9242, NSW Xc42, Philosopher (TH) 20, NSW Sydney 36 CR, Popeye 6612, NSW, Beneteau First 47.7, Pretty Woman 545 NSWIC 45 MOD, Quantock 1195 NSW Elliott 13, Quest 52002 NSW TP52, Reve 5930, NSW, Beneteau First 45F5, Rum Rebellion (TH) 1808 NSWJ/99, Rumchaser (TH) 0122 NSW J122e, She’s The Culprit 370 NSW Inglis/Jones 39 Mod, Shearwater 6446 NSW Frers 57, Smuggler 6952 NSWJV TP52, Solutions (TH) 3242 NSW Dehler 41, Supernova 6499 NSW Sydney 36, Tempo MH22 NSW ES44, Transcendence Crento (TH) AUS 3300 NSW, Jeanneau Sunfast 3300, UBS Wild Thing 1014 NSW Inglis Dovell 50, Whisper AUS13, NSW, JV62, White Bay 6 Azzurro 3430, NSW S&S34, White Noise SM1245 VIC MAT 1245, Wild Oats 4343 NSW Farr 43, Wings 07 NSW, Dehler 46, Wonderland GBR 9166T NSW Beneteau Oceanis 473 XS, Moment 11744 NSW, XP44, Zen 2001 NSW, TP52.