Big hopes for Sydney to Hobart minnow Maluka

HE’S sailed fast boats, big boats and radical boats but Sean Langman has high hopes of outsailing them all in this year’s Sydney to Hobart.

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HE’S sailed fast boats, big boats and radical boats but Sean Langman has high hopes of outsailing them all — including the record-breaker Wild Oats — in the smallest, slowest and oldest yacht in this year’s Sydney to Hobart.

The man who used to put his energies into getting to Hobart first is now quite happy to make it to dock last — as long as he and his crewmates sail the best they can.

Sean Langman on his little 30-footer Maluka of Kermandie. Pic: Brett Costello

It’s how Langman and his five crewmates — who comprise the smallest crew in the 72nd Sydney to Hobart — hope to snare one of the most prized trophies in world yacht — the Tattersalls Cup for the overall winner of the race.

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While his yacht is 84-years-old and built of Huon pine, Langman has amped it up for this year’s race with performance sails in his bid to crack the big prize.

Sean Langman and a former crew in racing mode on Maluka.

“We’re having a red-hot crack,’’ said Langman of his gaff-rigged timber boat which will amble along at around seven knots — around a third of the speed of fleet frontrunners Wild Oats, Scallywag, Loyal and CQS.

“I'd love to win this. Every sailor would.’’

Maluka will be one of the slowest yachts to Hobart but can still win the race overall.

Maluka of Kermandie has actually lead the overall race on multiple occasions in the past before being overtaken for the victory as the wind died out on her approach to Tasmania.

In 2011 Loyal, his former 100-foot yacht, then under the guidance of Anthony Bell, claimed the line honours victory as Langman headed for the first of his two last-place finishes in the Sydney to Hobart aboard Maluka.

Eight time winner Wild Oats is more than three times the size of Maluka. Pic: Brett Costello

But the Sydney boat builder and business says he stills prefers sailing the fleet minnow.

“When I sail the small boat I feel like a boy. When I sail the big boats I feel like a silly man,’’ said Langman, a critic of ‘push button sailing’ — a reference to computers doing much of the hard yakka on some of his bigger rivals.

A fleet of 93 — well down on last year’s 108 starters — have entered this years race.

While Paul Clitheroe’s Balance is back to defend its overall title, the line honours winner Comanche has declined to return from the US.