Sydney to Hobart yacht sailors bracing for wild times after drama packed start

Friday night dinner in Hobart is on the cards for the fleet frontrunners if they can keep their yacht in one piece during a hectic first night of racing.

Wild Thing on her side at the start. Picture: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.

Sailors on two of the Sydney to Hobart favourites believe they will be eating dinner on Hobart’s waterfront by Friday night if they can hold their multimillion-dollar yachts and crews together in one of the most complicated, testing and “a little crazy” races south.

Round the world sailor Chris Nicholson, part of the brains trust aboard LawConnect, said just getting the yachts to Hobart in one piece will be one of the big challenges of the 79th race.

“There’s a big chance everyone won’t make it to Hobart and it’s highly likely one of the 100s won’t get there,” Nicholson told News Corp as the fleet headed south in a rollicking nor’easterly on Thursday.

“One of us might not make it with damage.

“I’m as close as I get to nervous.

“It’s good, if the crew know I’m like this they will be stay in their toes.”

Master Lock Comanche roaring down the NSW coast. Picture: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

The first retirement in the 2024 race was one of its biggest names with the Tasmanian yacht Alive pulling out just a few hours after the start with an engine issue.

Alive is a two-time overall winner with famous round the world navigator and Sydney to Hobart veteran Adrienne Cahalan part of her crew.

Lucky to still be racing was Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing who had her keel locked on the wrong side due to a mechanical issue and laid over on her side just after the start.

Wild Thing in the midst of her dramatic start. Picture: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

“We just had a problem with the tack button on the keel and it got stuck on the wrong side,’’ Wharington told News Corp off his yacht.

Aboard race record holder Master Lock Comanche there was a quite confidence a race record is within reach if they sail their best race.

“It’s game on,’’ said skipper Matt Allen.

“I think the record is in reach but there’s a lot of stuff to happen between now and then and right now breakdown is what we are all trying to avoid.

“It’s looking like being a war of attrition out there. There’s certainly a lot of wind and it’s going to be quite challenging for a lot of boats.

“We will see some wild moments.”

Tasmania's defending champion Alive powers down the NSW Coast on the opening day of the Rolex Sydney-Hobart. Picture Rolex-Carlo Borlenghi

But the wild times will be short-lived for the line honours contenders who could well snap up the overall victory as well if things go their way in the first 24 or so hours of the race.

In contrast, the majority of the fleet will still be out at sea when the celebrations happen, enduring hours and hours of nasty upwind sailing in the second half of a race shaping as one of the most challenging Sydney to Hobart in recent time for them.

“We have a lot of upwind sailing ahead. It will be a tough one but we like it tough,’’ said Gizmo skipper Wendy Tuck, one of 23-two-handed boats in the fleet.

“Let’s be honest, if it’s not tough everyone complains it doesn’t feel like a Hobart.

“I did a light race one year and it was like a cruise. I hated it.’’

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Originally published as Sydney to Hobart yacht sailors bracing for wild times after drama packed start