The 105-year-old ketch set to steal the Sydney-Hobart

Fluky conditions could allow one of the smallest, and definitely the oldest, yacht in the race to pull off a most unlikely handicap win.

Bill Barry-Cotter owner of Katwinchar with his brother and skipper Kendal Barry-Cotter. Picture: Brett Costello

There will be no new line honours records set in this year’s 75th anniversary Rolex Sydney-Hobart race, but the fluky weather conditions could allow one of the smallest, and definitely the oldest, yachts in the race to pull off an unlikely handicap win.

Katwinchar, the 105-year-old double-ended ketch built by the coopers in a London brewery, could take advantage of the strong north easterly winds forecast for the end of the race to slip through the other 156 yachts in the fleet to claim victory.

Despite her age, Katwinchar has proved to be remarkably fast in moderate conditions since she was restored and rebuilt over the past two years by leading Australian boat builder Bill Barry-Cotter.

Barry-Cotter, famous for building almost 5000 luxury motorboats under the Maritimo, Riviera and Mariner brands over the past five decades, fell in love with Katwinchar when his father bought her in Hobart in 1960. She had been sailed from England to Australia by three Englishmen who were migrating to Tasmania. The last leg of their trip saw them sail the tiny yacht in the 1951 Sydney-Hobart race.

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Katwinchar is being sailed to Hobart by Bill Barry-Cotter’s brother Kendal, who took over after Bill recently had a heart attack.

Weather expert Roger “Clouds” Badham on Wednesday said the conditions down the east coast over the next four days favoured smaller yachts in the 40-foot range as they would pick up the stronger northeasterly winds that would be too late for the 100ft supermaxis.

The five supermaxis — Comanche, Wild Oats XI, Scallywag, Black Jack and InfoTrack — are all expected to reach Hobart before the nor’easters kick in.

Yacht Katwinchar, owned by Bill Barry-Cotter, on Sydney Harbour

“It could favour a yacht like Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban, which won on handicap two years ago, or even a tiny boat,” Badham said, “There will be a lot of breeze at the end to help them.”

At the front of the fleet the supermaxis, including the record holder Comanche, could all round Tasman Island within sight of each other after more than 600 nautical miles of racing and bring the line honours win down to the 11 nautical mile sprint up the Derwent river to Hobart.

Comanche owner and skipper, Jim Cooney, who was at the wheel of the yacht when it set the record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds in 2017, said on Wednesday he didn’t think the first of the supermaxis would finish until midmorning on Saturday.

“The record looks safe,” Cooney said, “But I think you will be able to throw a blanket over all the supermaxis as we come around Tasman Island.”

Cooney also dismissed the persistent waterfront rumours that he had already sold Comanche to a European yachtsman and that the boat would be shipped north soon after the Hobart Race.

“I keep hearing the same rumour — but I’m keeping the boat,” he said.

Mark Richards, who has steered Wild Oats XI to each of its record nine line honours wins since it was launched in 2005, said he doubted if any of his rivals thought a line honours win was “in the bag”.

“We are lighter than we have ever been, sailing with two less sails and three fewer guys aboard, but everyone has made modifications,” Richards said.

The unhappiest supermaxi skipper is David Witt on Scallywag. Despite being favoured to take line honours by many experts, Witt has written to the CYCA race committee complaining about the safety reporting procedures that must be undertaken by yachts before they cross Bass Strait.

Katwinchar, the 105-year-old double-ended ketch

When they reach Green Point on the Victorian south coast, the yachts must report by radio that they are in good condition for the dangerous crossing to Tasmania.

Witt has complained that smoke from bushfires can disrupt radio transmissions and that yachts should be able to report by satellite telephone. At this stage the race committee has ignored his complaint and yachts will have to report by radio. Any yacht that crosses Bass Strait without first reporting is automatically disqualified.

The Saturday morning finish should ensure the supermaxis have enough wind to stage a thrilling duel up the Derwent. Historically the wind on the river dies at night but a southeasterly or southwesterly generally springs up not long after sunrise.