Sydney to Hobart yacht race weather forecast latest, brawn, brain needed, record in the air
The weird and wacky Sydney to Hobart forecast has settled and it’s now a working man and woman’s race with both brawn and brains required and a record up in the air. Latest weather, news
The weird and wacky Sydney to Hobart pre race forecast has settled and it’s now a working man and woman’s race with both brawn and brains required and just the slightest change a race record could be on the cards.
Sailors were delivered the latest weather, updates on safety and race procedures, rules changes and what is required of sailors before and after the race at the compulsory race briefing on December 24 ahead of the 1pm start of the Sydney to Hobart on Boxing Day.
They were “strongly recommended to take your sea sick tablets in your grab bag’’ by a race official with a forecast boasting some fast but also plenty of upwind sailing at different stages.
Rain, thunderstorms, low visibility and even a little hail are a possibility over parts of the racecourse but will likely be avoided by crews if the opt to sail further out to sea as expected.
Sailors were also informed of minor rule changes, the fact there will be no general recall at the start which is off four separate lines on December 26 and also urged to know or practice safety drills for man overboard or broken rudder situations.
A broken rudder after a competitor hit a sunfish resulted in a rescue at sea of crew aboard the yacht Huntress last year.
Among top skipper and navigators is agreement the first 18 hours of the race will be the most testing and challenging in recent times with light winds expected for the harbour followed by constantly changing conditions at sea.
“The first 30 hours of the forecast sounds just fine,’ said Scallywag supermaxi skipper David Witt who have enticed world renown navigator Juan Villa to Australis form his home in Barcelona for the race.
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“Juan is our not so secret weapon. If ever there was a race to invest in him it is this one.
“This is going to be a race where both the navigators and tactician will be flat out but so will the crew with sail changes.
“It’s going to be an all in effort’’.
Defending champion and Andoo Comanche skipper John “Herman’’ Winning said the possibility for a new race record is fading but there is still a “glimmer of hope’’.
“I’m a skiff sailor not an ocean racer. I don’t want to spend too much time at sea.,’’ he said.
“We are seeing possibility of the record being within reach but it’s in the lower percentages of what it was. Just a glimmer of hope.’’
After a slow start there could be two options for the frontrunners - head out to sea in search of better winds or stay close in to hook into current around Jervis Bay on the NSW south coast.
“For the big boats there’s the temptation they could get reasonable pressure the further they go offshore,’’ said top meteorologist Roger Badham.
In good news for the fleet minnows a front later in the race isn't look as severe as first though but will sill challenge them.
“They will still get 20-30 knots on Thursday and Friday but it’s not as vicious as a few days ago.’
Currently the 2023 fleet stands at 103, down 17 from the 120 originally entered in November.
The race record of just over one day, nine hours and 15 minutes was set by LDV Comanche back in 2017.
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