Sydney to Hobart starts drama with LawConnect and Wild Thing 100 in costly mishaps

A pair of multi million-dollar supermaxis stole the show in one of the most spectacular starts to a Sydney to Hobart yacht race in recent times - but it was for all the wrong reasons.

Yachts after the start of the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Picture: David GRAY/AFP.

A pair of multi million-dollar supermaxis stole the show in one of the most spectacular and fast starts to a Sydney to Hobart yacht race in recent times - but it was for all the wrong reasons.

While the fleet were last night romping down the NSW coast at break neck speed with sailors decked out in life jackets and safety googles in the wet and wild conditions, two crews were desperately attempting to make up for lost time after drama at the start of famous 628 nautical mile Australian classic.

Wild Thing 100 skipper Grant Wharington gave thousands of spectators watching from the water the fright of their lives when they found themselves in the ungainly position of their keel being on the wrong side of the boat on a packed Sydney Harbour.

The mishap, which left the boat lying almost on is side at a potentially dangerous angle, cost the crew significant time as Wharington and his team, including daughter Georgia doing her second race, working to sort the situation and get back on track.

“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.

“We just had to go and manually over ride it to sort things out.

“We lost a few minutes but all is OK. Everyone is good.’’

Law Connect lost valuable time thanks to a sail drama. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

This followed on from Wharington having to make “phone call after phone call’’ to find a replacement for a crewmate hospitalised with a perforated bowel on Christmas Eve.

Just moments after the Wild Thing incident, disaster struck Christian Beck and his crew on the 100-footer LawConnect, the defending line honours champion.

A crucial A2 sail got stuck and failed to unfurl with the crew losing vital time - and the lead - as they struggled to rectify the problem.

“It got stuck near the top and we couldn’t trim it because wee didn’t want to break it,’’ said sailing master Chris Nicholson, a Sydney 2000 Olympic sailor.

Spectators at North Head watch yachts start the race to Hobart. Picture: David Gray/AFP.

“We just had to unfurl it and furl it constantly. It took abut 15 minutes, 15 minutes you can never afford to lose.

“We’re up going again and it’s just really wet and much windier than we expected.’’

The sail drama paved the way for co-skippers Matt Allen and James Mayo’s Master Lock Comanche to pounce and overtake their rival, a boat that had beaten them by just 51 seconds for the line victory last year.

Jess Watson on board Oroton Drumfire before the race start.

Master Lock Comanche was second yacht out to sea. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“Make no mistake, we have one goal and that’s to lock this up,’’ Mayo said.

“It’s going to be wild, it’s going to be windy and it’s about keeping this asset in one piece.

“This is like a racehorse. If you haven’t got it under control it will bite you.’’

A fleet of 104 yachts started the race in a stunning nor’easterly.

Round the world sailor Jessica Watson was aboard Oroton Drumfire in her fifth Sydney to Hobart despite vowing she would not race it again last year.

“How can you resist,’’ she said with a laugh before setting sail.

A fleet of 104 yachts, including a record 16 female owner/skippers, started the 79th Sydney to Hobart in a stunning nor’easterly.

Originally published as Sydney to Hobart starts drama with LawConnect and Wild Thing 100 in costly mishaps