Lincoln Dews secures podium finish in 2023 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

From “monster waves” to “submarine sailing” amid extreme fatigue, a sportsman has recalled the best and worst moments following his podium finish in the Sydney to Hobart race.

Lincoln Dews and Lee Condell aboard Sun Fast Racing in the 2022 Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Contributed.

Sunshine Coast surf sports enthusiast Lincoln Dews has re-told the extreme conditions and how his one teammate adapted for a podium finish in the 2023 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Dews, a Buderim resident and renowned surfer, foiler, fisher, ironman, sailor and a three time paddle board world champion, recently competed in the two-handed division aboard Sun Fast Racing.

The 27-year-old said he and his co-skipper, Lee Condell, battled the wild conditions to finish second in the two-handed IRC rankings and 31st overall.

“It was brutal,” he said.

“The race is never easy and it was very much a fast and furious race especially when we got into the Bass Strait.

“It wasn’t the traditional of slamming into a big southerly, it was very fast running with northeast conditions.

“We saw upwards of 40 knots of breeze in what was some quite large seas so for those little boats you’ve just gotta keep them moving and keep them on speed by surfing down waves a lot of the time.”

Dews said it was a matter of finding how hard the boat could be pushed.

“Coming down some pretty monster waves in a 30 foot boat makes you feel quite small,” he said.

“Especially when you’re getting water blasted like you see the videos of the bigger boats covered in water so it’s the same for us and we’re half the size.

“You’re pretty much submarining half the time, everything’s wet including the downstairs and you just try and make do.”

Lincoln Dews and Lee Condell with their awards following the 2022 Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Contributed.

It was Dews’ fourth time competing in the prestigious race.

“We were quite fortunate in that we didn’t break too many things compared to other boats who had to pull out but we pushed very hard and broke one spinnaker early on, which is the connection point of one of the kites,” he said.

“That forced us to take the foot off the gas a little bit in downsizing kits and we worked out over the three days of racing we had about four hours of sleep.

“Some teams have two hours up, two hours down but we couldn’t afford to do that with a two handed boat as it’s the best result when we’re both on deck and pushing the boat to its limits.”

Sun Fast Racing finished with a time of three days, 13 hours and 25 minutes.

Dews said he was proud of he and Condell’s efforts and hoped it wasn’t his last time taking part.

Originally published as Lincoln Dews secures podium finish in 2023 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race