Hobart crew to “cut their teeth” on Launceston-Hobart race before tackling the big one

With the Sydney-Hobart shut down for the first time in 76 years, the Kraken crew are rapt they decided to take on the L2H.

• Crack navigator Claire Cunningham plotted a new course after Sydney-Hobart was cancelled
• Hobart crew to reset their goal for the 2021 Sydney to Hobart yacht race

IT might have been good luck more than good management that the crew of Kraken decided to cut their teeth in the Launceston to Hobart yacht race this summer rather than tackle the coronavirus-cancelled Sydney-Hobart.

Kraken owners Mark Bayles and Andrew Sinclair, of Hobart, have had their yacht for 11 months, and with their cracking all-Tasmanian crew of nine, will compete in one of the only ocean races taking place anywhere in the world this Christmas/New Year.

Co-owners Mark Bayles and Andrew Sinclair. Kraken 42S crew are ready to go for the Launceston to Hobart. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

When the Derwent Sailing Squadron’s 285 nautical mile L2H starts on the Tamar River at 11.30am on December 27, Kraken will be part of a bumper fleet of more than 30 yachts – all locals except for Melbourne 50-footer Dream, which has been cleared to race.

After the L2H experience, Bayles and Sinclair have bigger fish to fry — the Sydney-Hobart, and maybe the Sydney-Auckland and Sydney-Noumea races.

At front Mark Bayles and Theo Somssich. Back L-R Ty Dobie, Sam Dobie, Dave MacGill, Andrew Sinclair, Joe Kowaluk. Kraken 42S crew are ready to go for the Launceston to Hobart. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“We planned to do the Launceston to Hobart this year, so like most people our first aim is to finish the race and the second is to put hours into the boat and our crew,” Bayles said.

“A lot of them are just coming into ocean racing.

“Our primary goal is to learn about the boat and give the crew a taste for ocean racing before we go onto the next phase of our plans, which includes more national and some international ocean racing.”

Next on their radar is the 628nm Sydney-Hobart.

“Absolutely. It will put more people into ocean racing,” Bayles said.

“A lot of people just do harbour racing and it is hard to get good people to go ocean racing because all the good guys and girls are pretty much taken up these days.

“We have taken it upon ourselves to train this crew up and give them a taste and some I’m sure will continue to love it and take it on.”

Bayles has already tasted the Sydney-Hobart race.

“I have raced on other boats in the ‘Hobart’ before but I’d like to campaign my own one year with Andrew,” he said.