Hobart skipper Rob Fisher battles alongside family with battered Helsal 3 in the Sydney to Hobart

One Tasmanian boat still competing in the 78th Sydney-Hobart is battling with a torn mainsail. Hobart skipper Rob Fisher is alongside his family, who have ‘had enough’.

The only remaining Tasmanian Boat Helsal 3 arrives in Hobart with a final time of 04:02:03:16 on the 30 Dec, 03:03:16 PM. Skipper, Rob Fisher. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Hobart skipper Rob Fisher had no idea how punishing the 78th Sydney-Hobart would be for his wife and two kids to make their race debuts as the back-markers reveal stories of punishing conditions.

Fisher’s yacht Helsal 3 has copped a torn mainsail — the primary power source of a sail boat — as well as broken a halyard and its navigator has two cracked ribs after a fall on deck.

A total of 16 yachts have retired from a starting fleet of 103 on Boxing Day, most with rigging or sail damage, some with electrical issues, and others with “crew illness” or injury.

Tasmanian yacht Alive is almost certain to be crowned race winner on overall handicap for the second time in five years at an official ceremony on Saturday.

After four days of racing, only 20 per cent of the yachts had finished, and the race computer predicted 19 of them would ring in the New Year at sea.

Doing his 23rd Hobart, Fisher suspects his wife Kerrie, son Brandon and daughter Elizabeth, may have done their last.

“I don’t think the family will come again,” Fisher said.

“They’ve had enough, but they’ve all done their watches, so I can’t complain.

“Doing this race with me, experiencing it for themselves, they all think I’m crazy for doing the race so many times.”

Helsal 3, owned by a NSW syndicate and skippered by Fisher, is a tough 66-foot ocean racer.

“We’ve got some damage on the boat _ a broken halyard, torn main and other little things,” he said.

“Our navigator was on deck, slipped and cracked a couple of ribs. That put us down a helmsman as well.

“We’ve lost a bit of ground, but we’re pressing on. We’re hoping to finish late Saturday.”

The Hobart sailor said Helsal 3 spent six hours in one spot off Gabo Island.

“It was so painful. Then we copped a beating across the Strait,” Fisher said.

“We had over 30 knots and it was pretty bad. We broke a few bits and pieces but we have persevered.

“It’s been an interesting trip to say the least.”

Fisher’s father, Tony, who took Sydney-Hobart line honours and broke the race record in 1973 with a former Helsal built of cement and dubbed “The Flying Footpath”.

Tony’s ashes are onboard Helsal 3.

“Dad would have said ‘You should have put more gear up’,” Tony said.

The first night gave the fleet a lightning show.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Fisher said.

“We were doing 13-14 knots in calm seas and it went on for three quarters of an hour. It was the most eerie experience.

“We’ve had had everything except hard running conditions. I wanted to put the kite up just show the family what it looked like, but I thought better of it.”

New Zealand two-handed crew of husband and wife, Michael and Tracey Carter, aboard Allegresse, were thought to have retired from the race.

It turns out they stopped for a “rest period” and rejoined the action on Friday morning.