Sombre start for Launceston to Hobart as lost sailors honoured

The two sailors who died during the Sydney to Hobart were honoured by Launceston to Hobart crews on Friday, as the race was delayed due to challenging conditions. Read the latest here.

The crew of Fork In the Road are gunning for Launceston to Hobart line honours for a tenth time, and to ensure skipper Gary Smith is sent out in style. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

The crews about to lock horns in the Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race held a moment’s silence honouring the sailors who lost their lives doing what they loved.

Two sailors died after being hit by sail boom in separate incidents during the Sydney to Hobart race, making Friday’s pre-race safety briefing at Beauty Point more sombre than usual.

The start from was delayed from 11am until at least 2pm to avoid the challenging conditions, which were expected to abate through the day.

Derwent Sailing Squadron vice commodore Steve Chau said calling the race off was never an option, and each boat would decide whether they’re equipped to handle the conditions.

“It’s unfortunate the two sailors lost their lives overnight. The angling of the breeze and the sailing conditions will be quite similar for our fleet this afternoon, for us it’s prudent to delay the start,” he said.

“The main task is to get the boats across the top of the state, and around the corner. The most testing part is the actual start, with very confused seas and it’s not conducive to pleasant sailing at the moment.

“Offshore racing is another notch above, you really are testing crews and skippers’ boat handling skills a bit more.

One of the main Launceston to Hobart line honours hopes, Audere, in action as the race began on Friday. Picture: Colleen Darcey

“We won’t cancel the race, at the of the day it’s up to the skippers to know their limits and make their own decisions.”

Race director Ron Bugg asked for a moment’s silence during the race briefing and said the delay was to ensure safety is a priority.

Favourite Fork In The Road is looking for her tenth line honours victory in the race’s 14-year history.

Skipper Gary Smith said he plans to retire from offshore racing after the event, especially if all goes to plan.

“Once we got to eight (wins) we started to think about the ten, then wind it up,” Smith said.

“It wasn’t something we planned for (at the start), just how it’s ended up.”

The crew also has their eyes set on reclaiming their race record, about 32 hours set around a decade ago by last year’s victor Alive, who had to withdraw from this year’s Sydney to Hobart due to engine failure.

Fork In The Road won the previous three editions of the Launceston to Hobart.

“We’ve got it in the back of our mind with the forecast, that we could get our record back,” Smith said.

“It can be (a dangerous sport), and that’s why they’ve postponed the race with the outgoing tide and the wind in the Bass Strait.

“We have to be very careful at the Bank Strait corner where the tide and wind can clash with each other. We’re still hoping, even though they’ve postponed the start, we can get to the corner before darkness.

“They don’t want a heap of problems early in the race, which is understandable. This is a strong boat but things can still go haywire, and the crew is quite experienced.”