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For those of us who race as impoverished amateurs, or just watch from the shore, there’s always a bittersweet taste to the start of the Hobart race every Boxing Day.
Sure, it is still one of the greatest spectacles in world sport as the yachts charge down the unique scenic runway of Sydney Harbour. But in terms of ‘fair play’ it’s only the largest few boats that get a genuinely equal chance as they sprint towards the Heads and turn South. All the others have to then battle through the maxi’s choppy wakes and disturbed air. Even the high-performance TP52s can struggle to reach maximum speed and height.
The organizers – and let’s give them their due – have tried hard over the decades to reduce this problem. The fleet is now divided into four groups based on size, each starting from their own staggered line set further back down the Harbour. That’s a prudent safety measure but can often be unfair because the Summer breeze in Sydney is usually stronger the closer you are to the Heads.
To lessen congestion and stop foolhardy skippers from trying to cut the corner on the southern headland (which has a bombora), all yachts must navigate two laid clearance marks. These also compensate for the extra distance traveled by the boats that started further behind the first line.
That’s all well and good, but the secondary effect is to again slow the smaller boats while the maxis are already off and running down the 180° rhumbline towards Tasmania. There’s usually a lot of bash-and-barge as the frustrated back-markers converge on these marks – often on opposite tacks – and they struggle to make decent speed in the souped-up water and bad gas. It’s never a nice way to begin a 628-mile race.
So, is there a solution to this unfair scramble at the start of every Sydney-Hobart? One suggestion might be for the four classes to set off at half-hour intervals with the smallest yachts going first and the largest last. Elapsed times could then be adjusted after the finish. That could certainly help give everyone an equal chance in clear conditions, but it’s doubtful whether Rolex would agree. Marketing people don’t like complexity. Nor, apparently, fairness – ed.
– anarchist David
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