Maxi's line up for the record (Sydney to Hobart)
While some will take the better part of a week to get there, maxi’s are looking to beat the race record set by Wild Oats XI, of 1 day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds. Set in 2012 with a trifecta of Record, Line Honours and Overall Winner, Wild Oats XI is probably the most famous boat in Australia right now. It features in advertising for Channel Seven, as well as the Hamilton Island media campaigns, which is where the 100ft boat is currently based.
They will of course be back for another crack at the record, this year with a revised bow (yes, they took the whole bow off, and replaced it!) complete with hydrofoils. The foils are designed to assist with downwind runs, providing lift to the bow and stopping it from nose-diving under the huge swells encounted in Bass Strait.
Also on the big hitters list, is the Rio 100, a re-shaped ‘Lahana’ from 98ft to 100ft. With a fixed keel, owner Manouch Moshayedi says she needs a downwind race to keep up with the brand new super maxis. Look out for all the media coverage on this one, with an incredibly beautiful silver and black livery she certainly stands out from the pack.
A familiar name to many, Syd Fishcher’s ‘Ragamuffin’ has just been delivered to Sydney with a completely new hull. With a length of 100ft, Ragamuffin borrows some parts from her former self (known as Investec Loyal) including the rig, deck and most of the crew. Everything underwater is new though, with a new hull, keel and rudders, Fishcer is pulling out all the stops to get Ragamuffin over the line first.
Rambler 100, owned by Anthony Bell is one of the older 100 footers in the race. After capsizing in 2011 (quite spectacularly after the keel broke) it’s been refitted with new everythings, and is still being called the ‘fastest yacht in the world’ despite essentially being six years old. Look out for its unique curved bow and elegant white hull.
And finally, the boat everyone is talking about, but nobody knows about: Comanche. The worlds most high tech super maxi will have it’s first outing on Sydney Harbour later this year, with the first race being the Sydney to Hobart. The 100ft long masterpiece is un-missable with a red and black livery, complete with a single white feather just forward of the stays. Spy shots of the boat are floating around the internet as she sits with no rig off Newport in the USA. As soon as she gets a set of sails, sea trials will begin, and then it’s the short sail across to Sydney for the Hobart.
Who will win the battle between the 100 footers? We’ll know by New Years day, when the super maxi’s have sailed the 628 nautifcal miles from Sydney, to Hobart. In the meantime, drool over the Rio 100, as it takes her first sail after the remodel earlier this week.
Perth, WA
