120 years of evolution
Image Andrea Francolini
We have been following closely, Michael Spies’ accounts of preparing the 33ft, 120 year-old MARITIMO KATWINCHAR for the 2024 Sydney Hobart published regularly in Sailing Anarchy. She was one of only four timber boats to be on the start line for the 2024 event, and his story from the actual race was published last week.
[For the record the other three were LOVE & WAR (S&S 47), TILTING AT WINDMILLS (Joubert 42), KISMET (Illingworth/Penrose 30)]
Michael writes with same restrained intensity that I imagine he sails with. He oozes authority and I hang on every word! His track record in the race is extraordinary, and the boat was showing remarkable pace before being forced to withdraw in 2024. But most of all you have to admire his vision in seeing the potential for success in a 120 year old double ender.
There will be some wooden boat purists who dislike the idea of substantially modifying an historical old boat, shoehorning the original design into a configuration that will produce an IRC number giving the boat a realistic chance. But Spies is not the first to do this and he won’t be the last. And hasn’t the history of yacht racing always been an evolution of design and equipment, not just from boat to boat, but also during one boat’s lifetime?
Having said that the most successful wooden boat in the last 50 years of the Sydney Hobart, LOVE & WAR. has been largely unaltered since her launch. I guess if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
From Sailing Anarchy 31st December.
No Way Out
It is with quite a conflicted and torn heart and emotions I author this article. Having made what we believe to be the sensible and seamanlike decision to retire from the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race and dealing with that disappointment, in the back of your mind is the fact that two fellow brothers have unfortunately faced their final starting gun. It is hard to quantify, process, and prioritize.
We had a pretty solid and uneventful lead-up preparing Maritimo Katwinchar, the 1904 built 32-foot double ender I was sailing Double Handed with my Co-Skipper Peter Vaiciurgis. After all the formalities and goodbyes were completed we slipped the lines and left the crowded Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.