Sydney Hobart Classic Yacht Regatta 2025
This year will be the fifth iteration of the event that celebrates the Ocean Racers from previous eras. The Classic Division is open to any yacht that has a launch date prior to 1976 and has competed in a Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. But what I really like is the inclusion of an IOR Division that is open to any yacht that has a launch date after 1975 and prior to 1991 and has competed in a Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. This brings new purpose to a whole style of racer that has been left floundering in the wake of rule changes over the last three decades.
CLICK IMAGE BELOW FOR THE NOTICE OF RACE
The weekend consists of a scratch invitation Race on Friday 13th December (warning 1355), a pursuit race on Saturday 14th December (warning 1155), an informal BBQ at CYCA on the Saturday evening, and the final scratch race on Sunday the 15th Deceber (warning 1155). Prize giving will be at the CYCA after the final race.
Many of the yachts entered have been written about in SWS, so here are a few links to whet your appertite
BOONGOWN
Image -Andrea Francolini
We wrote about this brave little craft (and her even braver custodian) back in early 2023. “Boongown is of an Alan Payne design and was built by the Griffin family who were based in Church Point and Mona Vale. It’s built from spotted gum which is a very hard timber. And heavy. The boat weighs 11 tons. It glides through the water like a beautiful old Jaguar.” Read her story HERE
CAMILLE
In 1963 Australia announced that it would challenge for the Admiral's Cup and there was considerable excitement as owners prepared for the selection trials. Ron Swanston designed a minimum rated, double ended sloop like CARMAN called CAMILLE. Trials were held in which CAMILLE tied for first place with the Halvorsen Brothers FREYA, while CAPRICE OF HUON tied for third place with SALACIA. The selection panel finally gave the nod for the third boat to CAPRICE OF HUON (also entered in this years regatta)
Read about her and her sisters HERE
WESTERN MORNING
The first 3 boats in order are: Swan 36 Hotspur (Peter Packer), S&S 34 Western Morning (Jim Taylor) and S&S34 Cicely June (Pat Dixon)
From the S&S34 Association website.
Western Morning has quite an interesting history.
The hull & deck were built by Helmatics in 1968 and used as the plug when the original S&S34 mould was sent out to Swarbricks later that year. The UK coach house and cabin design are quite different with less headroom and a completely open interior except for a single bulkhead about 40mm forward of the mast – midships engine, no forward bunks.
She was extensively refitted in 1981 with lots of teak & mahogany, and seemed destined for a cruising life. However this changed shortly after I acquired her during the 1996/7 season. Around that time the major interclub teams racing in Victoria switched, to the IMS rule and Ron & Ralph White in their legendary Shenandoah II were demonstrating that S&S 34’s were pretty hard to beat under that rule… in fact it was the crew work as much as the boat but that’s another story.
The next rebuild came in two stages – first saw replacement mast & rigging after a dismasting some 90 miles off the coast during the 1999 Queenscliff – Stanley race. Having digested this unexpected outlay, the real work came in 2003 after the engine died… new engine (Volvo 2030 which provides very adequate power thank you) requiring new engine bed … requiring new cabin sole and bunks … well why not relocate the fuel and water tanks so all the weight is amid ships … Hmm have to strip out the bow and stem as well. . .. A couple of new floors and foam core stiffeners running from the bow to the steering quadrant…replacement companionway all done in Balsa core and there we are … a new boat!
Have a look at the final paragraph in this article for an interesting take on the S&S34 design.