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Rolex Sydney Hobart: Super maxis survive in tough conditions

• January 6, 2022

Hong Kong’s SHK Scallywag was among three 100ft super maxis who led the charge in the 76th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with over half the entries unable to finish. Words: Bruce Maxwell. Photos: Rolex / Andrea Francolini.

SHK Scallywag with one reef had more control in increasingly strong southerlies, and drew away from rivals Black Jack and LawConnect

Hong Kong super maxi yacht SHK Scallywag led the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet imperiously out of Sydney Harbour, attracting primetime media coverage, then settled into a “battle of the giants” with two other 100ft super maxis, Black Jack and LawConnect .

Round one clearly went to SHK Scallywag ’s skipper, David Witt, who opted to start, in a building southerly breeze, with one reef in the yacht’s mainsail, which gave him more control and a slight edge in speed.

All three maxis bunched at the leeward end of the first of four starting lines for the 88-strong fleet, and Witt’s tactic paid off. TV cameras constantly zoomed in on SHK Scallywag ’s prominent Hong Kong – Asia’s World City bow artwork as the yacht drew inexorably ahead of her rivals, and led by several boat lengths at the first turning mark inside Sydney Heads. SHK stands for Sun Hung Kai, the long-established financial services and wealth management company of which Scallywag ’s owner Lee Seng Huang is Executive Director.

Skipper David Witt led around the first two marks

In Australia, however, the Malaysia-born businessman, who went to Sydney University, is better known for his role as Executive Director of Mulpha, which owns upmarket residential resorts such as Sanctuary Cove and Hayman Island, and has a portfolio of luxury hotels and other developments. Lee bought the former Dovell-designed Ragamuffin 100 from Syd Fischer in 2016, and as a much-modified Scallywag , she has since acquired copious trophies in Asia and the South Pacific.

Pitted again him was another property magnate, Peter Harburg, with his Reichel-Pugh 100 Black Jack . Well-known in Queensland real estate circles and for his series of ultra-competitive Black Jacks , named in honour of the F1 car racing driver Sir Jack Brabham, Harburg in 2021 chose to enter as a Monaco resident and member of the Yacht Club de Monaco.

Like Lee, he did not actually sail aboard – although both owners and especially Harburg have done so in past events – leaving regular skipper Mark Bradford to oversee a determined Black Jack campaign on the water, after previously winning most East Australian yacht racing accolades except Rolex Sydney Hobart line honours.

Scallywag in the lead, but in the open Pacific, her J2 furler came dangerously adrift

Third in this high-stakes yachting troika was Sydney software guru Christian Beck, sailing his fourth Rolex Sydney Hobart as owner-skipper with sailing masters Tony Mutter and Chris Nicholson. Navigator Brad Kellett, a veteran of 28 editions, was his most experienced crew.

Beck had purchased the former Perpetual Loyal from Anthony Bell in 2017 and renamed the revolutionary Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed 100-footer InfoTrack . This time she was sailing as LawConnect , with an easily readable injunction, at the start, for viewers to contact their local lawyer. Another ongoing innovation is to give some of Beck’s employees a unique opportunity to sail aboard.

“I seriously don’t want to do that first day and night again. Ever!” said Beck when he finally stepped off the yacht in Hobart, so maybe his IT staff were not thanking him quite so profusely as in years past.

Short, steep seas lasted for two nights, and forced half the fleet to withdraw

None of the three owners, nor the skippers, had taken line honours in a Rolex Sydney Hobart before, thus it was game on as the yachts, which included 17 two-handers sailing for the first time, left the

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutters Bay on Boxing Day, 26 December, for their respective harbour starting lines.

The 2020 event was cancelled altogether due to Covid, and this 76th one saw two related withdrawals. Many mandatory test results had not been received when the starting gun sounded, but the Tasmanian Government allowed sailors to at least set off, with their status pending.

It was not ideal, and the weather forecast of strong southerlies for the first two days was even more ominous for anyone who has beaten into such wind-over-current seas before.

Black Jack was entered by Queenslander Peter Harburg under Yacht Club de Monaco’s flag

For Asia-based readers, Deacons solicitor Bill Turnbull won the Rolex Sydney Hobart sailing for Hong Kong in Ceil 111 in 1973. Exactly 40 years ago we had a crack at the five-race Southern Cross Cup, entering a Hong Kong team centred on Keith Jacobs’ Bimblegumbie , plus Bill Steele’s chartered Battle Star and my co-chartered Impetuous , but had only modest results in “the Hobart”.

Later Karl Kwok became the first Chinese owner-skipper to win the Rolex Sydney Hobart, with mate Gavin Brady, in his Farr 49 Beau Geste , in that memorable year 1997, when China resumed control of Hong Kong. Beau Geste with Warwick Miller’s Exile and sailmaker Neil Pryde’s Hi Fidelity finally won the Southern Cross Cup that year.

This time, there was no chance that the 628nm race record of 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes 24 seconds set by the French-designed, American-built 100-footer Comanche in 2017 in heavy downwind surfing conditions, would be beaten.

After one of the toughest races in recent decades, Black Jack edges across a relatively calm Storm Bay to take line honours

The southerlies kicked in with a vengeance, gusting 30 knots to begin. Scallywag rounded the second ocean mark still handily ahead, but then off famous Bondi Beach, with the bow pointing more towards Hobart, the J2 furling forestay came adrift, and its heavy black furler scythed alarmingly backwards and forwards across the yacht at head height as crew fought in breaking seas to stabilise it and the still-attached sail.

Scallywag had to head north before they could contain it, and get a storm jib up on an inner forestay. LawConnect and Black Jack sailed past, taking over the lead. It was the first of many trials and tribulations.

Said Witt later: “The crew did an amazing job. We probably don’t deserve to have a 100-footer arrive here in Hobart, given the condition that the boat ended up in after that first night.

Breakages took their toll on LawConnect, as well as Scallywag

“We broke the J2 tack again , and those two times cost us 20 miles. Then we lost all the electronics, and had to sail three quarters of the race with no instruments. In a yacht this size, that’s a pretty difficult thing to do. The last straw was the PLC – Programable Logic Controller – shutting down, so we couldn’t turn the winches. At one stage we were trying to hand-wind the top of the winches.”

Black Jack and LawConnect had their share of problems too, and as winds eased a little off the Tasmanian Coast, SHK Scallywag surprisingly fought back into second place. But Black Jack ’s 10-15nm lead at this stage proved decisive in negotiating Storm Bay and the tricky tidal Derwent River to reach Hobart. She crossed the line at 1.37am on December 29 to claim the JH Illingworth Challenge Cup – Illingworth won the first Rolex Sydney Hobart in Rani in 1944 – with an elapsed time of 2 days 12 hours 37 minutes 17 seconds.

LawConnect and SHK Scallywag crept in at dawn, three hours later, with Christian Beck’s boat 19 minutes ahead. Thus the line honours order was officially 1 Monaco, 2 Australia, 3 Hong Kong, although this international result somewhat belies the chaos caused by covid-induced inabilities to travel in the lead-up and running of the 76th race.

Scallywag finished third, 19 minutes behind LawConnect

Witt in particular was hard hit. He and wife Kim came down with Covid in the Philippines, and at other times he was unable to commute from home in Hong Kong to Australia where the boat was located. By the time this leading trio finished, nearly half the fleet had retired with equipment malfunctions, breakages and personal injuries accounting for most of the casualties. Among them was sometime Thailand and Tasmanian resident Phil Turner’s Reichel-Pugh 66 Alive .

Fourth across the line was the Botin 80 Stefan Racing , skippered by co-owner Grant Wharington, which used to be one of Karl Kwok’s Beau Gestes , and fifth came the Judel-Vrolijk 62 Whisper owned by David Griffith. This yacht was formerly called Chinese Whisper , a phrase denoting soft speaking in English, maybe in the fond hope that crew would refrain from shouting at each other.

An impressive 87 female crew entered the race. They included Lin Jiang Hui, hailing originally from the Min River in Sichuan, sailing double-handed with Jean-Charles Ledun, but this duo pulled out early, reportedly due to a hand injury.

TP52 Celestial rounds the ‘organ pipes’ at Cape Raoul after the incident in which she was unreachable by radio for 90 minutes

The debut of the Two-Handed Class caused some controversy over their permitted use of automatic pilots, and they were not eligible for the overall Tattersall Cup, the premier handicap trophy of the Rolex Sydney Hobart, although the CYCA has undertaken to review their status in time for the December 2022 event.

Handicap honours eventually went to former CYCA Commodore Matt Allen in his TP52 Ichi Ban – Number One in Japanese – and as he also won in 2017 and 2019, this elevated him to the august ranks of a triple champion.

The only others were boat builders Trygve and Magnus Halvorsen in Freya , a 39-foot wooden cutter, in 1963-64-65, and property developer Peter Kurts and his son Simon in the classic also-wooden Sparkman & Stephens 47 Love & War in 1974-78 and 2006.

Allen is well-known in Southeast Asia and East Asia, having raced in the region after crewing on another Rolex Sydney Hobart winner, the legendary Lou Abrahams’ Challenge , as a 17-year-old in 1983, and he sails with Irish pro Gordon Maguire, who helmed in high-profile Asian yacht campaigns years ago.

Hard on her heels was TP52 Ichi Ban, the eventual handicap winner and the third yacht to win three times on handicap

His victory this year came after a protest against rival TP52 owner and CYCA director Sam Haynes in Celestial , which would otherwise have won.

The Race Committee also protested Celestial . The issue was that a Celestial crew’s personal emergency beacon had been activated, one of 13 such cases in the rough first two days of the race. Other yachts confirmed by radio – some taking 25 minutes to respond – that alarms had been set off accidentally as crew were thrown about the boats, below and above deck, and everyone was still aboard.

Celestial , however, couldn’t be contacted, despite a race requirement that a listening watch be kept at all times. Emergency air-sea rescue services, which did such a phenomenal job in the disastrous 1998 Rolex Sydney Hobart, when miraculously only six yachtsmen lost their lives, were on standby.

Ichi Ban , the nearest yacht, sailing seven miles away, was asked to contact Celestial by VHF, but attempts went unanswered. She then launched a white flare, followed some time later by a red distress flare, to try to attract attention, finally succeeding in making contact.

The complex protest between the Race Committee and Celestial, and by Ichi Ban claiming time redress, lasted over four hours

In Hobart the sailing judges heard that Celestial had a noisy engine running to power electrics, and the navigator was trying to use a hand-held VHF feed on deck. The crew were exhausted after battling heavy seas, and they had been out of contact for only 90 minutes.

The panel comprised David Tillett (AUS), Rosemary Collins (AUS), John Doerr (GBR), Russel Green (NZL), Jamie Sutherland (NZL) and Philippe Mazard (FRA).

It was decided that a time penalty of 40 minutes would be imposed in lieu of disqualification for breaching the rule, and Ichi Ban was awarded a three-minute time deduction for her own efforts, which had distracted from racing the yacht. The panel later, on January 1, rejected a Request to Reopen hearings by Celestial .

“To win with Ichi Ban a third time is unbelievable”, said Allen. “It is always better, ideally, not to go into the protest room to decide matters. I’ve been involved in protests probably no more than six times in my lifetime.

Ichi Ban owner-skipper Matt Allen with a specially engraved Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht Master, presented by Benoit Falletti of Rolex Australia

“But obviously the Race Committee also protested. Sailing has many rules to it, and they are important to abide by, especially the ones related to safety.”

Ten of the 17 starters in the inaugural Two-Handed Division made it to Hobart. Line honours went to the Tasmanian duo of Rob Gough and John Saul sailing Sidewinder , a 12m French design well set up for heavy ocean racing. Winner under several handicap systems, however, was the J99 Disko Trooper named after the lead character in Rudyard Kipling’s Captains Courageous , one Disko Troop.

A couple of Laser sailors, Jules Hall and Jan ‘Clogs’ Scholten, were aboard, and they were sponsored by Scholten’s company Contender Sailcloth. Also with a podium finish was Crux , an S&S 34 crewed by Carlos Aydos and Peter Grayson.

Kialoa 11 , one of the legendary American Jim Kilroy’s early steeds, took part in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, and last boat home was the 71-year-old Halvorsen 36 Solveig , which crossed the finish line at 08:42:11 on the morning of January 1. www.rolexsydneyhobart.com

Y focus on carbon: Custom Tripp 90 by YYachts Specialising in luxury carbon sailing yachts from 70-100ft, Germany’s YYachts has launched its custom-built Tripp 90, which features an exterior by Bill Tripp and a richly detailed interior by Winch Design – and will be followed by the Y9 model in 2022. By John Higginson.

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Victorian launch for Skandia - Australia’s largest Super-Maxi

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The super maxi (racing yachts under 100’ or 30m) are increasingly popular and as more yachts are launched the competition gets better. Super maxis are raced in all the large worldwide yacht events from the Fastnet to the Sydney to Hobart to the Middle Seas race.

LEOPARD 3 is a racing sailing yacht, as launched in 2007. She is a new concept for a 100ft super maxi from Farr Yacht Design.  LEOPARD 3 meets the demanding requirements of a luxurious, signature charter yacht, as well as a passage record breaker and a race winning super maxi in a fantatic new concept developed by Farr Yacht Design.

Racing maxi ‘Maximus’ is definitely the latest and most impressive super maxi to ever appear on the world stage.  She may even represent one of the biggest design leaps in all monohull yachting. The name comes from Maximus' unbridled maximum power to weight ratio. Maximus is quite a step forward in design and technology in the world of yachting and when compared to other super maxi designs (notably Zana/Conical Minolta & Scandia). This is perhaps not surprising given the project mission – To design, build and successfully race the world’s fastest and most innovative monohull under 100 ft with adherence only to the rules of science and experience. There are no class rule handbrakes here!

Why is Maxims set to be the fastest thing afloat and beat every other monohull she mixes with? Simple really - her team. She has the best possible design and building team, willing and extremely capable owners and a fantastic sailing crew. As with anything, if you want to do something great you need to gather around great people. EBS Yachting (Maximus) has achieved this without compromise.

Every now and then in history you can get a congregation of amazing people in one area and place – a class of genius. The Maximus team is comprised of perhaps the most outstanding individuals and companies in ocean yachting in the world. As it turns out they are almost all New Zealanders. Anyone heard of Greg Elliot, Clay Oliver, Chris Mitchell, Southern Spars, North Sails, Cookson Boat Builders? Why not throw in a nuclear physicist/innovator and a very successful race campaigner and businessman as the owners, into the mix!

At her launch Maximus was dressed in modernist silver and measured in at 100 feet or 30.5 meters in length overall, weight unknown. She made quite an impressive sight. In the words of Stewart Thwaites who was there (the owner, campaigner and racer of super maxi Konica Minolta): “It just looks beautiful really…”.  The old adage in Aeronautics that ‘if the plane looked good to the eye, she would fly well’, perhaps rings true here with yachting also.

The key with making a yacht fast is high power to weigh ratio, achieved with strategic weight distribution, high righting moment and low weight, yet strong materials. When righting moment is high, more horse power can be designed into the rig and sails. The hull, spars and sails therefore need to be light and the bulb on the keel deep and heavy. Class rules traditionally hamstring a designer from the challenge of taking design and technology to its full potential. This is not the case with Maximus. Throw in a streamlined, easily driven hull and a skillful crew and you have all the ingredients for speed.

Weight to power ratio and righting moment has been maximized in Maximus by an extremely frugal addition of weight throughout all parts of the yacht. The hull and much of the equipment and fittings are completely composed of carbon. So too are the spars – the mast could be lifted by one very well balanced Scottish caber tosser! Further weight is stripped down with the absence, rather alteration, of some fittings normally found on yachts, such as cleats and many usually conventional winches – the luff is tensioned down rather than pulled up with a halyard. The winches that are used are also made from carbon. Add to this a revolutionary rotating mast (the first for a monohull) for more efficient use of the wind (and less drag) and a keel which telescopes into itself and cants to a larger angle than ever before.

Perhaps unexpectedly, safety has not been compromised is favour of performance alone. Crash bars have been fitted in strategic places (carbon fiber off-course) and the hull has been designed, by Greg Elliott, with higher than necessary top sides to minimize the crew’s exposure to fast moving deck wash. Maximus is fully equipped with safety gear, has a strengthened canting keel and is able to function completely manually, without auxiliary power. It is not hard to understand why the team has a particular emphasis on safety and prudence as they are in uncharted territory in yachting with respect to boat speeds and pressures.

The Velocity Prediction Analysis suggests that Maximus will smash speed records with her long straight lines, low drag, high righting moment, maximum power to weight ratio, efficient and huge sail area, rotating mast, and extra canting keel. Add to this an excellent managerial and sailing team and she is likely to not only find racing regatta line honors but dissolve opponent’s spirits in her wake in the process.

LawConnect training for the 2021 Sydney Hobart. Pic - Andrea Francolini/Law Connect

Sailing on Sydney Harbour. Pic - Salt Lab Productions

Getting the bowsprit ready. Pic - Andrea Francolini/Law Connect

From left to right: Lucas Chapman, Charlie Wyatt, Christian Beck, Ty Oxley, Selma Raso and Rachel Williams. Pic - Andrea Francolini/Law Connect

Sydney Hobart super maxi’s secret weapon

It took a few goes for the LawConnect team to smash the champagne bottle on the newly extended bowsprit of Christian Beck’s 100ft super maxi, but they eventually got there, christening the rebranded Juan-K 100 ahead of the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

It was a strong turn out, with over 50 in attendance to celebrate the yacht’s official partnership reveal with LawConnect.

The partnership company is a lawyer directory website, where individuals and groups can find the right lawyer who meets their specific needs.

At the event, a very impressive looking bowsprit was a talking point. According to Beck, the super maxi, formerly known as InfoTrack and before that Perpetual Loyal, boasts the largest sprit in the fleet, and potentially the world.

The purpose of the extended bowsprit is to increase the yacht’s overall performance. It increases the sail area by 15 per cent and allows the yacht to better perform upwind by having the sails sitting further forward. In addition, the crew can run three sails at once rather than two and in lighter winds it provides extra power and speed.

Beck, entrepreneur and founder of Leap Legal Software (creator of LawConnect) said the extended bowsprit could be the difference between first and second place.

“We’re on a trajectory here,” he said. “This will be my fourth Sydney to Hobart [aboard the super maxi]. The first year we came 24 th , the second year we came fourth and the third year we came second. So, if this trend continues, we should come first this year.”

It wouldn’t be the first time the yacht took line honours the 628-nautical-mile race. In 2016, Perpetual Loyal, owned Anthony Bell at the time, broke the race record, finishing in one day, 13 hours and 31 minutes (the record was broken by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant’s LDV Comanche in 2017).

On board for the 2016 record was long-time crew member and Boat Captain Ty Oxley, who will be racing in his 19 th Sydney Hobart this year. The 46-year-old has won line honours three times, the first aboard Ludde Ingvall’s maxi Nicorette in 2004, then on Anthony Bell’s Investec Loyal in 2011, and the last time aboard Perpetual Loyal (also owned by Bell). Oxley is looking to turn his three wins into four. To win, there is no room for error.

“The gel of the team is really good,” Oxley said at the launch. “Last time I won [line honours] the Hobart race it was exactly the same, it was the teamwork that led us to beat Wild Oats and hopefully it’ll be the same again.”

The super maxi has 15 professional crew on board, in addition to Beck, and five Leap employees.

“It takes time to build the team, get the boat right. But I think we’re at that stage now,  where we’re getting to the peak of what our performance should be,” Oxley said.

The win won’t come easy. Beck and team will be kept company by the two other super maxis in the fleet: Peter Harburg’s RP 100 Black Jack (2009 line honours winner under the name Alfa Romeo) and Seng Huang Lee’s Dovell 100, SHK Scallywag 100.

The three yachts will compete against one another for the first time this year in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s (CYCA) Blue Water Pointscore Cabbage Tree Island Race, 1.4km off the entrance to Port Stephens (to be held this weekend). The 172-nautical-mile race will be LawConnect’s first race with the new bowsprit.

Oxley said he and the team have 14 to 16 consecutive days of training planned (including Cabbage Tree Island and the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour), to ensure that everything, from crew work to the new bowsprit, is in top form.

They’ll also use this time to train the five Leap employees chosen for the experience of a lifetime.

“They’re part of our crew so there’s not anyone who’s just a passenger. They’ve got a crew number and they’re able to participate in the race,” Oxley said.

Leap sales director Selma Raso is one of the lucky ones, sailing in her first Sydney Hobart, with little sailing experience, on a super maxi.

But the 32-year-old is up for the challenge.

“It’s the kind of stuff you don’t say no to,” Raso said. “And it’s hopefully going to send a message as well. I run a team of sales people, with quite a lot of females on the team. If anything, I want them to lead a fearless life. Just to have them see [what I’m doing] as something they can aspire to is rewarding.”

Raso, along with four other amateur sailors, will be on sail handling duties. Raso is looking forward to finding out what that entails in the intensive training period.

“I hope that means carrying sails not selling because I’m a sales manager. Please don’t tell me I’m doing that, I thought this would be a break!”

Raso couldn’t be happier about being on board a Sydney Hobart line honours contender.

“It would be incredible if they do [win], particularly after last year and the race not happening. I know everybody worked so hard,” she said.

The Sydney Hobart was cancelled last year, days before the start date, due to a NSW Covid-19 outbreak that translated to a 14 day lockdown in Tasmania for all taking part.

The crew couldn’t be more excited to get to Hobart, preferably with the other 105 competitors in their wake, following a year off.

“My dream as a child was to do the race,” Beck said. “I used to watch it as a kid on the TV. And once I did it, I decided I wanted to win it. We’ve been working very hard to do that.”

And could another race record be in the books? Oxley’s not ruling it out.

“It’s a bit early yet [to make that prediction]. I’ve broken the record before, so let’s just wait and see.”

By Greta Quealy

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Inside The Wild World Of Super-Maxi Yacht Racing

The world’s fastest and most advanced sailing seafarers head to the Caribbean to compete in the yachting world equivalent of F1.

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I hit the tarmac in Sint Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles revved up to partake in the yachting world equivalent of Formula One for the weekend. Hopping onto a screaming machine taming the forces of nature to barrel along billionaire style. For it was the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and I was going racing aboard a super-maxi yacht .

Held annually this is one of the highlights of the yacht racing world’s calendar, drawing the best boats and crews from all over the world to pit their machinery and knowhow against each other during a long weekend of hard racing, hard partying and camaraderie—all on one of the most welcoming islands in the Caribbean.

The super-maxis are the ultimate racers of the yacht world and are governed by a set of rules which describe them as monohulls of more than 100 feet in length, with a keel and no limit on the number or type of “appendages.” Pure bucket-list stuff, where if you have to ask what it costs you clearly have no idea what you are getting into. At the end of ancient maps, uncharted waters were simply marked with mystical creatures and the notation, “here be dragons.” Well that is where I was headed. And fast.

Installed at the newly-opened Morgan Resort & Spa in this Dutch West Indies idyll, I inhaled deeply of the view; and pondered what a view it was, out over turquoise waters and clear blue skies gusting 25-plus knots of wind. For things were about to go super-maxi off the beaches of Sint Maarten, in the form of a ride aboard one of the most legendary racing yachts on the water today—Leopard 3.

At a touch over 100 feet, this carbon fiber/Nomex-hulled missile can shoot through the water at over 40 knots when at full tilt downwind. Fully rigged with over 15,000 square feet of thermo-formed carbon composite sails on her 154-foot carbon fiber mast and rigging, she is an extreme machine that has won everything from the Rolex Maxi Cup to Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, set trans-Atlantic speed records, and carried her racing crew of 20-plus souls to victory across the globe.

Designed by the legendary Farr Yacht Designs based out of Annapolis in Maryland, she is wide—22 feet at the widest point of her beam—and perfectly suited for fast offshore racing with more than a few tricks up her sleeve. Her “appendages” include a keel that cants up to 40 degrees, stabilizing her as if 200 extra crew members were sitting on the rail, and twin asymmetric lifting dagger-boards located either side of the mast to perfectly balance the sail forces when racing at full tilt.

The days of ex-NFL linebackers with 22-inch biceps grinding the winches of racing yachts are mostly behind the likes of Leopard 3, which features hydraulic winches, but the combination of almost military discipline and ballet-like choreography among its professional racing team are a delight to behold. The Captain and tactician calling the moves with precision timing, and an otherworldly sense of the wind down to the second, divining increases and decreases in invisible forces as if Merlin himself were aboard as the team trims sail to maximize speed at all moments.

The real key to the deployment of this technological wizardry is the team which employs it. As with Formula One, two things are necessary in spades—enormous amounts of money, and enormous amounts of skill and experience on the team. One begets the other, but it also pays for the eye-watering expenses of maintaining the boat and crew in peak condition with every carbon sail, titanium nut and bolt, and carbon fiber piece in optimal race-ready condition. Like life, things wear out, break, and go amiss.

I’ve been on boats that have snapped masts, lost sails, hell, almost sank. And for mere mortals if this happens you go bankrupt. But in the world of billionaire yacht-racing, you just Fedex a new carbon fiber mast half way around the world overnight, and have it fitted to keep you racing the next day. I saw Larry Ellison do this at Antigua Race Week one year when his yacht Sayonara snapped its mast—and it says everything you need to know about sailing super-Maxi style.

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NEW ClubSWAN 80 maxi sailing yacht models to be launched next year!

Published by SuperSailYachts.com Team on 15th Sept  2020

  With 6-metre beam, canting lifting keel and Nauta interior the CLUBSWAN 80 is going to be the latest superyacht available for new boat owners in 2021.  To be built in Italy by the Persico Marine and with several leading designers involved in engineering, project management or naval design, this new Swan promises new levels of performance, comfort and luxury …

The press release on this subject is shown below.

THE PROJECT

By NAUTOR SWAN

After the great success achieved by the technologically advanced ClubSwan 36, the ClubSwan 50 which marked the start of a new era in the One Design panorama and the new Super Maxi ClubSwan 125 ready to hit the water next spring and conceived to beat all world records, Nautor’s Swan is expanding the ClubSwan family with another exceptional project, which will prove to be once again both technologically advanced and radical against the maxi sailing yachts’ history and to complete the ClubSwan Yachts range. The brief at the heart of the new project was to create a maxi yacht for real time racing: identical yachts, modern, fast and fun to compete with the same equivalent features, relying on the owner’s abilities at the helm. The controlled running costs, together with the exhilarating performances and light displacement make this yacht a dream for every sailor.

“When I started working on the projects of ClubSwan Yachts with Nautor I felt ecstatic. Designing pure racers which are highly technological and advanced is something unique. When we started talking about a model which could raise the bar in the sailing world in order to turn the maxi sailing yachts around, we all knew that an eighty-footer was the right way to go. Working with Vittorio, Giovanni, Scott and Persico’s team is something that it’s difficult to explain. It’s like pushing ourselves over the limits learning from different experiences, approaches and ideas. That’s innovation!”

"We are very honoured to cooperate with Nautor ’ s Swan and Juan K in the construction of the ClubSwan 80. With this significant collaboration, we will continue to expand and to enhance our production technology, allowing for the greatest versatility in the design and engineering of high performance yachts,” Marcello Persico, CEO of Persico Marine, said.

The hull shape has been intensively tested by Juan Yacht Design’s own C.F.D. department to reward each owner with the best performances combined with optimum control while racing inshore around the cans as well as offshore for the major maxi events.

Some technical details:

LOA = 23,99 m LWL = 23,89 m BEAM = 6,00 m

CANTING LIFTING KEEL: DRAFT keel down = 6,30 m DRAFT keel up = 4,50 m SAIL AREA upwind (Main + 100% Foretriangle) = 440 m²

HIGH MODULUS CARBON MAST AND BOOM

RETRACTABLE CARBON BOWSPRIT

TWIN RUDDERS

RETRACTABLE DRIVE SYSTEM

INTERNAL SPINNAKER RETRIEVING SYSTEM

ClubSwan 80 is available for immediate orders and first models are due to be delivered during 2021.  You can commission your own boat with us as your broker so please request further information by sending us an email, calling one of our numbers or responding to this news through social media at #supersailyachts or #a2ayachting

In case you are interested in chartering one of these or similar yachts or wish to consider purchasing one of the models which are offered for sale, do let us know by filling out the CHARTER REQUEST FORM  or send us an email to [email protected]  now.  

Disclaimer:  The information provided here are made as a general guide only, made to give a broad description and latest news of the shown yacht or yachts. They are not intended to constitute part of an offer or contract.  The details of the luxury yacht or yachts displayed on this page are made merely for informational purposes, and the yacht or the yachts are not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she or they represented or marketed in anyway by SuperSailYachts.com. All details, including any photographs, measurements, plans and specifications mentioned, are given as a guide only and should not be relied upon for the purchase or charter of this yacht. The copyright of all details, photographs and deckplans remains the property of their rightful owners or their chosen representatives.

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What Is A Maxi Yacht?

Wondering what is a maxi yacht? This type of large sailing vessel is extremely popular in the Whitsunday Islands , which happens to be one of the world’s most breathtaking sailing destinations! So if you’re planning a boat trip through the Whitsundays , you may want to brush up on your knowledge of maxi yachts and consider hopping on one for your exploration of the Coral Sea!

A maxi yacht generally refers to a racing yacht that is over 21 or 22 meters in length (68-71 feet). Though they are often built and designed for racing, many maxis are converted into tour boats after their racing careers. But many maxis have fascinating histories, whether it’s competing in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race or taking on global sailing expeditions. 

Because these boats are built with premium materials and engineering processes, they have superior speed and sailing capabilities compared to other catamarans or power boats. A maxi yacht can cost millions of dollars to build and maintain, so you can be sure you’re stepping aboard a top-notch vessel when you hop onto a maxi! 

Maxi Boat Tours In The Whitsundays

If you’re looking for the ultimate sailing experience in the Whitsundays , a maxi yacht boat tour is the way to go. They are some of the fastest boats, meaning you can cover more ground and see more sights in less time. Most maxi tours are 2 nights, with either 2 or 3 days for exploring. So you’ll get to pack in so much sightseeing in the Whitsundays during your tour!

Super maxi yachts are also the most spacious options for boat tours in the Whitsundays. There are often extensive cabins and saloons that allow ample space for relaxing on board. Often carrying groups of around 20-30 passengers, you’ll have a fun, social experience aboard a maxi yacht. 

Check out our top maxi tours here!

Best Super Maxi Yachts in the Whitsundays

Once you’ve decided to board a maxi yacht for your Whitsunday adventure, you may be wondering what are the best super maxi boat tours to choose from. Here is a quick overview of the top maxi yachts where you can have the sailing experience of a lifetime in the beautiful Whitsunday Islands . 

All maxi sailing tours visit the iconic Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout , as well as numerous marine life-rich snorkeling spots . They also include all food throughout the tour, and many are BYO alcohol. 

British Defender

British Defender is one of the most incredible maxis in the Whitsundays! At 77 feet long, this sturdy and spacious vessel was built in 1989 and has sailed all over the world. There are 3 bathrooms on board, each with a hot shower, as well as single and double bunks that can fit a total of 28 guests. 

As you sail to Whitehaven Beach and numerous excellent snorkeling spots over 2 day and 2 nights, passengers can get involved and help the crew with sailing! British Defender is also the only maxi in the Whitsundays with air-conditioning! If you’re visiting Tropical North Queensland during the hot summer months, you’ll definitely want that air-con so you can eat, sleep, and relax in comfort. 

British Defender is also available for private charter!

This 3-day, 2-night maxi tour is another one of the top sailing tours. Apollo has an extensive and successful racing history! This boat has won every major race on the east coast of Australia and is now one of the most comfortable tour boats in the Whitsundays. 

On your tour with Apollo, you’ll visit gorgeous local spots like Stonehaven Bay, Nara Inlet, Langford Reef, and of course, Whitehaven Beach . Apollo also offers the perfect balance of fun and relaxation. This 75-foot-long maxi has space for 26 guests, so you can make new friends but it’s not a party boat so you’ll be able to enjoy some serenity on your tour as well. After being fully refitted in 2022, Apollo is running better than ever!

Apollo is also available for private charter!

Siska offers a 2-day, 1-night tour that is the perfect social experience for young people ages 18-35. With only 24 guests on board, you’ll be able to make new friends without feeling too crowded on this luxurious maxi yacht. 

There is a spacious saloon with two dining tables, and an extensive awning that will provide some shady relaxation spots when anchored. Because Siska only runs for 2 days and 1 night, it’s a great overnight maxi tour for those who are short on time. But if you have at least 2 nights to spare exploring the Whitsundays, British Defender or Apollo are the ideal options!

Siska is also available for private charter!

Live chat with our travel experts or call us at +61 7 4914 2425 if you have any questions about planning your Whitsunday sailing trip!

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New maxi launched

• July 20, 2005

New 30m super maxi launched in Sydney ready for Sydney Hobart

The world’s newest super maxi yacht, Sydney-based New Zealander Neville Crichton’s 30m (98ft) Alfa Romeo, hit the water in Sydney Harbour late yesterday, her owner’s sights set firmly on winning line and handicap honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2005.

The striking-looking boat, long and narrow and painted silver with blue stripes, will have its towering 44m high rig stepped today or tomorrow, and is expected to have its first sail at the weekend.

The super maxi, already on the register of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, will make its racing debut at the Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island in late August, representing New Zealand.

It will then be sailed to New Zealand for further sea trials before returning to Sydney to contest the Rolex Trophy and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in December.

Alfa Romeo will be one of at least five maximum-sized super maxi yachts expected to contest this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the others being the yet-to-be-launched Wild Oats, the New Zealand boats Maximus and Konica Minolta and Skandia from Victoria.

The new Alfa Romeo is again a Reichel/Pugh design with a canting keel, main rudder and canard for’ard rudder. It was built by McConaghy Boats in Sydney’s northern beaches suburb of Mona Vale entirely of carbon fibre using the latest technical advances,

The hull and keel were transported by road from Newport to White Bay in Sydney on two low-loaders in the early hours of Monday morning and following the attachment of the keel and rudders, the boat went in the water at 3pm yesterday.

Owner Neville Crichton has yet to see his new boat in the water, he is currently on his way to Europe on business.

No detailed specifications have been released about the new Alfa Romeo, other than its LOA of 30 metres (98 feet), but the mast is expected to tower 44 metres above the deck whilst the total sail area is understood to be a third bigger than that of the previous 90-foot Alfa Romeo.

Despite the fact that the boat is 98ft LOA compared with the 90ft LOA of the previous Alfa Romeo, it is understand that the hull of the new boat is less than a tonne heavier.

Crichton’s Alfa Romeo was the second application to enter for this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race received by the CYCA Sailing Office. Another New Zealand boat, the 10.97m Nevenka the first and the West Australian Lidgard 33 Balance the third to enter since the notice of race was published.

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Race This 100-Foot, Record-Breaking Superyacht in World-Class Regattas

The leopard 3 wants you to take it for a spin.

If you have ever thought seriously about yacht racing , super maxi yacht racing must be your ultimate goal. At 100-foot plus, boats in the super maxi class deliver extreme speed on a big platform. Super maxis compete in the best of all regattas . From Porto Curvo Sardinia to Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, super maxis call the world’s most beautiful ports home. This is big boat sailing and crews of 20 are the minimum.

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Super maxi yacht racing is also very expensive. There’s the cost of the yacht itself, the upkeep of sails and mechanical maintenance, not to mention the expense of the crew needed to race. You’re looking at maxi-millions. The ability to write these checks is a form of stamina that many sailors do not possess. At that point, you’ve devoted your entire life to the sport. The Volvo Ocean Race, for example, an around the world event, requires a dedication and level of skill attainable only by a handful of sailors .

You are not going to be in that race.

So how to have a once in a lifetime maxi yacht racing experience? How do you sail in The Lora Piana Superyacht Regatta in Sardinia in the summer or its sister regatta in the blue Caribbean waters off Virgin Gorda in the winter?

The answer is on Leopard 3, a 100-foot, Bruce Farr-designed and McConaghy-built superyacht. She has broken record after record in race after race, including in the The Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup and Les Voiles de St. Tropez. She has also broken trans-Atlantic records. Her list of firsts requires the use of a superlative.

Leopard 3 is owned by Mike Slade, and her captain from the very beginning has been Chris Sherlock. Slade is a veteran racer and Leopard 3 is his latest in a long line of racing yachts. Slade is as charming as the proprietor of any unique experience need be. He has a wide smile and possesses a beguiling exuberance when it comes to his boat.

I was fortunate enough to be invited aboard for a race during the superyacht regatta in Bermuda organized around the America’s Cup in June. It was a thrill I will not forget. Leopard 3 is fast. She can do almost 40 knots downwind. She has two dagger boards and a canting keel that allows her to sail to windward with ease. Her massive sails are top of the line and always in race condition. Sherlock said, “When it comes to gear and maintenance, we spare no expense.” Slade added, “This is home. We only know one way to do this: right.”

The race crew performance was flawless, like a grand ballet in which everyone has rehearsed their roles. The sail change choreography and dagger board utilization went off without a hitch.

We raced against some of the biggest and best maxi racers like Highland Fling and Visione .

Yet, perhaps the most amazing feature of Leopard 3 is that she is for charter. You can take her out for a spin at any one of a dozen regattas, or if you prefer, for a fast sail with your friends. Like the lord of a large manor, Slade welcomes the revenue that is required to keep his enterprise going. “We have a very successful charter program,” he explained. “We can provide a once in a lifetime experience for someone that wants to see what a maxi yacht racer feels like. We love having guests onboard, we have had nothing but great experiences.” Those who charter Leopard 3 are usually either corporate team-building clients or just a group of good friends who have always wanted to race.

If you want to take over the whole boat, Slade can stay ashore and Captain Sherlock will be your host. Leopard 3 is like other racers and cruisers. She has a modular interior: The furniture can be removed for race mode and put back for comfortable fast cruising.

Cloud 10 Racing of Newport, R.I. produces custom regatta experiences and offers a similar solution. With a network of yachts similar in scope to Leopard 3, you can book a charter through them for some of the world’s most exciting regattas. Tony Rey, the principal at Cloud 10, said, “The Leopard 3 model is the gold standard of the ultimate regatta experience. They really do it right. Additionally, there are multiple options out there to fit nearly any budget based on desired venue and crew size. We work with the client to provide a unique, ultimate regatta package. The racing will be fast and fun, and the shore-side activities memorable!”

For sure, a regatta on Leopard 3 is a bucket list experience, but if you have ever wanted to race yachts at this level there are other ways — just do it.

Jonathan Russo has been a sailing enthusiast for 30 years. He sails his Sabre 38 “Sachem” and an Etchell’s from the Shelter Island Yacht Club. He has written about sailing and racing for Soundings, Scuttlebut and The Shelter Island Reporter.

• SEE ALSO : Noah Tepperberg’s Recipe for Mastering the Art of Hospitality

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Crew is one of the largest expenses on a superyacht and critical to the owner’s enjoyment of their vessel. As the largest crew agency in the world, we know crew. Our cost calculator contains customized crew lists for yachts ranging from 80ft to 600ft with salary information based on our reference verified salary data.

Our users also have the ability to completely tailor the crew list to the specific needs, schedule and requirements of their vessel. Each yacht is unique and may have specific owner requests in addition to the yacht’s safe manning requirements.

Management of the supplemental crew costs and strategic budgeting can help avoid significant overspend on categories such as food and uniform. This tool contains default values based on our industry expertise and recommended budget for an efficiently and safely run superyacht.

To learn more about each crew position in detail, including salary ranges, please visit our yacht department directory .

Drag the sliders to modify your results. These are not linear scales and we expect most yachts to operate within the 20-80% window. Above 80% and below 20% costs increase or decrease at exaggerated levels and we only see numbers in these levels in very rare circumstances.

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Our yacht operating cost calculator is now on it’s third major revision. We start with actual yacht expense data from our yacht management accountants and then generate formulas to extrapolate out the budget for a wide range of yachts. We have been providing accounting services to large yachts for the past 18 years.

Our operating cost calculator is tuned for yachts from 80 to 600 feet. We find operating variables create the largest variances for yachts smaller than 100 feet and larger than 250 feet. We have tested the numbers the most in the range from 100 to 250 feet.

Our budget calculator factors in the fuel burn for a range of engine sizes typically seen installed on yachts by length. By dragging the green “fuel dockage” slider to the right you will increase the projected fuel burn rate and therefore the budget cost for fuel. Our default position would be for a typical displacement fuel burn. Position the slider in the 60-80% range for fuel projections for planning hulls.

Our default values produce a budget number that we believe is generous to run a yacht to a high standard. Perfect is a very expensive word to use in the yachting industry where standards are already high. Moving the crew and maintenance sliders to 80% will provide an “industry best” quality of crew and give them the maintenance budget to operate to a very high standard. If you need to go over the 80% area then you may have unusually labor intensive equipment on the yacht.

Yes, our yacht operating cost calculator can output a budget suitable for this situation. Adjust the owner use to 2 (minimum value), owner slider to 0, crew slider to 10%, Administration to 10%, Fuel and Dockage to 0, Maintenance to 10% and then Capital Repairs to 0. This will remove all of the large charges associated with owner use and vessel movement but leave the essential base maintenance and insurance in place.

Lift on and float in yacht transport is a popular way to transport yachts across large ocean passage. The yachts that this service certainly applies to are ones that may not have the motoring range or structural integrity for blue ocean cruising. The cost of transporting a yacht twice per year is put into our budget once the “Fuel Dockage” slider hits 75%. If your yacht has the range we recommend self-sufficient ocean passages whenever possible. Whilst the transport companies sell their services based upon reportedly well oiled operated schedules the reality is that your yacht may stay waiting for pickup for a week or more with no compensation due. When factoring in all secondary factors of self-sufficient passages (increased fuel, maintenance, potential storm damage, crew time off, extra delivery crew) compared with transporting your yacht (insurance, potential loading / unloading damage, loss of schedule control, no work whilst underway, crew flights, crew accommodation) we believe that there is a 100% premium associated with float in transport and a 75% premium with lift on transport compared with self-powered.

Abandoned yachts crash in value. We recommend that even if you are trying to sell your yacht that you use the yacht for a minimum of two weeks per year so that systems are tested and working every six months. There is nothing worse for a yacht than not being used. If you truly are not going to use the yacht then you should sell it immediately for the first genuine offer as every dollar you put into maintenance will not be recovered at the time of the sale.

We did not build this version with sailing yachts in mind. Early in our development of this version we decided to exclude sailing yachts as a few of the major cost drivers scale very differently for sailing yachts compared with motor yachts. For example: To calculate paint costs we reviewed the surface area of over 100 large yachts and created a formula for painted surface area to length. Sailing yachts just don’t scale in a consistent way. Similarly crew numbers don’t scale in the same manner that they do for motor yachts. If there is sufficient demand we may build a sailing selector switch into a future version of this tool.

We hate to hear when yacht owners were told by their broker to factor in 10% of the purchase price to operate the yacht. This over used saying is sadly right occasionally (particularly for newer yachts in the $20-30M range)… but just because a broken watch tells the right time twice a day you shouldn’t rely upon it to tell the time. As yachts get older their capital value decreases but their maintenance costs increase. There is no way that a fixed 10% of purchase cost rule can be true… if your broker told you this rule then you need a new yacht broker… we know some good ones. 😊

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History of Maxi Yachts

Maxi Yachts is a renowned Swedish boat manufacturer with an enduring legacy in the yachting world. The company was founded in the late 1960s by Pelle Petterson, a respected designer and accomplished sailor. The brand was dedicated to crafting high-performance sailing vessels that embodied Swedish craftsmanship, sophistication, and innovative design. The company's pioneering spirit and attention to detail quickly gained recognition, and in less than ten years, the Maxi 1100, their flagship sailing yacht, had become a popular name among enthusiasts and professional sailors.

Over the years, Maxi Yachts has evolved and diversified its range, meeting the high expectations of its global customer base. They expertly blend contemporary design with traditional construction techniques to create sailing vessels known for their durability, performance and design aesthetics. Throughout the 1990s, under the leadership of Petterson's protege, Joakim Karche, Maxi Yachts further cemented its place as one of the leading yacht manufacturers, and it’s models such as the Maxi 1080 were celebrated for their design excellence.

Today, Maxi Yachts is based in Poland and continues to thrive under highly skilled European craftsmanship. Lundh Craft, a distinguished boat building company, carries the torch, ensuring that each Maxi yacht continues to adhere to the highest standards of design, construction, and performance. Notwithstanding the change of location, Maxi Yachts remains true to its core – creating excepcionally well-crafted sailing yachts that embody the spirit of its Swedish heritage. The brand stands firm in its commitment to innovation, perfection, and sailing pleasure, upholding the legacy started by Pelle Petterson more than half a century ago.

Which models do Maxi Yachts produce?

Maxi Yachts produce a range of boats including the Maxi Yachts Dolphin 62 , Maxi Yachts Dolphin 67 , Maxi Yachts Dolphin 75 , Maxi Yachts Maxi 1000 and Maxi Yachts Maxi 72 . For the full list of Maxi Yachts models currently listed on TheYachtMarket.com, see the model list in the search options on this page.

What types of boats do Maxi Yachts build?

Maxi Yachts manufactures a range of different types of boats. The ones listed on TheYachtMarket include Sloop , Cruiser , Racing boat , Offshore cruiser and Cruiser/racer .

How much does a boat from Maxi Yachts cost?

Used boats from Maxi Yachts on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £8,560 GBP to £3,380,000 GBP with an average price of £744,000 GBP . A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Maxi Yachts, for example the model, age and condition.

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Two super maxis continue to lead the Sydney to Hobart race as storms hit fleet

Comanche heads down Sydney Harbour during the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Salty Dog/CYCA via AP)

Skallywag, left, and Comanche sail close during the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Salty Dog/CYCA via AP)

Sail boats enter open water after the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Salty Dog/CYCA via AP)

Competitors race to the start line to begin the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Andrea Francolini/Rolex/CYCA via AP)

Boats compete during the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Salty Dog/CYCA via AP)

LawConnect, left, leads the fleet during the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Salty Dog/CYCA via AP)

Competitors race past spectator boasts as they begin the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Andrea Francolini/Rolex/CYCA via AP)

Competitors sail through Sydney Harbour to begin the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Andrea Francolini/Rolex/CYCA via AP)

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SYDNEY (AP) — The Sydney to Hobart fleet was reduced to 98 boats after overall honors contender Maritimo 52 was one of two retirements on a stormy first night of racing.

Rival super maxis Andoo Comanche and LawConnect remained neck-and-neck in the early hours of Wednesday as the fleet began to pass Eden on the New South Wales south coast before heading into Bass Strait.

The two favorites for line honors were some 40 miles (65 kilometers) ahead of the nearest challengers.

Race officials confirmed Maritimo had retired overnight with rigging damage, while 50-footer Sticky pulled out with electrical issues. The retirements came after line honors contender SHK Scallywag was among the three boats of the 103 starters to pull out on the first evening after the start Tuesday in Sydney harbor.

“We’re shattered, actually,” said Maritimo crew member Peter Jones. “We were trying to work a million ways around it, but at best we were going to be at 50%.”

Jones reported a southwesterly front had come through with three hours of heavy rain and high winds.

“There was as much lightning as we’d ever seen,” Jones said.

LawConnect was the first out of the harbor. The finish line of the 628-nautical mile (720-mile, 1,170-kilometer) race is at Constitution Dock in the state capital of Hobart.

The line honors record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds was set by Comanche in 2017, after Comanche also won last year’s race . In 2022, Comanche finished at Constitution Dock in 1 day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds — the second-fastest time behind its 2017 race record.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports