Sydney to Hobart Campaign
The world famous 628 mile Sydney Hobart Race is renowned for being the Everest of amateur yacht racing. Each year around 130 yachts come together to do battle with the competition and with the elements.
The Rolex Sydney to Hobart race is a superb test of seamanship, skill, tactics and endurance and 100% commitment to the team is essential. As with all events of this nature the sense of achievement upon completion is immense.
The yacht Arctos
This year's Flying Fish team are racing SV Flying Fish Arctos, a strong, powerful, cutter rigged Radford / McIntyre 55 which was built for a Southern Ocean circumnavigation.
Flying Fish Arctos has successfully completed 12 Sydney to Hobart races achieving outstanding results including second in class in 2009 and first in class in 2010 and 2017. Arctos is ideal for this race.
The key to success in an event like this is preparation, and the Flying Fish package is designed to ensure that the crew and the boat are fully prepared for the challenge.
Campaign schedule
Week 1 - Crew training and offshore qualifying passage
Our programme starts with five days of skills and drills on Sydney Harbour. We will practice sailing upwind and downwind both inshore and offshore and make sure the crew are familiar with the yacht and their role on board.
Next we complete a 24 hour offshore qualifying passage which is a requirement of the race organisers, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Christmas eve and Christmas day are off for some well earned R and R. Then it's up early on Boxing Day for the spectacular start on Sydney Harbour.
Week 2 - Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
The start of the race on Boxing Day is a major fixture on the Australian sporting calendar and it feels electric to be on the start line as a participant.
After the huge send off we head out to sea searching for the warm current that will carry us south down the Australian coast and across the Bass Strait to Tasmania.
At Tasman Island the course takes a right turn into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the finish line at Constitution Dock and a magnificent welcome in the historic port of Hobart.
We expect to arrive at Constitution dock in Hobart in good time for the New Year's Eve celebrations, Tasmania's best party of the year.
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16 Dec - 31 Dec
3 weeks
Sydney, Australia
What's included
Safety equipment, tuition, accommodation and meals on board the yacht during the race and the overnight qualifying passage.
Crew can stay on the yacht in the marina at Middle Harbour Yacht Club during the training week and on arrival in Hobart but food is not provided. (there are local cafe's and restaurants nearby.)
Book your own shore-based accommodation in Sydney and Hobart for a more comfortable experience.
All customers need to depart the yacht in Hobart at the latest on 02 January.
Qualifications and experience
- 1,000 sea miles logged
- RYA qualifying passages
- RYA Watch Leader
- ISAF Category 1 racing experience
Before you start
The Sydney to Hobart race is not one for the faint hearted! We recommend that all customers have some offshore sailing experience.
Where possible we like all our crew to have completed the following before joining our campaign.
What next?
If you've got the racing bug, why not join us for Hamilton Island Race week.
If you are interested in training as a skipper see our Yachtmaster section.
They said
Ian Horrocks - Hamilton Island Race Week and Sydney to Hobart 2018
Since our first interaction at Hamilton Island race week to the celebrations at Customs House after the Hobart your organisation and staff have been outstanding in support, knowledge and safety but most of all it has been fun.
The last 6 months has given me the chance to achieve goals I did not believe possible while making some fantastic memories and friends.
See also
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The world famous 628 mile Sydney Hobart Race has become an iconic 'must do event' on every serious sailor's bucket list. Each year around 130 yachts come together to do battle with the competition and with the elements.
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Hamilton Island Race Week is one of Australia’s favourite yachting events. Perfectly situated amongst Queensland's Whitsunday Islands, Hamilton Island offers fabulous trade wind sailing conditions in a tropical paradise.
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The Sydney Harbour Regatta is Australia's premier inshore yacht racing event. The exhilarating race programme on the water is matched only by the fantastic 'après sail' social scene at Middle Harbour Yacht Club.
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Learn some tricks of the trade so you can be safe on the race course. Racing with spinnakers is exciting but it also presents new risks. Flying a kite requires the crew to perform a number of tasks in the correct order.
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Experience the magic of Hamilton Island Race Week from the deck of a luxury yacht. Perfectly situated amongst Queensland's Whitsunday Islands, Hamilton Island offers fabulous trade wind sailing conditions in a tropical paradise.
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This passage meets the requirements of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia for crew qualification for the Sydney to Hobart race. It is also a great milebuilder for aspiring Yachtmasters.
