Sydney-Hobart in a small inflatable

[Anthony]

As you may be aware there is an annual yacht race from Sydney to Hobart that attracts some of the largest racing yachts (100' Super Maxis like Wild Oats) and many amateurs too. So why am I positing about it in the power section? Well its notorious for rough conditions, fortunately for this guy the weather was pretty good this year, as he did it in a small inflatable.

https://thewest.com.au/news/offbeat/nathan-rykers-finishes-sydney-to-hobart-yacht-race-in-inflatable-zodiac-dinghy-ng-b88702703z

Says he had planned it out and to be fair he did make it there alive, but having 3 EPIRBs may suggest he was not that confident it would be successful...

Anthony

 

[AndieMac]

I can't see the point of jumping into the water to see if his outboard was functioning, why not tilt it and observe from the comfort of his boat?
650 miles in a dinghy, nursing 200 litres of fuel, just for 15 minutes of recognition.....whatever floats your boat I guess

 

[rafiki_]

Looks like madness! My worry with this type of exploit is the opportunity to put others in danger when things go wrong.

 

[vas]

can an inflatable do 650nm with 200lt fuel? Am I missing something? Apologies if he did mumble something, was really hard figuring out...
I'd have thought that 65nm with 200lt sound more like it tbh!

V.

 

[A1Sailor]

200 litres of fuel might last 10-14 hours. http://tohatsu.com/tech_info/fuel_consumpt.html
Maybe more in a lightweight RIB or inflatable.
How long did he take for the 628 mile trip? 200litres doesn't seem very much fuel...

Edit: According to the video here:
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/of...ace-in-inflatable-zodiac-dinghy-ng-b88702711z
he refuelled twice...
500+ litres makes more sense.

 

[AndieMac]

Looks like madness! My worry with this type of exploit is the opportunity to put others in danger when things go wrong.

Exactly Raf, he made sure he had plenty of backup epirbs, as if the the VMR didn't have enough to look out for at that time of the year

 

[Wandering Star]

Well, I think it was a great challenge succesfully implemented. He didn’t put anyones lives at risk in the event but even had he done so the EPIRB’s would have pinpointed his position so a rescue would have been a doddle for a well trained SAR outfit - it wouldn’t have involved days of searching. Well done to him!