LittleSister
Well-known member
Knowing nothing about the Sydney-Hobart race, how come engine issues are a reason for retirement in a sailing race?
Sydney Hobart retirement reasons
- Thread starter Concerto
- Start date
Praxinoscope
Well-known member
As with JM racing has now gone way beyond my budget, even round the buoy’s club racing is getting to be who can spend the most dosh.
I used to enjoy the club and inter-club racing, but slowly it changed, to those who could purchase new sails for the season or were willing to strip the boat of all comforts to gain that slight advantage, those of us who were firstly cruisers, but enjoyed the challenge of the round the buoys and a few set races during the season have gradually drifted away as we could no longer compete.
Supertramp
Well-known member
I can imagine finding any excuse to stop racing after several hours of what these guys were sailing through! Was there a "needed to go to the toilet" one?
The nice thing about racing is getting to enjoy all the manouvers, moments and incidents which you studiously avoid when cruising and doing it with company into the bargain.
awol
Well-known member
Power is needed to cant the keel, drive the electrics, maybe even for hydraulics.
LittleSister
Well-known member
Rum Run
Well-known member
It sounds like "ran out of clean pants" might have been appropriate ?
Concerto
Well-known member
Battery charging is very important and the engine is necessary for this on long distance races. To ensure no cheating a shaft brake will be fitted so the shaft cannot rotate.
Neeves
Well-known member
You need the engine to keep the battery charged. You will note that the race was won on a protest because the guilty yacht lost radio contact. They need the batteries powered up to allow radio contact to be maintained and for other essentials such as nav lights. Some yachts would have minimum battery banks to save weight and the engine might have been small (for the same reason). It possibly has nothing to do with a canting keel but the fact its a stripped out racing yacht. Winning yachts are not cruiser/racers but bought specifically to race - the only creature comforts are those demanded by Cat 0 or Cat 1. If the electrics are compromised, engine issues, this would demand notifying race authorities and the retirements may not have been voluntary. Given the weather and the list of 'non-engine' failures, indicative of conditions, I would not fancy crossing Bass Strait without the fall back of an engine, how ever small. With the weather for the race you cannot run before the wind - the next bit of land is New Zealand.
I did wonder why an engine would fail - possibly again simple - under the conditions even minor dirt in the fuel lines could be an issue. Falling off big seas would stir up and fuel, or oil.
I do join the implied criticism of the canting keel (which usually implies professional paid crew and new set of sails etc). It is interesting that the race (and other races) are invariably won on handicap by the bigger yachts. Big money talks. The handicap takes no account of money. As an example the owner of Scalliwag bought a reasonably new yacht, took off the deck and added a deck from another yacht. He has a professed an admirable focus on introducing sailing to Asian youth. On his crew list - all the crew, without exception, had 'Anglo Saxon' names. The yacht would have been delivered from HK, where the owner is resident.
If you race to win, why else race in a blue water classic - then you now need a big yacht 60-100', it needs to be state of the art (canting keels come to mind), you need at least some professional crew and a complete wardrobe of new sails. Without the new sails the professionals you will entice will cost more. Who wants to sail on a yacht that cannot win. The yacht needs to be slipped and polished prior to the race (though in the grand scheme of things this is loose change). Your professional crew will call the shots (that's why you use professionals) - it all seems to lose the point of 'racing to win' - its just another positive for the professionals on their CV and your bragging rights demand a larger bar bill.
Sad
They do provide a magnificent sight as they power through and out of Sydney Harbour.
Jonathan
I did wonder why an engine would fail - possibly again simple - under the conditions even minor dirt in the fuel lines could be an issue. Falling off big seas would stir up and fuel, or oil.
I do join the implied criticism of the canting keel (which usually implies professional paid crew and new set of sails etc). It is interesting that the race (and other races) are invariably won on handicap by the bigger yachts. Big money talks. The handicap takes no account of money. As an example the owner of Scalliwag bought a reasonably new yacht, took off the deck and added a deck from another yacht. He has a professed an admirable focus on introducing sailing to Asian youth. On his crew list - all the crew, without exception, had 'Anglo Saxon' names. The yacht would have been delivered from HK, where the owner is resident.
If you race to win, why else race in a blue water classic - then you now need a big yacht 60-100', it needs to be state of the art (canting keels come to mind), you need at least some professional crew and a complete wardrobe of new sails. Without the new sails the professionals you will entice will cost more. Who wants to sail on a yacht that cannot win. The yacht needs to be slipped and polished prior to the race (though in the grand scheme of things this is loose change). Your professional crew will call the shots (that's why you use professionals) - it all seems to lose the point of 'racing to win' - its just another positive for the professionals on their CV and your bragging rights demand a larger bar bill.
Sad
They do provide a magnificent sight as they power through and out of Sydney Harbour.
Jonathan
mullet
Active member
A bit different from the first Sydney Hobart when Rani lost her radio and was feared sunk until she rolled up in Hobart leading the fleet!
westernman
Well-known member
I can relate to that but in rowing.
I rowed competitively and won almost all the time (just about every club regatta in the entire year). In the end it was only about winning.
I stopped a couple of years later after what was for me the most unsatisfying year. We entered only four regattas the whole year and won only one two of them. Nottinghamshire International and Henley Royal Regatta.
Winning Henley was in many ways an anti-climax (although the final race was close). We did exactly what we were trained to do. And exactly what was expected of us.
The only rowing I do now is the tender - when I forgot to put enough petrol into the outboard.
westernman
Well-known member
Racing yachts do not need to be coded to Cat 0 or Cat 1.
Neeves
Well-known member
Quite correct
They do if they are entered in the Sydney-Hobart and entered with a chance, which was what the thread was about.
Now if you want to extend the thread to cover other yachts and other races then you would question why the battery bank might be small or why such large yachts have such a small engine and only one head with no door. For other races I'd be looking at an X-Yacht and - a totally different beast with real berths, a fully equipped galley, showers (hot) etc
Jonathan
zoidberg
Well-known member
I'm aware of a fellow whose propeller fell off during the Pre-Start of a Fastnet Race. Despite the Race Rules requiring a 'functioning engine' he continued to race, didn't Declare the issue - despite the unfair advantage of reduced drag on his handicap, and the safety consideration - and was more than a little miffed when someone suggested later he should have retired.
His attitude to the Rules was more than a little 'cavalier' on several occasions. He was a barrister.
His attitude to the Rules was more than a little 'cavalier' on several occasions. He was a barrister.
DFL1010
Active member
I suspect he was referring to World Sailing's Offshore Special Regs (OSRs).
DFL1010
Active member
If only there were a provision within the rules by which another competitor could some sort of, I don't know, protest about this sort of thing. Oh well.
awol
Well-known member
Race entry conditions usually demand adherence to World Sailing (was ISAF) Offshore Special Conditions at some category. Most cruising AWBs wouldn't make Cat 4 (Short races, close to shore in relatively warm or protected waters normally held in daylight) without spending a wheen of dosh.
capnsensible
Well-known member
capnsensible
Well-known member
The 5.8 metre challenge. Every expense spared.
pandos
Well-known member
his engine was functional, albeit that his propulsion system may have been a bit lacking....?
doris
Well-known member
A bit like a captain of JOG who did a Southampton to Santander double handed on a very stripped out J105. There wasn't even a gas bottle, a fact that he boasted about at the prize giving, despite the rules being clear that there had to a functioning cooker. It was pointed out to him that he was a cheat, plain and simple, but nobody could be bothered to protest him. It seemed better to just let the world know what a total dick he was.
He would probably have won even with a compliant boat but some people are just bent, its in their genes.