Have arrived in Hobart! Can't think of anything to blog so ask me questions - what do you want to know about the race/competitors/locations/boats?? If I don't know I'll attempt to find out!
posted by 3 Peaks Media at
3:15:00 pm
13 Comments:
Whistler might have an interesting decision to make. If they stay in front they might have to sacrifice Tilman Points [& all that training] & just send the runners up Mt Wellington if the other boats are close behind
By
Anonymous, at 4:02 pm, April 05, 2010
Very good point! What would you do? I think I'd go for overall honours. But glad it's not my decision to make. I guess it's not a total sacrifice of the training though because they'll still get to use it in the British race.
By
3 Peaks Media, at 4:53 pm, April 05, 2010
I have just watched a yacht (possibly Whistler) go past the Clifton Beach Webcam in around 14 knots of wind. If this is the case, they are well ahead of Deguello - who appear to be virtually becalmed at Tasman Island (the wind speed at the lighthouse is showing as 6 knots). It would be nice to see a small, affordable monohull get in first for a change!
By
Unknown, at 4:57 pm, April 05, 2010
Indeed, and especially one sailed by such a genuine, dedicated and well-prepared bunch of people. Some of the other boats have been pulled out of sheds the day before Good Friday. Team Whistler has practiced navigating in Franklin Sound (Lady Barron); been motor-boating around the Dunalley Canal testing the depth with a stick; came equipt with a kayak, kedges and enough rope to tow the boat through the canal if they had to, and that's not to mention all the running, biking, hockey-playing and goodness knows what else they've been doing to get fit!
By
3 Peaks Media, at 5:12 pm, April 05, 2010
What type of boat is Whistler? I notice on the Three Peaks site it says Dovell 36. Excuse my ignorance but is that the same as a Sydney 36 Sports which I note is designed by Murray, Burns and Dovell?
By
Anonymous, at 5:20 pm, April 05, 2010
I dont understand why boats semmingly in the same divison are taking the long route around Tasman Island whereas others are not. I thought that Haphazard was the only one required to go around. Help please.
By
Confused, at 6:00 pm, April 05, 2010
I'm told that Whistler was "made to the same design brief" as the Sydney 36, but as to what exactly is different about it, I'll have to ask David when they get in. Good question!
By
3 Peaks Media, at 6:03 pm, April 05, 2010
Confused: fully-crewed boats (in this race just Wildfire and Haphazard) are required to go around Tasman. But for all the other boats, they have a choice - go round or take the shortcut through Dunalley. The boats that have gone around have done so as a tactical decision for a number of reasons. One that probably hasn't come into play in this situation is that the canal is closed between midnight and 4am, so any boat arriving during that time would be delayed until 4am.
The second is that the canal is an awfully tricky place to navigate, it's very shallow and easy to go wrong and end up on a sandbar (not fast.
The third that, being narrow, if you get a headwind it's basically impossible to get through by sailing - you have to get off and pull the boat, or row. If there's enough wind around the outside of Tasman, which there appears to be today, it's faster to sail.
It will also give them a faster angle of sail in to Hobart.
There are other things that come into it like tide too.
A very complex tactical decision - that's sailing for you! Got to say at this stage it's not looking like it's paid off for Deguello, Whistler is really pulling away now.
By
3 Peaks Media, at 6:25 pm, April 05, 2010
Thank you - I am now enlightened.
By
Confused (no more), at 6:30 pm, April 05, 2010
This is the Whistler story:
Whistler is an Andy Dovell designed racing yacht from Australian naval architects Murray Burns Dovell. Whistler was designed in 1994 as a predecessor to the Sydney 38 Class. Whistler was built in an apple shed at Castle Forbes Bay by boat builder Rob Goode for John Hyslop and was launched in 2000.
By
Deb, at 6:46 pm, April 05, 2010
Well done Team Whistler. We are watching from the UK and looking forward to doing battle with them in June.
By
Topsham Sea Fever, at 6:56 pm, April 05, 2010
A little birdie spy also saw Whistler practicing with said Kayak on the river in front of Bellerive beach!! Well it's not spying if we see them from our lounge room eh ;-)
Good for them!
By
triciaR, at 7:00 pm, April 05, 2010
Thanksk Deb :)
By
3 Peaks Media, at 7:02 pm, April 05, 2010
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