Sailors have enjoyed smooth sailing conditions across Bass Strait for their first night at sea in the 53rd Melbourne to Hobart ‘Westcoaster’ Yacht Race.
The Jackal, a Ker 11.3 skippered by Setton, has maintained their predicted line honours lead, finding a little more speed overnight and now has a few miles on Matt Fahey’s Sydney 38, Faster Forward, in what is shaping up to be an intense battle for line honours.
Fahey, reporting in at 0530 on Sunday morning, expressed satisfaction with his crew’s performance overnight.
“We had a pretty good night all up, we held a Code Zero for a few hours that went pretty well, and after putting up a spinnaker this morning, we are making good progress.”
“We had reasonable pressure through the night, a little more than we thought we might have had which was good.” He added, “We are currently abeam of the bottom third of King Island and making our way to our waypoint off the North West of Tassie, probably expecting to be there in another four to four and a half hours.”
Fahey noted a pleasant night at sea with a half-moon and incredible star visibility, stating, “Overall, we are pretty comfortable with where we are sitting.”
The tactical elements of the race are always key, particularly around King Island, where course choice can significantly influence success. Speaking prior to the race, Justin Brenan, skipper of the Lidgard 36 Alien, highlighted the importance of timing to pass between Tasmania and King Island. He remarked, “If you time it right, you set yourself up for a win.”
Joan Lorraine and Vagabond opted for a more westerly route compared to the rest of the fleet, appearing to benefit Vagabond, which is closing the gap on Alien. Meanwhile, Joan Lorraine, led by skipper Peter Garner, is enjoying steady winds exceeding 7 knots, stating, “It’s all good onboard. We had smooth seas and a light breeze overnight which made for very comfortable sailing.” Garner indicated that an increasing breeze had improved their pace, and the crew was pleased to be warming in the sun.
The Jackal is expected to cross 41 degrees south around midday today with all boats predicted to pass by dinner time. Race Director David Schuller predicts dynamic conditions as the fleet continues its run down the West Coast to Hobart, with current wind conditions averaging 17 knots from the north-north-east. Forecasts suggest a shift in wind direction this evening, which may create deceptively tricky navigation conditions for the fleet.
On current forecasts, the arrival of The Jackal in Hobart is expected on the evening of December 30th. All competitors vie for the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy for the handicap winner on AMS, alongside additional accolades including the Zeehan Trophy for the best Navigator, the Wrest Point Abel Tasman Trophy for line honours, and the City of Melbourne Perpetual Trophy for corrected time on performance handicap.
The Westcoaster is recognised as one of the world’s great ocean races, encompassing a challenging 435 nautical miles from Port Phillip to the River Derwent in Hobart, initiating with a 125 nautical mile trek across Bass Strait, followed by a 200 nautical mile leg down Tasmania’s West Coast.
To follow the fleet in the 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race, go to Blue Water Tracks via: https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2025-melbourne-hobart-westcoaster
Website www.orcv.org.au
About ORCV
A leading authority on ocean sailing, racing and training in Australia, the Club was formed so that ocean races in Victorian waters could be efficiently developed and run by an organisation focusing specifically on the needs of ocean racers.
The Melbourne to Hobart “Westcoaster” Yacht Race is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania
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