Captain’s Quarters with Travis Read & Ken Chui

• NEWS
• 27 Dec, 2018 11:00:00 PM

Captain’s Quarters with Travis Read & Ken Chui

Apsaras' skipper and crew tell of their team's ethos and Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race aspirations

Li Jian’s Advanced 80 Apsaras is no stranger to ocean sailing, or indeed to ocean racing. Launched in 2015, Apsaras joined and subsequently won the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) in that very same year and has since gone on to sail tens of thousands of nautical miles around the world.

Her crew are a bright-eyed band of multi-national sailors from six nations across the globe. While they may sometimes struggle with language barriers, they are unified by a singular love of the ocean, and the adventure it provides in abundance.

We caught up with her Australian skipper Travis Read, as well as crew member Chui Shing Kin (Ken Chui) who spoke on behalf of Apsaras at the international press conference held at the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race – Sydney Village last Sunday, to hear their thoughts on this year’s Great Race.

Q: What’s your aim in the 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart?

READ: To give the crew a full Rolex Sydney Hobart experience with some weather, maybe some seasickness, the cold the tiredness, some good rides the sunrises and the fantastic finish. The most important thing is to safely finish the race and let everyone enjoy their time on Apsaras. I’m also passionate about sharing sailing culture and knowledge.

CHUI: This is my first time competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the team will try our best to get a great place.

Q: How are you feeling entering the race?

READ: We are ready, bring it on.

CHUI: Amazing! The Rolex Sydney Hobart is one of my dreamed-about offshore races. It is known as a hard and challenging race and it’s so exciting to finally enter this year. We have been working on the preparation and organization to enter the race for the past six months now.

Q: Who’s the biggest threat – if not you, who’ll take the Tattersall Cup?

READ: With the downwind conditions, it has to be one of the lighter boats, it looks like maybe a TP52, or Smuggler, or maybe even Wild Oats X.

CHUI: It will be us! We’ve spent the last six months fixing and tuning the boat’s performance to get her ready for the Tasman Sea. We’ve focussed on training as well as building crew spirit and teamwork to improve the performance of the whole boat.

Q: How did you get into sailing?

READ: My Dad sailed a lot and we had our summer holidays afloat when I was a kid.

CHUI: Luckily, I live in a place very close to the sea. Every day I saw many sail boats pass the harbour from my room which inspired my sailing interest. After I met Apsaras’ owner my interest in ocean racing culture spread. I had the opportunity to explore sailing more, and now I have realized my dream of sailing around the world on Apsaras.

Q: Your favourite sailing memory?

READ: When I was eight-years-old my brothers and I sailed our parents yacht from Cape Raoul near Tasman Island to the Iron Pot at the entrance to the Derwent River unassisted. It all went very well until the breeze came in and the waves came in over the leeward side. It was time to call for help from down below then!

CHUI: My first time crossing the Atlantic Ocean with Apsaras in the ARC. Crossing the Atlantic was a dream of mine in ocean sailing - we did it in 13 days and created so many happy memories at sea.

Q: Describe your team’s ethos…

READ: Sharing friendships and sailing culture with people from different countries. The Apsaras team are here to share China’s sailing culture and love exploring the world and sailing together.

CHUI: Apsaras is a diversified and international team with sailors from six different nationalities all racing together. We have the same goal to share ocean culture while enjoying sailing.

Q: Apart from your on-board crew, who else are you racing for?

READ: My family. Our kids live in an increasingly virtual world. It’s great that they can come and visit Apsaras and follow the race and see that fun can be had away from their computers!

CHUI: I’m racing for my dream and the Apsaras team goal.

Q: What’s the best thing about the Rolex Sydney Hobart?

READ: The unspoilt Tasmanian coastline and the welcome in Hobart.

CHUI: The challenge of the sea in one of the most difficult offshore races. Importantly also to meet sailor friends at Customs House hotel in Hobart!

Q: In 2019 the Rolex Sydney Hobart celebrates its 75^th race – will you be entering?

READ: I sailed the 50^th so why not the 75^th!

CHUI: We hope to do it again next year if possible. Sailing again in Australia and seeing friends from around the world again would be awesome.

Make sure to use and follow #RolexSydneyHobart to keep up with Apsaras and all competitors during this year’s Great Race. Yacht Tracker technology will also once again be used to follow the race in real-time, with the Standings page providing projected outcomes race-long. Stay locked right here for all the latest news and information, and visit the Yachts page to see all entrants making up what is touted as the toughest fleet in Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race history.  

Interviewed by DJ MUNRO