Defiance was originally a gaff-rigged 8 m designed by E O Digby and built in Melbourne in 1935. She competed in the second and third Sydney Hobart races under the gaff rig and in this race with her present modern rig. The present owner races her regularly on Lake Macquarie whence she is only brought to Sydney on special occasions such as this, or the Easter Swansea to Sydney race and return.