Bill Northam, who rocketed to prominence in Australian yachting when he took his crack 8 m Saskia to Melbourne and for the first time in years, brought the Sayonara Cup back to New South Wales early in 1955 . Having successfully defended the cup he turned his eyes to ocean racing and the Hobart race in particular. With this in mind he brought the Tasmanian yacht Caprice which had been built to a Robert Clark design in 1951. Her record in seven seasons' racing at Huon was most impressive and there was little to pick between her and the 8 m Erica J. In three Bruny Island races she gained two firsts and a second under similar handicapping to that under which the Sydney Hobart Race is sailed.