1984 Race Recap

Farr 40 Indian Pacific, Overall Winner in 1984

AWA Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 1984

Race Program

Prior to each race Cruising Yacht Club of Australia publishes a separate official race program (with details of competing boats, the results of past races and articles about the race and its participants and other important events).  The 1984 Edition is here.    

Weather

A low pressure system near Melbourne on Christmas Day brought windy weather to Bass Strait and Tasmania. This system slowed up east of Bass Strait about mid-day on Boxing Day, creating two different swell patterns that combined off the NSW coast to make very treacherous seas.

The race featured a spectacular spinnaker start before a 25 knot southerly that slowly strengthened throughout the first afternoon. During the first night the breeze touched 40 knots from the south and retirements came thick and fast. A strong 35 knot southerly remained during the second day with punishing seas and there were more retirements. Late on December 27th the leaders were only as far as the south coast of NSW. As the fleet approached Bass Strait the wind moved SSE but still with uncomfortable seas and winds at 30 knots making life aboard wet and uncomfortable.

On the third day the breeze moved from SSE to E and after some 50 hours of windward work the fleet was able to spring sheets for a hard reach across The Strait, the breeze moderating to 20-25 knots. As the leaders approached Tasman Island the breeze had freshened from the NE to give the smaller yachts a hard run down the Tasmanian coast. The first half of the fleet had a quick trip across Storm Bay, but some of the little boats which appeared poised to win handicap honours were once again frustrated by the calms of Storm Bay and the River Derwent.

Race reports

After each race, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's magazine Offshore contains photo galleries, reports and articles on the race.  Read on to access them.

March 1985 Offshore - see pages 16 to 33