1999 Race Recap

Yendys, the Beneteau 53f5 Overall Winner in 1999

Telstra Sydney Hobart Race 1999

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 1999 Edition is here.

Weather

The special Sydney Hobart Race forecast issued at 0500 hours on Sunday, December 26, 1999, read, in part: "WARNINGS: Strong wind warning for coastal waters south of Ulladulla. Route from Sydney to Jervis Bay, NE averaging 15/20 knots with gust to 30 knots. Jervis Bay to Gabo Island. NE averaging 20/30 knots with gusts to 45 knots."

The stage was set for what was to prove to be by far (19 hours in fact) the fastest race in the 55-year history of the Sydney to Hobart.  The forecast winds were the most conducive for a race record since the US maxi Kialoa III set a benchmark time of 2 days 14 hours 36 minutes 56 seconds in 1975. That record stood for 21 years until the German maxi Morning Glory shaved half an hour off the time, the result of advances in yacht and sail design rather than suitable weather.

The Bureau of Meteorology's forecast held true, with the fleet of 80 boats (include the superyacht Mari-Cha III, sailing as a demonstration yacht) setting record times as they swept down the New South Wales South Coast and into Bass Strait.  By the time most of the fleet was into Bass Strait, the winds had risen to a steady 30 to 40 knots, with most yachts electing to drop spinnakers and pole out headsails for the dash across "the paddock".

As the leaders continued at record-breaking speeds down the Tasmanian East Coast throughout the next day and into their third night at sea, a strong south-easterly change was moving towards them, with winds reaching 35 knots, gusting to near 45 knots. The first taste of the change came as the Volvo Ocean 60, Nokia, led the maxi Brindabella up the Derwent River early on the morning December 28 to achieve a remarkable elapsed time of 1 day 19 hours 48 minutes 02 seconds for the 628 nautical mile course, a VMG of 14.39 knots. 

In all, 17 yachts, including Mari-Cha III (which finished just over an hour ahead of Nokia) and three 40-footers, broke the race record.  Astern of this group, the remaining boats sailed into a virtual brick wall as the south-easterly front built to gale force, maintaining this intensity for the next 48 hours.  Many yachts showed prudent seamanship by sheltering in bays along the Tasmanian East Coast, in the lee of islands in the Furneaux Group or running for shelter in the Tamar River on the Tasmanian north coast.  30 retired, but several resumed the race to Hobart when the gale finally abated.

Race reports

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

February / March 2000 Offshore Yachting - see pages 4 to 14, 18 and 23 to 24