Sydney to Hobart yacht race how to watch and what to look for – ABC News

From its beginning in 1945, the Sydney to Hobart yacht race remains one of the pinnacles for sailing competitors.

Dismissed by some as "rich people and their toy boats", the race is actually a gruelling test of skill, teamwork andboat design with the weather thrown into the mix.

If you know what to look for, the S2H can be an enjoyable experience, so here are some tips as to getting the best out of it.

Around 90 boats ranging from 100ft Super Maxis to smaller 30 footers will be ready to go at 1pm AEDT on Sydney Harbour, Boxing Day.

Even though the race fleet will be fewer in numbers due to COVID (more on that later), there will still be a gazillion sails competitors, officials, media and spectators running around the water ahead of the firing of the starting cannon.

Once the race is on, it's a bolt to The Headsand into the open water of the South Pacific.

The fleet then begins to make its way down the east coast of Australia to Hobart.

The Seven Network, through 7Mate, willbroadcast the start of the race live around Australia. Their coverage starts at 12:30pm (AEDT).

ABC TV will also be following the fleet down the eastern seaboard and provide all the in-race news footage that is used by the various Australian and International news networks.

For those who can't get to watch the live broadcast of the start of the race on the Seven Network across Australia, Seven West Media will webcast the program.

You can also watch a webcast of the live broadcast on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website.

If you are in Sydney and on the water, sponsor Rolex advises "ifyou only plan on watching the start, and don't wish to follow the fleet, then stick to the western side of the harbour".

Good vantage points for spectator boats include "Taylors Bay, Chowder Bay, Obelisk Bay and North Head on the west and Rose Bay, Watsons Bay, Camp Cove and South Head to the east".

Rolex says the harbour will be "very crowded and traffic can be chaotic, so stay alert, follow the advice of race officials and remember to keep well clear of the exclusion zone between 12pm and 2pm".

Rolex also notes the "Clearview glass boat is the only public spectator vessel permitted within the Sydney Harbour exclusion zone".

The race sponsor Rolex has a tracker on their website, which plots the course of yachts as they move south.

The position of yachts is transmitted by a GPSdevice on each vessel. You can follow your favourite boats easily by clicking on the heart symbol.

As the race goes on, you can see the course charted by crews and marvel at how each team plots and schemes their way to the finish.

Unless of course the boat's GPS device gets switched off, rendering it invisible to spectators and other competitors an accusation which was levelled at Wild Oats XI in 2018 by the owner of Black Jack.

Skulduggery on the high seas! Wetold you it could be fun.

Apart from GPS shenanigans, the wild card is always the weather.

All jokes aside, the Sydney to Hobart yacht race is taken seriously for good reason people have died when the seas get rough.

The 1998 race has gone down in history as a maritime disaster that cost lives and changed marine forecasting practice.

Six sailors died, five yachts sank, more than 60 yachts retired and 55 participants had to be rescued by helicopter.

In 2015, a squall hit the fleet off the News South Wales coast, ending the race for 29 competitors.

Even in calm conditions, boats under stress break stuff andcrews retire for a host of reasons.

In 2016, a slew of boats had to call it quits due to shredded sails and steering problems.

Then there are the underdog v supermaxi battles which pit the hopefuls against the cashed-up crews.

As race sponsor Rolex says, the race is made up from"weekend club sailors to professionals from the America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race circuits".

Lots to watch out for!

With the very fast boats (Wild Oats XI, Comanche) not in this year's race, the lines honours winner is likely to come in around 48 hours after the start noonish or thereabouts on Tuesday, December 28, but who knows what part the weather might play.

It is also important to note there are two prizes at stake in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

The finish line proper is 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometres) upthe Derwent River off Battery Point, where a cannon signals the first across the line.

The Iron Pot has been greeting sailors to the River Derwent for almost 190 years, and this small, craggy island was once home to 15 people.

The reigning line honours victor is Comanche. It won in a time of 1 day, 18 hours and 30 minutes in 2019.

The first yacht across the line wins the JH Illingworth Trophy, but the overall winner on handicap wins the Tattersalls Cup.

The overall victory is considered the major prize for sailors and a testament to skill and tactics.

Most of the time, handicap honours are won by a smaller, slower boat,whichoutdoes its larger opposition when time is adjusted for size and other factors.

The reigning overall winner is Ichi Ban. It finished in 3 days, 4 hours and 11 minutes in 2019.

As a result of the pandemic, the 2021 fleet will be smaller than previous years due to a lack of international entrants, and other flow-on effects.

Good luck to all racers!

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race how to watch and what to look for - ABC News