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The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Has a Boat-Size Absence

Wild Oats XI, a crowd favorite that is one of the most successful yachts in the event’s history, will not compete this year pending repairs and rethinking.

By Kimball Livingston

When the hundred-foot Maxi yachts hit the starting line for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, one absence will loom as a powerful presence.

There will be no Wild Oats XI, and Wild Oats XI is more than a boat.

Speculation is inevitable when a crowd favorite is missing. The report from the boat’s skipper, Mark Richards, is straightforward, but it won’t put an end to wondering. Of the boat and its owners, Richards said: “We had a structural failure in the bow and are having that addressed. The Oatley family are re-evaluating how to progress forward in our sport and they have just decided to have a break this year while they work it out.”

That resonates because in this race, Wild Oats XI has taken line honors (first boat to cross the finish line) nine times, set records three times and, beyond that, won the hearts of Australians.

“Kids 6, 7, 8 years old know the name,” Richards said.

No one dares use the past tense in speaking of Wild Oats XI, but questions arise when a boat that is synonymous with the Sydney Hobart, and that has been rush-repaired in the past to make a race, is absent.

Last year, the boat finished fourth at the Sydney Hobart after a sail ripped underway. It was in August of this year during a race in Australia’s Whitsunday Islands that the hull failure occurred.

In 2005, Bob Oatley commissioned the build of Wild Oats XI and set the standard — the boat swept all honors in its first Sydney Hobart race, only two weeks after launch. The boat would win line honors seven more times before Oatley’s death in 2016. His son Sandy, also passionate about sailing, carried on.

“I’d love to get one more crack,” Richards said. “I guess we’ll know more next year.”

Steve Quigley got his first crack as a crewman in 2012 and felt “daunted” joining the famously accomplished crew. Then, “We were first over the finish line, we set another course record, and we won our division on handicap,” he said. “I should have retired from racing then and there, but it wasn’t until I went walking around Hobart in my team shirt, with strangers asking for autographs, that I understood that Wild Oats XI had become the people’s boat.”

What next? Richards said, “The boat is still very capable.”

Quigley, a naval architect, was part of a team responsible for a bold 2015 redesign that bought the boat some time. In Quigley’s recollection, “I was the one in the meeting who had to tell Bob, ‘You may have the fastest Maxi in the world, but if you want to keep it that way, let’s chop it in half,’” he said.

Then they chopped it twice.

To respect the 100-foot maximum limit for the Sydney Hobart race, length was removed from the stern and added in a new bow section that accommodated bigger sails. Wild Oats XI.2 proved effective across the wind range, and success continued as the boat won line honors again in 2018.

Imagining a 2024 race, Quigley said, “Given the right combination of wind strength and direction, we could find a window to win, but the newer boats have a wider window.”

Design DNA in 2023 is different from 2005. Boats are now wider, yielding stability to carry taller masts and more sail. The maximum width of Wild Oats XI, 17 feet, is 45 percent less than LawConnect, winner of the most recent lead-up regatta series and yet not the newest or widest.

Sandy Oatley did not respond to a request for comment. More than one member of his crew spoke of the team as a “family,” so any decision is charged with emotion: Do you throw money at an unlikely Wild Oats XI.3, or would it satisfy if the boat slipped into the role of sentimental favorite and long shot?

The citizens of Hobart cheer for all, but it doesn’t hurt to arrive on Wild Oats XI. Andrew Henderson, part of the crew since 2005 and a 25-race veteran, said: “Anyone who can get a boat to Hobart deserves respect. The town offers the warmest reception in Australia. All of us understand how special that is.”

This year, however, after many years racing, he said, “I’m spending Christmas with the kids.”

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Wild Oats XI extends lead in Sydney to Hobart

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HOBART, Australia (AP) — Defending champion Wild Oats XI extended its lead to 30 nautical miles over fellow super maxi Perpetual Loyal after the second night of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

In light winds, Wild Oats XI appeared to be on track for a record-equaling seventh line honors win in the race. The yacht had 200 nautical miles to sail early Saturday of the 628-nautical-mile trip to the capital of the island state of Tasmania.

Another super maxi, Ragamuffin 100, was dueling with Perpetual Loyal, just two nautical miles behind in third.

The winner was not expected to reach Hobart’s Constitution Dock until late Saturday or early Sunday, nearly a day slower than Wild Oat XI’s race record set last year of 1 day, 18 hours.

Race officials warned of dangerous conditions and strong winds late Saturday for the slower and smaller yachts still sailing across Bass Strait from the mainland. In 1998, six sailors died and five yachts sank in a storm that hit the fleet early in the race.

Loyal skipper Anthony Bell said his crew was hoping for stronger winds that would better suit his 100-foot yacht.

“We are sailing as well as we can in really light winds that don’t suit our boat,” he said. “We’re looking hard for more wind.”

Perpetual Loyal has among its crew London Olympics laser gold medalist Tom Slingsby, the Australian who was strategist on the winning Team Oracle USA boat at this year’s America’s Cup. Also on board is Jessica Watson, the Australian who four years ago became the youngest person to sail around the world solo and unassisted as a 16-year-old.

Wild Oats XI is owned by wine mogul Bob Oatley, who is heading the Australian challenge for the next America’s Cup and is the Challenger of Record through his Hamilton Island Yacht Club.

There were 94 starters, including 22 from outside Australia, and three retirements so far.

The overseas contingent included 12 boats from the Clipper Round the World race, which for the first time included the Sydney to Hobart as the sixth race of its 16-race schedule.

The yacht Morna/Kurrewa IV won the Sydney to Hobart seven times, the first in 1946 and the final time in 1960.

• International edition
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Penalty turns and close calls in dramatic start to Sydney to Hobart yacht race

• Fleet sets off down NSW coast in 77th bluewater classic
• Avalanche retires within two hours due to broken bowsprit

Andoo Comanche has overcome a difficult start to set the pace in the early stages of the Sydney to Hobart with the first retirement reported a couple of hours into the race.

Line honours favourite Andoo Comanche and rival supermaxi Hamilton Island Wild Oats each opted to do a penalty turn inside the first 20 minutes of the most action-packed start to race in recent memory.

Three and a half hours into the race Andoo Comanche was leading from LawConnect, Black Jack and Hamilton Island Wild Oats with little separating the four supermaxis.

Andoo Comanche navigator Justin Shaffer said they took their penalty turn after another boat protested against them, but he declined to identify which yacht it was and said that the matter would be resolved in Hobart.

He confirmed his boat was flying a protest flag but did not elaborate and said a few incidents had occurred.

Watched by a large spectator fleet, the drama started to unfold as the race fleet of 109 yachts set out in northerly breezes of around 15 knots on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day afternoon.

Inside the first few minutes some boats came perilously close to each other as they jockeyed for advantage.

Nine-time line honours winner Oats took their penalty turn several minutes Andoo Comanche, following a debate between skipper Mark Richards and senior crew members. The reason for the turn was not immediately apparent.

It brought back memories of 2017 when Oats opted not to take a penalty turn after an incident shortly after the start of the race.

She crossed the line first but dropped back to second after being slapped with a one-hour penalty by an international jury for a rule breach related to an incident with LDV Comanche in the harbour.

Despite the early drama on Monday, race organisers reported a clean start across all four lines of boats.

The first retirement of the race came within two hours of the start with 40-foot two-handed boat Avalanche pulling out with a broken bowsprit. It was the second time in three Sydney to Hobarts the boat didn’t make it to the finish.

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race — day one of the 77th edition of the bluewater classic, as it happened

Sport Sydney to Hobart yacht race — day one of the 77th edition of the bluewater classic, as it happened

Supermaxi Andoo Comanche is leading a closely bunched pack of supermaxis in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, as the fleet heads south on day one of the contest's 77th edition.

Northerly winds helped the fleet, particularly the supermaxis, amid predictions   the leaders may have supporting winds all the way to Hobart. 

Leading into the traditional Boxing Day start, the Sydney to Hobart was seen as a race in four to be first to the finish — Andoo Comanche, last year's line honours winner Black Jack, Law Connect and Hamilton Island Wild Oats.

Big crowds were on hand on Sydney Harbour for the 1pm AEDT start — but the opening exchanges saw chaos reign, amid near-misses, protests and penalties for two of the big four.

Hamilton Island Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards let loose a number of audible obscenities on the TV coverage, as he and his crew tried to navigate their way to the Sydney Heads and out into the ocean for the trip south.

Race favourite Andoo Comanche had a poor start, not getting enough clear wind to move ahead of its rivals, and then being jammed by other craft making it difficult to do the required tacking down the harbour.

Skipper and owner John Winning Jr and sailing master Iain Murray were not happy, and even less so when they made it to the first turning mark but misjudged the turn and hit the mark.

They had to do a penalty turn, losing ground on their rivals. However Andoo Comanche raised a protest flag, claiming they had been infringed by another boat.

On board Hamilton Island Wild Oats, a spirited conversation took place between skipper Mark Richards and navigator Stan Honey, with suggestions the boat may have infringed rejected by Richards.

Finally Richards relented, ordering crew to "Deploy the jib! Deploy the jib!" before completing a 720-degree turn.

At one point Black Jack cut back across two of its rivals, running a fine line between LawConnect and Hamilton Island Wild Oats.

After the frantic start, LawConnect took the lead from Black Jack, with a gap to the two boats that had done penalty turns.

As the leaders got out into the ocean to turn south, LawConnect held the lead for some time before Andoo Comanche picked up some solid winds further out from shore and hit the front, 90 minutes into the race.

For much of the afternoon, Andoo Comanche then maintained and extended its lead over LawConnect.

As of 9:20pm AEDT, Andoo Comanche led by 4.6 nautical miles (about 8.5 kilometres) over LawConnect, with Black Jack in third and Hamilton Island Wild Oats in fourth. There were 8.7 nautical miles covering first to fourth.

Andoo Comanche is close to its own record pace, which was set in 2017. 

The record is one day, nine hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds.

On the race website, the estimated time of arrival for Andoo Comanche as of 9:20pm AEDT is 12:38am and 44 seconds AEDT just past midnight on Thursday morning — which would fall short of the existing mark by about two hours.

In the race for overall honours, NSW boat Celestial — which was in line to win overall last year before being demoted on protest — leads from New Zealand boat Caro, and American entry Warrior Won.

Only two of the 109 entries in the race have retired so far. The two-handed boat Avalanche retired early in the race, with a reported damaged bowsprit, while Yeah Baby retired early on Monday evening.

Look back at how the race unfolded on Monday on our blog.

• 6:45 AM 6:45 AM Mon 26 Dec 2022 at 6:45am Andoo Comanche's lead increases - a race record could be on the cards!
• 3:32 AM 3:32 AM Mon 26 Dec 2022 at 3:32am We have a battle at the top!
• 2:21 AM 2:21 AM Mon 26 Dec 2022 at 2:21am LawConnect hits the front as Andoo Comanche protests!

Live updates

That's where we'll leave it.

By Andrew McGarry

It's been an eventful first six hours of this year's Sydney to Hobart, with protests, near misses and a fast start that leaves Andoo Comanche in pole position for line honours and a possible race record.

But don't rule out its rival supermaxis - LawConnect,   Hamilton Island Wild Oats and Black Jack!

The wrap of the day's racing will be live shortly. Keep an eye on this article for any major updates during the evening and there will be new stories tomorrow to keep track of the leaders as they get closer to Hobart.

Thanks to everyone for joining us today on the blog -   from myself, Andrew McGarry, have a good evening.  

Change in the placings

The order of the top boats on the water has not changed for some time, but now as we get towards the evening, there is one change we can report.

Hamilton Island Wild Oats is still getting a decent wind as it sits closest to the shore of the four leaders.

The boat has moved into third spot, passing Black Jack.

Hamilton Island Wild Oats is seven nautical miles from the leader, going at 22.3 knots. Black Jack (20.4 knots) is now 8.2 nautical miles from the leader.

An example of the effect handicap has on the race for overall honours

So when we talk about overall honours, we also call it handicap honours. That is because the organisers use a "handicap" - similar to horse-racing but not based on weight carried - to make the race fair between boats of different sizes.

As said previously, as of now, Andoo Comanche is on course to break its own race record from 2017.

However, when you look at the leaderboard for overall honours, you see why it is hard for the supermaxis to win overall.

The leader, Celestial, is predicted to cross the line on Wednesday morning at about 7:33am AEDT. When the handicap of 1.390 is applied, Celestial's corrected arrival time is for 12:09:48am on the Thursday (i.e) just after midnight.

If we look at Andoo Comanche, the predicted arrival time (which changes constantly) is now 7:53:17pm AEDT tomorrow night.

Because of its size, Andoo Comanche has a handicap of 2.047 - on corrected time, it's expected finish time is 4:13:40am AEDT on December 29, more than 32 hours after it would physically finish the race.

Right now, Andoo Comanche is 14th for overall honours. We will see if the northerly winds that are due to help the supermaxis help move the boat up the list as the race goes on.

Andoo Comanche's lead increases - a race record could be on the cards!

Andoo Comanche is keeping up a solid speed on the way south, with the supermaxi still going at 25.4 knots, situated 32 nautical miles south-east of Jervis Bay - that's a lead of 5.5 nautical miles over LawConnect.

The interesting statistic right now is the estimated time of arrival - according to the race website, Andoo Comanche is due to come into Hobart at 7:52pm and 55 seconds AEDT tomorrow night.

If that happens, then the John Winning Jr-owned boat would smash the race record by more than two hours!

As things stand, LawConnect is estimated to finish at 10:16:07pm AEDT - 43 seconds outside the existing record of Comanche.

A word of caution, however. There is NO guarantee that winds will stay this strong all the way, and if there are flat spots then that estimated finish time will blow out.

Plus, of course, there is no idea what the Derwent will have in store. If the winds die down in the river tomorrow evening, then it may not matter how quickly the boats get down there.  

A clip of LawConnect in the Sydney to Hobart

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LawConnect has had a good day so far, taking the lead for a section of the afternoon before giving up the top spot to Andoo Comanche.

The boat's team have released a clip of them in action on the harbour.

You can also follow them in action on the water with their livestream here .

Still a clear top four at the top

Back to line honours again, and the top four is clear, four hours into the race.

As the leaders approach Jervis Bay, Andoo Comanche leads by four nautical miles from LawConnect, then Black Jack trails the leader by 6.2 nautical miles, and Hamilton Island Wild Oats is fourth, 6.5 nautical miles back.

There is a gap of more than seven nautical miles from Wild Oats to the rest of the fleet, led by Stefan Racing, with Willow just behind further out from shore.

An early update on the race for overall honours

While the focus is on the four at the front, let's take a quick look at the race for the overall win.

As we said previously, the weather may well affect this more than most years. If it's true that the top four could make it to Hobart (or at least the Derwent) on just one set of northerly winds, while the smaller boats could be hit by one or two changes on the way south, then even the handicap may not be enough to even things out.

As of the latest update at 4:30pm AEDT, the American-owned Warrior Won is 21 nautical miles east of Kiama, and is going at 17.7 knots.

It's estimated finish on corrected time is 3:26:38am (AEDT).

It's nearest competitor is New Zealand boat Caro, which is at the same spot - 21 nautical miles east of Kiama - but whose estimated finish is five minutes 26 seconds behind Warrior Won.

In third is the NSW boat Gweilo, a further two minutes 45 seconds behind on estimated time.

Next is Celestial - which won overall line honours before being demoted on protest.

As they say in the (bluewater) classics, this is VERY early days, and will change a fair bit depending on events, the weather patterns and how clear a run the big four get.

Andoo Comanche is ripping along

Things are going well on board the leader Andoo Comanche.

The supermaxi is passing Nowra and has picked up speed again, to be running at 28.4 knots (52.6 kmh).

Clearly the further out you go, the better the wind - at least for them.

The winds are stronger again, with all three of Comanche's rivals going at a minimum of 22 knots (40.7 kmh).

One boat out of the race so far

We have confirmation that the two-handed boat Avalanche is the first entry out of this year's Sydney to Hobart.

It is understood that the James Murchison-owned Hick 40 boat went back to port with a damaged bow sprit.

It is the second time that the boat has been forced to retire from the race - in 2015 Avalanche was launched and contested the race, before retiring with hull damage.

Decent winds predicted for tomorrow evening

It's early days ... but having a look on Windy , the predictions are for 40 to 50km an hour northerly winds blowing the fleet due south through late tomorrow afternoon into the evening and night, which means if it's not going to be a race record, it might not be far off it.

The idea of the leaders being downwind the whole way to the Iron Pot will do their chances no harm - the big question is, what will the River Derwent have in store? Many a contender has slowed down or come to a standstill and watched their chances go out the window in the final stages.

We will have to wait and see.  

The leaders have passed Wollongong

The head of the fleet is going past Port Kembla, two and a half hours after the start.

Andoo Comanche is still getting the best of the wind, furthest out from shore. The leader is picking up speed and going at 24.5 knots, extending the lead over Law Connect to 2.1 nautical miles.

Black Jack is going at 20 knots and is 3.2 nautical miles back, while Hamilton Island Wild Oats is 4.0 nautical miles back, at 21 knots.

Will this be a race of two races?

As we settle in for the run down the coast, the question is what the weather will do and how it will affect the fleet.

So far, the winds are solid but not spectacular. The leading four boats are all travelling at between 19 and 21.5 knots (35.2 - 39.8 kmh).

The expectation is that the winds will remain northerly (i.e. pushing the boats south towards Hobart) and will increase in strength as the afternoon goes on.

The overall forecast is that the winds will stay northerly all the way to Hobart - at least for the leading bunch of boats.

The first real change will come on Wednesday, when a trough is expected to shift the winds to southerly, making it harder for boats to keep speed up.

By the time that trough comes, however, the leading chances may well have finished the race!

Just remember, the race record is one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds - so to set a new mark, boats will have to reach Hobart before 10:15pm AEDT tomorrow night.

It's getting tasty up the front

We are getting a sense of the different plans at play for the leading chances as we head towards the two-hour mark.

There is an arrayed line of four, outside to inside (out to sea to closest to shore).

Andoo Comanche leads on the wide line, with just under 600 nautical miles to go to the finish.

Inside her and a little further astern is LawConnect, which is still travelling well, 0.7 nautical miles behind.

Next is Black Jack, a little further in to shore and 1.5 nautical miles behind.

In fourth is Hamilton Island Wild Oats, but after all the swearing and penalties and lost ground earlier, Mark Richards and his crew are hitting the mark now. The boat is picking up speed on an inside line, and is going at 19.2 knots, just 2.3 nautical miles behind.

Some photographers will do ANYTHING for a Sydney to Hobart picture

There are camera crews on board various boats in the harbour for the start of the race, and they then have to make a hasty exit - unless they want to take the long route to Hobart!

But it's not just the TV folks who brave the water. Getty Images' Mark Evans got up close and personal to the water to get this amazing shot of Stefan Racing . Hopefully he's dry now...

We have a battle at the top!

With the leaders well and truly out in the open going down the coast, the supermaxis are able to take advantage of the winds from the north.

Andoo Comanche has found its sea-legs, so to speak, and is absolutely flying! Right now the John Winning Jr-owned entry is the furthest out to sea, going at just under 25 knots.

Comanche has caught up with LawConnect and is officially level, but   has a 3.9 knot wind advantage over its rival.

A little further back is last year's line honours winner Black Jack, travelling at 20.1 knots. Hamilton Island Wild Oats is sticking closer to shore, but isn't getting the big wind. Wild Oats is 1.6 nautical miles behind the two leaders, going at 17.9 knots.

Get ready, this could be a four-way race all the way down the coast!

Big crowds watch the start

The rest of the top 10

We've been focused on the big four, because they are the ones likely to fight it out for line honours.

But the rest of the top 10 has some interesting names there.

In fifth is the Botin 80 boats Stefan Racing, owned and skippered by Grant Wharington.

Next is the Reichel Pugh Maxi 72 URM Group, followed by Willow, whose best finish was fourth for line honours in 2016.

Then we have Moneypenny, owned and skippered by Sean Langman, and then Tasmanian boat Alive, which won the race overall in 2018. Rounding out the top 10 is Whisper, owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine.  

What's the wind doing?

At the moment, the winds seem to be northerly / north-easterly, which will assist the boats in going down the coast.

The forecast says the leaders could well get all the way to Hobart with helping winds, which is why the tip is that the race record could be in danger.

The record is held by Comanche - in 2017 the race was won in one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.

Just to show you how things can change, depending on the winds ... last year, Black Jack took line honours, crossing the line in two days, 12 hours, 37 minutes and 17 seconds.    

LawConnect still the one to catch

LawConnect is going nicely in the lead, the supermaxi has clear air in front.

Black Jack is second, and then there is a fair gap back to the other two leaders. Wild Oats is sticking closer to the coast, while Andoo Comanche is further out to sea in search of the best wind.

Another view from Sydney Harbour

Various ABC reporters have been out and about on the harbour for the start, and Nick Sas has posted this beautiful clip of the boats against a gorgeous blue sky.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

Brett Eagle purchased Wild Rose in 2020 and reverted to her original name Wild Oats . The late Roger Hickman, crewed by male and female amateurs, won the 2014 Rolex Sydney Hobart with her as Wild Rose  and scored wins in the Australian and NSW IRC Championships, among many great victories with this famous yacht, including taking Division 4 of the Rolex Sydney Hobart in 2011, 2012, 2013.

‘Hicko’, with Bruce Foye and Lance Peckman, also won the 1993 race (IOR) with the boat, alongside IMS winner, Cuckoos Nest. Her last Rolex Sydney Hobart was 2015, when Hickman skippered her to sixth overall and third in Division 4. New owner, Eagle, raced on Ted Tooher’s Chancellor for three years as second in charge and navigator prior to buying this boat. He has given Wild Oats a new paint job, with the rose remaining between the two words of her name. Eagle and crew are in still in the early days of learning this beautifully set up boat.

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Full Standings available approximately three hours after the start.

OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

Mark Richards and Sandy Oatley unveiled Wild Oats XI's latest modifications.

Mark Richards and Sandy Oatley unveil newly modified Wild Oats XI

Mark ‘Richo’ Richards and Sandy Oatley have unveiled Wild Oats XI’s newest modifications at Woolwich Dock. The supermaxi has just undergone major reconstructive surgery after chopping 35 feet from the bow and 7 from the stern to create a longer bow.

Wild Oats XI has been in the sheds at McConaghy Boats in Mona Vale since returning from the Transpac Race earlier this year. Mark Richards described the modifications in terms of plastic surgery, breast augmentation, nose job, ear tuck and more, but was sure we would see the maxi launch out of the water on Boxing Day.  And when asked why they didn’t build Wild Oats XII he explained the cost difference, “It would cost $25m to build a new boat, this cost us $2m.”

And as Sandy Oatley put it, “It would look exactly like this.” 

Wild Oats XI is expected to have her first sail this weekend, she will then be training throughout December and competing in the  SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on December 15. 

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Wild Oats XI family’s multi-million dollar cruiser destroyed in blaze at Sydney dock

An investigation has been launched after a multimillion-dollar boat went up in flames in an affluent Sydney suburb overnight.

Boy dead after stabbing outside school

Sam Murphy’s husband’s heartbreaking plea

Major update in ‘demon’ girlfriend’s murder

A multimillion-dollar motor cruiser once owned by the family behind the Wild Oats XI yacht has been destroyed in a massive fire in Sydney’s north.

Emergency services were called to Woolwich Dock about 8.10pm on Saturday following reports of a boat fire.

NCA NewsWire understand the boat, Andiamo - which is estimated to be worth between $5 and $10 million - was once owned by Sandy Oatley, the son of the late Australian yachtsman and businessman, Bob Oatley.

The family is best known for owning the nine-time Sydney-Hobart-winning yacht Wild Oats XI.

Upon arrival, the boat was found to be fully engulfed in flames.

Firefighters worked for some time to extinguish the massive fire, a difficult task given the extent of the fuel load.

Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said the boat was filled with 4000 litres of diesel when the fire broke out.

“It took so long [to extinguish the fire] because it’s a large vessel, and we had no access onto the yacht itself, it just wasn’t safe to get on board,” he said.

Police have confirmed the fire is not being treated as suspicious.

There are no reports of any injuries.

The Oatley family have been spending time on Hamilton Island for the tourist hot spot’s annual race week, hosted from August 19 to 26.

They are celebrating 20 years of owning the iconic island destination, after the Oatley patriarch purchased the island in 2003 for $200 million.

It is understood two other famous boats usually docked at the Woolwich Dock - where the Oatley’s own the lease - Wild Oats XI and Andoo Comanche, were both docked on Hamilton Island at the time of the fire.

Law Connect - which came in second to Comanche in the 2022 Sydney to Hobart race - was moored at the

dock on Saturday night but was not damaged by the fire.

Officers attached to the Marine Area Command have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Anyone with information into the incident is urged to call police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A teenager is dead and several others were stabbed near a school in Sydney’s west on the last day of classes before holidays.

The families of two women killed in Ballarat have told a rally on Friday night that the violence against women and girls must stop.

A major court twist has emerged after a man was sentenced to 20 years for fatally strangling his girlfriend under the drug-induced delusion she was a “demon”.

Sailing yacht Wild Oats XI to have repaired mast re-stepped tomorrow

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

Bob Oatley’s record-breaking supermaxi yacht Wild Oats XI will go one step closer to resuming preparations for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race tomorrow, on December 5, 2013. Sailing yacht Wild Oats XI’s new mast, which almost broke during preliminary trials two weeks ago, will be re-stepped, following major repairs.

Supermaxi yacht Wild Oats XI - Photo credit to Brett Costello/News Ltd

It was only a quick reaction by the crew that prevented the 45-metre high carbon fibre mast from breaking in two and crashing over the side after it suffered what the yacht’s skipper, Mark Richards, described as a “catastrophic failure”.

“It’s a miracle the mast didn’t break,” Richards said . “One minute we were sailing along perfectly normally then there was an almighty bang as the section fractured.”

After more than 10 days of intense repair work, a large crane will lift the mast back into place aboard the Wild Oats XI yacht at Woolwich Dock, in Sydney, at 9.30am tomorrow.

The 30-metre long supermaxi yacht Wild Oats XI – the most successful yacht to contest the Sydney Hobart race in its 69 year history – was being put through her paces 20 nautical miles off Sydney when the incident occurred. The mast section compressed and fractured at the point where the boom attaches to the mast.

Fortunately, representatives from the New Zealand-based mast manufacturer were aboard Wild Oats XI at the time, so plans for a repair were initiated immediately. A replacement section was made at the company’s facility then flown to Sydney . Technicians also flew to Sydney to coordinate the repair.

“Everyone is confident the repaired section is stronger and more than capable of accommodating the compression loads the boom exerts on the mast,” Mark Richards said . “Our big challenge now is to make up for the training time we have lost in preparation for the Rolex Sydney Hobart race.”

The rigging will be tensioned and the mast tuned at the dock tomorrow before sailing training resumes on Friday. The yacht will go into full race mode this weekend so the required 24-hour qualifying run for the Hobart race can be completed.

As race record holder, superyacht Wild Oats XI is seen as the boat to beat in the hunt for line honours in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart race. She will have the first showdown with her strongest challenger, Anthony Bell’s similar-sized, sailing yacht Perpetual Loyal, on Sydney Harbour next Tuesday. Both yachts are part of the impressive fleet entered for the Solas Big Boat Challenge – a curtain raiser for the 628 nautical mile Hobart classic, which starts on Boxing Day.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Sailing yacht Wild Oats XI to have repaired mast re-stepped tomorrow".

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Bob Oatley, owner of Wild Oats XI, dies aged 87

Bob Oatley, the multimillionaire winemaker and owner of supermaxi Wild Oats XI , has died at the age of 87. He has been recognised for his distinguished service to the Australian wine and tourism industries and to the sport of yacht racing.

The 30 metre Wild Oats XI is a regular contender in the famous Sydney Hobart yacht race. She is also the most successful, with eight line honour victories and the race’s fastest time. Unfortunately she suffered a ripped mainsail during the recent 2015 Sydney Hobart and was forced to retire.

A keen sailor, Oatley also looked into entering an Australian team into the 35th America’s Cup . Team Australia was the first to challenge Oracle Team USA when the Americans defended the Cup in September 2013. However the team from Hamilton Island Yacht Club then decided to withdraw in 2014 after being unable to negotiate rule changes with the defending champions.

Oatley began by exporting coffee and cocoa beans from Papua New Guinea in the 1950’s and 60s. In 1969 he spotted an opportunity and planted the first vineyards at the Rosemount Estate in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. 15 years later his Rosemount wines had become prominent in the global market.

In 2001 Oatley sold the wine company to Treasury Wine Estates for a cool 1.5 billion Australian dollars and turned his attention to Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday’s . Having spent quite a bit of time in Porto Cervo in Sardinia, Oatley had a particular vision to try and do the same thing in Australia.

He bought Hamilton Island for AU$200 million in 2003 and invested a further AU$350 to make it into a world-class luxury resort. The island paradise in the Whitsunday’s now attracts sailors every year for the Audi Hamilton Race Week.

Oatley is survived by his wife Valerie and three children Ros, Ian and Sandy.

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• Meet the Team

Coming of Age

Sandy Oatley, Mark Richards, Bob and Val Oatley cutting the bow of Wild Oats XI.

Bob, or “Popeye” as he was known to family and close friends, had an uncanny ability to inspire people into going beyond preconceived limits and achieving remarkable goals. Such was the case with Wild Oats XI. Never had such a sophisticated racer been created in such a short time frame – just 10 months – and never had a yacht had such an impact on the sailing scene and public arena within four weeks of being launched.

Wild Oats XI was built in Sydney by John McConaghy, an artisan acclaimed internationally as being among the very best when it comes to constructing racing yachts using space-age composite materials.

McConaghy is not sure how many boats he has built over the decades, but he is sure of one thing: “My No.1 project of all was Wild Oats XI,” he said without hesitation.

“It’s the best build I’ve ever been involved with, and making that even better was the fact that she has been so successful. Most importantly though, this was the project where we loved the owner; a project that was as good as it got.”

Wild Oats XI, like her two smaller predecessors built by Bob Oatley, had a design feature that he, with the enthusiastic support of his skipper, Mark Richards, had introduced to offshore racing about five years earlier. It was a canting keel, one that swung from side to side so less ballast was needed to keep the yacht upright. World champion and America’s Cup yachtsman Iain Murray, who today sails as tactician aboard Wild Oats XI, describes the concept this way: “The canting keel has probably been the largest single design element that has increased the speed of yachts ever.  It’s like sticking a giant V8 engine in a Toyota Corolla.”

Bow of Wild Oats XI being removed.

Wild Oats XI would represent the ultimate application of this technology.

In 2003 Bob led the Australian team to victory in the prestigious Admiral’s Cup international team event in Cowes, England. He entered the original Wild Oats XI and had Mark Richards as skipper. That yacht’s speed was enough for him to commission the build of Wild Oats XI, the intention being that she would lead the defence team in the Admiral’s Cup, but due to circumstances beyond his control, that series never eventuated.

Then, in early 2005, Bob and his eldest son, Sandy, went to McConaghy’s boat-building facility on Sydney’s northern beaches and saw a 30-metre long canting-keel racing yacht being built for Kiwi yachtsman, Neville Crichton, and to be named Alfa Romeo. Its target was line honours in the Sydney Hobart race at the end of the year.

Bob was so excited by what he saw that he would have bought that yacht there and then had it been offered for sale – but it wasn’t. Mark Richards recalls: “Having seen Alfa Romeo, Bob said to me ‘I think I’m going to buy one of those’ and I said, ‘Are you serious?’. He simply said ‘Yep’, and he did! I actually tried to talk him out of it, but he was already on a roll.”

The Hobart race start was 11 months away, which meant that the new yacht would need to be launched within 10 months – and no racing yacht that size and so complex had ever been built in that time anywhere in the world. But that didn’t deter Bob Oatley.

He put the entire project together in one weekend. John McConaghy confirmed that if everything fell into place he could build the yacht in the desired time. Then, after the designers, mast and sailmakers and all equipment suppliers had all confirmed they could meet the deadline, Bob pressed the go button on the Monday morning.

A painter puts the finishing touches on the hull.

“If we had not have built Alfa Romeo we would not have been able to have the yacht completed in 10 months,” McConaghy said. “We structured a week-by-week building schedule and put between 50 and 60 guys on the job. They were exciting times.”

When Alfa Romeo was contesting Hamilton Island Race Week in August 2005 – as part of her preparation for that year’s Hobart race – Wild Oats XI was barely half-built.

It was not until December 2, just 24 days before the start, that Wild Oats XI was launched and the rush to get her into race mode began.

Not surprisingly the well-tuned Alfa Romeo with her equally well-honed crew of international sailors, stood as the pre-race favourite for line honours. But that only made Mark Richards and his team more determined.

Wild Oats XI interior.

What followed was the perfect example of how spirit, skill, teamwork and determination can achieve the seemingly unachievable. In Bass Strait, about halfway into the race, Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats XI were all but side-by-side. Alfa Romeo then changed her course towards the east while Richards and his team held their nerve: they stayed on the same course, believing it was more favourable – and it was.

After one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds of racing, Wild Oats XI led the fleet into Hobart to claim the treble – line and handicap honours, and a race-record time.

Richards looks back on this achievement as one of his two greatest moments in the Sydney Hobart race, the other being when Wild Oats XI led the hotly favoured American supermaxi, Comanche, into Hobart in 2014.

Last year Wild Oats XI was extensively modified for the Sydney Hobart race in preparation for another showdown with Comanche. Modifications included the removal of her bow, which is now attached to the Hamilton Island Yacht Club. It was a campaign full of disappointment, culminating in her being forced out of the race due to damage to the mainsail.

Pre-dawn: Wild Oats XI on the move in Sydney.

“I didn’t feel right about our preparations for the race during all of December,” Richards said. “There was a lot of pressure surrounding the modifications: I think we made the changes too close to the race and we weren’t properly prepared. Bob’s deteriorating health was also an issue for everyone: we just loved the man.

“This year all the pressure is off. We’re out there to do it for Bob.”

Having set a course record in the Brisbane to Keppel race in August, Richards and his highly-skilled crew know the yacht is faster than ever. Wild Oats XI averaged an impressive 20 knots when she lopped more than seven hours off her own record in that event. Should the weather gods smile on her and provide similar downwind conditions in the Sydney Hobart race, she could lop an impressive 12 hours off her record for that race – but that’s a big “if” in the Sydney Hobart race.

Regardless, Wild Oats XI is the most successful yacht, and Mark Richards the most successful skipper, in the 72-year history of the classic, and it’s safe to say those records will stand for a long time, maybe forever.

Launched: The revamped Wild Oats XI takes flight. The new spinnaker she carries is 120 square metres larger than the wing area of an Airbus A380 passenger aircraft.

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Another modification for Wild Oats XI in preparation for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

© 2024 Wild Oats XI | Striving To Achieve Excellence.

Published on November 13th, 2020 | by Editor

Sydney Hobart: No go for Wild Oats XI

Published on November 13th, 2020 by Editor -->

Few events and yachts have such a connection as does the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Oatley Family’s Wild Oats yachts.

As a former race record holder and a nine-times line honors winner, the 30-metre (100ft) supermaxi yacht Wild Oats XI is undisputedly the most successful yacht in the 75-year history of the arduous event.

But when the 76th edition gets underway on December 26, this thoroughbred will remain in the stable. Here’s an update from the team:

Since 2005, Wild Oats XI has proudly been on the starting line each year for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. 2020 has been no ordinary year for our employees and business interests, and as such our family has made the decision not to enter Wild Oats XI in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Our best wishes are with all crews who are racing and it is our hope that Wild Oats XI will return to the starting line on Boxing Day in 2021. We would like to extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to Skipper Mark Richards, the Wild Oats XI crew and our supporters.

Race details – Entry list – Facebook

The 628nm Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will be the 76th edition when it gets underway on December 26, 2020. From Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the south-east coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides the mainland from the island State of Tasmania), then down the east coast of Tasmania. At Tasman Island the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.

Tags: Sydney Hobart , Wild Oats

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The Comprehensive Guide to Moscow Nightlife

• Posted on April 14, 2018 July 26, 2018
• by Kings of Russia
• 8 minute read

Moscow’s nightlife scene is thriving, and arguably one of the best the world has to offer – top-notch Russian women, coupled with a never-ending list of venues, Moscow has a little bit of something for everyone’s taste. Moscow nightlife is not for the faint of heart – and if you’re coming, you better be ready to go Friday and Saturday night into the early morning.

This comprehensive guide to Moscow nightlife will run you through the nuts and bolts of all you need to know about Moscow’s nightclubs and give you a solid blueprint to operate with during your time in Moscow.

What you need to know before hitting Moscow nightclubs

Prices in moscow nightlife.

Before you head out and start gaming all the sexy Moscow girls , we have to talk money first. Bring plenty because in Moscow you can never bring a big enough bankroll. Remember, you’re the man so making a fuzz of not paying a drink here or there will not go down well.

Luckily most Moscow clubs don’t do cover fees. Some electro clubs will charge 15-20$, depending on their lineup. There’s the odd club with a minimum spend of 20-30$, which you’ll drop on drinks easily. By and large, you can scope out the venues for free, which is a big plus.

Bottle service is a great deal in Moscow. At top-tier clubs, it starts at 1,000$. That’ll go a long way with premium vodka at 250$, especially if you have three or four guys chipping in. Not to mention that it’s a massive status boost for getting girls, especially at high-end clubs.

Without bottle service, you should estimate a budget of 100-150$ per night. That is if you drink a lot and hit the top clubs with the hottest girls. Scale down for less alcohol and more basic places.

Dress code & Face control

Door policy in Moscow is called “face control” and it’s always the guy behind the two gorillas that gives the green light if you’re in or out.

In Moscow nightlife there’s only one rule when it comes to dress codes:

You can never be underdressed.

People dress A LOT sharper than, say, in the US and that goes for both sexes. For high-end clubs, you definitely want to roll with a sharp blazer and a pocket square, not to mention dress shoes in tip-top condition. Those are the minimum requirements to level the playing field vis a vis with other sharply dressed guys that have a lot more money than you do. Unless you plan to hit explicit electro or underground clubs, which have their own dress code, you are always on the money with that style.

Getting in a Moscow club isn’t as hard as it seems: dress sharp, speak English at the door and look like you’re in the mood to spend all that money that you supposedly have (even if you don’t). That will open almost any door in Moscow’s nightlife for you.

Types of Moscow Nightclubs

In Moscow there are four types of clubs with the accompanying female clientele:

High-end clubs:

These are often crossovers between restaurants and clubs with lots of tables and very little space to dance. Heavy accent on bottle service most of the time but you can work the room from the bar as well. The hottest and most expensive girls in Moscow go there. Bring deep pockets and lots of self-confidence and you have a shot at swooping them.

Regular Mid-level clubs:

They probably resemble more what you’re used to in a nightclub: big dancefloors, stages and more space to roam around. Bottle service will make you stand out more but you can also do well without. You can find all types of girls but most will be in the 6-8 range. Your targets should always be the girls drinking and ideally in pairs. It’s impossible not to swoop if your game is at least half-decent.

Basic clubs/dive bars:

Usually spots with very cheap booze and lax face control. If you’re dressed too sharp and speak no Russian, you might attract the wrong type of attention so be vigilant. If you know the local scene you can swoop 6s and 7s almost at will. Usually students and girls from the suburbs.

Electro/underground clubs:

Home of the hipsters and creatives. Parties there don’t mean meeting girls and getting drunk but doing pills and spacing out to the music. Lots of attractive hipster girls if that is your niche. That is its own scene with a different dress code as well.

What time to go out in Moscow

Moscow nightlife starts late. Don’t show up at bars and preparty spots before 11pm because you’ll feel fairly alone. Peak time is between 1am and 3am. That is also the time of Moscow nightlife’s biggest nuisance: concerts by artists you won’t know and who only distract your girls from drinking and being gamed. From 4am to 6am the regular clubs are emptying out but plenty of people, women included, still hit up one of the many afterparty clubs. Those last till well past 10am.

As far as days go: Fridays and Saturdays are peak days. Thursday is an OK day, all other days are fairly weak and you have to know the right venues.

The Ultimate Moscow Nightclub List

Short disclaimer: I didn’t add basic and electro clubs since you’re coming for the girls, not for the music. This list will give you more options than you’ll be able to handle on a weekend.

Preparty – start here at 11PM

Classic restaurant club with lots of tables and a smallish bar and dancefloor. Come here between 11pm and 12am when the concert is over and they start with the actual party. Even early in the night tons of sexy women here, who lean slightly older (25 and up).

The second floor of the Ugolek restaurant is an extra bar with dim lights and house music tunes. Very small and cozy with a slight hipster vibe but generally draws plenty of attractive women too. A bit slower vibe than Valenok.

Very cool, spread-out venue that has a modern library theme. Not always full with people but when it is, it’s brimming with top-tier women. Slow vibe here and better for grabbing contacts and moving on.

High-end: err on the side of being too early rather than too late because of face control.

Secret Room

Probably the top venue at the moment in Moscow . Very small but wildly popular club, which is crammed with tables but always packed. They do parties on Thursdays and Sundays as well. This club has a hip-hop/high-end theme, meaning most girls are gold diggers, IG models, and tattooed hip hop chicks. Very unfavorable logistics because there is almost no room no move inside the club but the party vibe makes it worth it. Strict face control.

Close to Secret Room and with a much more favorable and spacious three-part layout. This place attracts very hot women but also lots of ball busters and fakes that will leave you blue-balled. Come early because after 4am it starts getting empty fast. Electronic music.

A slightly kitsch restaurant club that plays Russian pop and is full of gold diggers, semi-pros, and men from the Caucasus republics. Thursday is the strongest night but that dynamic might be changing since Secret Room opened its doors. You can swoop here but it will be a struggle.

Mid-level: your sweet spot in terms of ease and attractiveness of girls for an average budget.

Started going downwards in 2018 due to lax face control and this might get even worse with the World Cup. In terms of layout one of the best Moscow nightclubs because it’s very big and bottle service gives you a good edge here. Still attracts lots of cute girls with loose morals but plenty of provincial girls (and guys) as well. Swooping is fairly easy here.

I haven’t been at this place in over a year, ever since it started becoming ground zero for drunken teenagers. Similar clientele to Icon but less chic, younger and drunker. Decent mainstream music that attracts plenty of tourists. Girls are easy here as well.

Sort of a Coyote Ugly (the real one in Moscow sucks) with party music and lots of drunken people licking each others’ faces. Very entertaining with the right amount of alcohol and very easy to pull in there. Don’t think about staying sober in here, you’ll hate it.

Artel Bessonitsa/Shakti Terrace

Electronic music club that is sort of a high-end place with an underground clientele and located between the teenager clubs Icon and Gipsy. Very good music but a bit all over the place with their vibe and their branding. You can swoop almost any type of girl here from high-heeled beauty to coked-up hipsters, provided they’re not too sober.

Afterparty: if by 5AM  you haven’t pulled, it’s time to move here.

Best afterparty spot in terms of trying to get girls. Pretty much no one is sober in there and savage gorilla game goes a long way. Lots of very hot and slutty-looking girls but it can be hard to tell apart who is looking for dick and who is just on drugs but not interested. If by 9-10am you haven’t pulled, it is probably better to surrender.

The hipster alternative for afterparties, where even more drugs are in play. Plenty of attractive girls there but you have to know how to work this type of club. A nicer atmosphere and better music but if you’re desperate to pull, you’ll probably go to Miks.

Weekday jokers: if you’re on the hunt for some sexy Russian girls during the week, here are two tips to make your life easier.

Chesterfield

Ladies night on Wednesdays means this place gets pretty packed with smashed teenagers and 6s and 7s. Don’t pull out the three-piece suit in here because it’s a “simpler” crowd. Definitely your best shot on Wednesdays.

If you haven’t pulled at Chesterfield, you can throw a Hail Mary and hit up Garage’s Black Music Wednesdays. Fills up really late but there are some cute Black Music groupies in here. Very small club. Thursday through Saturday they do afterparties and you have an excellent shot and swooping girls that are probably high.

Shishas Sferum

This is pretty much your only shot on Mondays and Tuesdays because they offer free or almost free drinks for women. A fairly low-class club where you should watch your drinks. As always the case in Moscow, there will be cute girls here on any day of the week but it’s nowhere near as good as on the weekend.

In a nutshell, that is all you need to know about where to meet Moscow girls in nightlife. There are tons of options, and it all depends on what best fits your style, based on the type of girls that you’re looking for.

Related Topics

• moscow girls
• moscow nightlife

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