More sailors with short memories racing to Hobart

by The Sail-World Team on 27 Dec 2002 Rod Skellet’s Krakatoa, a Young 31 is this morning 35 miles out to sea from the coastal resort town of Batemans’ Bay in the southern flowing current.

Six hundred and thirty tough southern ocean miles, almost a hundred down now.

Yesterday afternoon and the night was wet and uncomfortable skipper Rod Skellett explained by satellite phone this morning.

‘We has a jib top and full main and there was a lot of green water coming over the deck. We had a sloppy 2 metre sea. It was a tiring night, spent on the rail.

Now its settled down and we are under spinnaker. So we are a trying to play catch up with sleep.

We have four crew in their bunks and only three on deck.’

The high tech 31 footers like Kratakoa and their fierce rival, the Hick 31 Toecutter represent a new generation in small ocean racers.

They rate only a little behind the 38 to 40 footers, because of their sheer speed down wind and off the breeze.

However as Skellett commented ruefully. ‘We are quick, but it’s a wet ride and there is not much in the way of cooking that can be done in the below deck space we have.’

But would you want to cook anyway….last year crew seasickness forced Kratakoa to retire to Eden, but that’s all forgotten now as they push towards the paddock.

For more information on the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race including full results by division www.sail-world.com/sydneytohobart2002