Maritimo doubling up with 2 entries in the prestigious Rolex Sydney Hobart
by Maritimo 18 Dec 2023 21:51 UTC
26 December 2023
Representing the Gold Coast and Queensland in the iconic 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, sailing yachts Maritimo Racing has entered two of its yachts, Maritimo 52(A TP52) and Maritimo 54(A Schumacher 54). Maritimo only team with 2 entries in the event.
On Boxing Day, December 26, both yachts, Maritimo 52 & Maritimo 54 will line up on the start line of the epic blue water race, which is celebrating its 78th edition this year with a strong fleet of 113 yachts.
The 628 nautical mile course is often described as the most gruelling ocean race in the world, attracting sailors from around the world and the cream of Australian entries.
Maritimo 52 will compete in the 52-foot grand prix racing yachts class, against 12 other contenders, including two champion internationals.
Maritimo is unique as the only luxury motor yacht builder in the world with a dedicated racing division and world championship off shore powerboat race team all in-house.
The 15.85-metre yacht is a meticulously refurbished, Reichel Pugh-designed TP52 - a champion racing yacht brought to Australia from Mexico.
The TP52 was originally designed for the Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu and is a lean, light-weight yacht with few creature comforts for crew. There are around 80 of these carbon fibre yachts racing in all parts of the world, and they are extremely competitive. There are 7 racing in this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart.
The TPs have dominated Australian ocean racing including the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in recent times and seem to enjoy a sweet spot under the IRC Handicap Rule that determines the overall winner of the Race.
Maritimo founder, Bill Barry-Cotter could see the untapped potential in the TP52 he located in Fiji which was then transported to Maritimo's Coomera headquarters where the yacht underwent a thorough refit, including new sails and all navigation equipment to bring her up to the latest safety and racing standards. The TP52was withdrawn from the 2022 race due to damage suffered in the delivery sail down from the Gold Coast. 2023 sees Maritimo teams raring to compete.
Maritimo is a proudly-Australian manufacturer and exporter of premium, long-range motor yachts, sending 60 percent of its vessel to dealerships in New Zealand, North America, South East Asia and Europe.
The Majority of Maritimos destined for NZ travel across the Tasman on their own hulls, which is testament to their superior offshore cruising capabilities.
In 2023, Maritimo celebrates 20 years as one of Australia's most successful and prestigious Luxury Motor Yacht Manufacturers.
"We are extremely proud to be a Gold Coast manufacturer, with more than 330+ employees and motor yachts that are prized around the world," states Tom.
"A testament to the skills and craftsmanship of our tradespeople, our two Maritimo sailing yachts will be flying the flag for the Gold Coast in the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race."
Michael Spies, veteran of 44 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is at the helm of Maritimo 52 and Bill BarryCotter's brother, Kendal, is at the helm of Maritimo 54. Maritimo 54's crew will have 119 Rolex Sydney Hobart Races chalked up.
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has become an icon of Australia's summer sport, ranking among such popular national spectator events as the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open tennis and the Boxing Day cricket test. The Race start at 1pm Boxing Day on Sydney Harbour attracts thousands of pleasure craft and many thousands of spectators around the foreshores.
Following the Boxing Day start, you can track the progress of Maritimo 52 and Maritimo 54 on the official race tracker
Maritimo 52 - Stats and facts
- Length - 15.85m
- Beam - 4.34m
- Designer - Reichel Pugh USA (designers of Wild Oats IX)
- Builder - Green Marine UK
- Hull Material - Carbon Fibre/Nomex
- Draft - 3.4m
- Total Sail Area - 410-sqm
- Total Displacement- 7800kg
- Hull Weight - 1500 kg
- Top Speed - 30 knots
- Average Daily Run - 320 nautical miles per day.
Crew
- Michael Spies - skipper -Gold Coast - 44 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Scott Kaufman New York - 16 - Sydney Hobart Races. Celebrating 50 years since he won his first Sydney Hobart.
- Doug Johnstone - Navigator - Los Angeles - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Niel Sherring - Gold Coast - 3 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Peter Britt - Foster NSW - 15 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Peter Jones - Brisbane - 25 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Nick Davis - Perth - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Peter Vauciurgis - Coffs Harbour
- Phil Armstrong - Hobart - - Sydney Hobart Races
- Finn Rodowicz - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Hugo Stone - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Alex Marinelli - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Matt Levings - Gold Coast - 0 -Sydney Hobart Races (1500m freestyle - 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
- Grace Levings - Gold Coast - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
Maritimo 54 - Stats and facts
- Length - 16.46m
- Beam - 4.20m
- Designer- Schumacher 54
- Builder - Wesley Marine
- Hull Material - Fibre glass
- Draft - 2.8m
- Total Sail Area 140-sqm
- Total Displacement 10,500kg
- Hull Weight 6000 kg
- Top Speed 25 knots
- Average Daily Run - 250 nautical miles per day.
Crew
- Kendal Barry-Cotter - Skipper - Gold Coast - 11 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Mike Green - Sydney - 43 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Murray Spence - Whitsundays - Navigator - 22 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Mike Hughes - Palmyra - WA - 16 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Barrie McIndoe - Tasmania - 6 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Justin Wells - Tasmania - 8 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Maclean Paton - Sydney - 3 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Ian Vidal - Sydney - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Frazer Read - Tasmania - 9 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Ross Mannering - 1 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Ben Lockyer - Brisbane - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
- Jared Donnelly - Gold Coast - 0 - Sydney Hobart Races
www.maritimo.com.au