Sydney Hobart Fast Track - an impossible dream for Etihad Stadium?

7:07 AM Sun 20 Dec 2009 GMT

'Etihad Stadium Mast'

Rolex Sydney Hobart Race - dismasted nine days ago, on a delivery passage to Sydney. its been a roller coaster ride for the owner and crew of the former Sydney Hobart line honours winner Skandia Wild Thing.

However Project Start Line is on track for the Etihad Stadium Supermaxi with Grant Wharington and his crew pleased with their progress over the weekend to prepare the 98 footer for the arrival of the replacement mast.

The precious carbon fibre cargo is due to touch down at Sydney International Airport on board a Qantas flight from Singapore early tomorrow afternoon (Monday 21 December).

The combined efforts of UBI Logistics, Qantas, Qantas Freight and TNT have been instrumental in what at times originally felt like an impossible dream - but somehow after a week of sleepless nights and many international conference calls, the dream is one more sleep away from becoming reality for the Victorian skipper, well known for his fighting spirit and never say die attitude.

The Etihad Stadium Supermaxi has been half out of the water and up in the slings at Sydney City Marine at Rozelle Bay this weekend. After work is completed, the boat will be re-launched back into the water late tonight in readiness for the mast arrival tomorrow.

It's been a big weekend for the crew, who collectively have a fantastic professional skill set that has allowed this project to progress to where it is - from sail-makers and stainless steel fabricators to electrical engineers and mechanics - they've all pitched in over the last two days to get through a large list of jobs.

Everything possible that could be done to get the boat ready to accept the replacement mast has been done, and work will continue on a number of other variables tomorrow morning.

"We're all pretty exhausted after two big days, but we're feeling good about where we are at " said Grant.

"Obviously the next big thing is the impending arrival of the next big thing - and I'm really looking forward to seeing that Qantas plane touch down in Sydney tomorrow afternoon" he said.

Just one more sleep til the mast arrives, and the Big Race before the Great Race begins.

There will be a team of professionals, together with a number of the crew, working around the clock in the three valuable days that remain before Christmas Day to have the Supermaxi race ready to line up with all the other boats of her size - vying for line honours in the 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart.

"All we want for Christmas is to be ready to turn right at Sydney Heads on Boxing Day - I think everyone associated with Project Start Line will be having a relaxed Christmas celebration.......in January " said Grant.

by Jodye O'Brien

Newsfeed supplied by

#News #Sailing

Sailing

Reefing Early: Shorten Sail Before You Must

Sailing

Read the Wind: Judge Its Force Without a Gauge

Sailing

Overnight at Anchor: Setting Up Right

Sailing

Heaving To: Park the Boat in a Blow

Sailing

The Figure-8: Return to a Person Overboard

Sailing

Reefing: Read the Signs, Act Early

Sailing

VHF Radio on the Water: Channels and Calls

Nearby
Launceston, TAS	9 kn NNW	16°
Scottsdale, TAS	9 kn WNW	14°
Windiest in Australia
Mount Wellington, TAS	41 kn WSW	6°
Most Windless in Australia
Gympie, QLD	Calm	20°
Hottest in Australia
Fitzroy Crossing, WA	2 kn ENE	42°
Coldest in Australia
Mount Read, TAS	20 kn WSW	5°
Wettest in Australia
Mount Read, TAS	47.6 mm

Sydney Hobart Fast Track - an impossible dream for Etihad Stadium?

Reefing Early: Shorten Sail Before It's Too Late

The Beaufort Scale: How We Learned to Rank Wind

Heave-To: Sailing's Emergency Pause Button

Live Weather

Nearby

Windiest in Australia

Most Windless in Australia

Hottest in Australia

Coldest in Australia

Wettest in Australia

Sailing Articles

Buy & Sell

2025 Neo Dlab 9M

2023 Ozone V7 Ultra X

2023 Ozone Alpha V2

2025 Levitaz R6

2025 Duotone Dice Sls

2024 Duotone Neo Sls

F-One Mirage Carbon Foil & Mast

Know before you go

Download the Seabreeze app for iOS or Android.

Weather

Activities

About

Other

Support