Maxi pulls out

SHK Scallywag first of three early casualties from 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Written by Di Pearson/RSHYR Media

27 December 2023

Seng Huang Lee’s 100ft SHK Scallywag from Hong Kong, has become the first casualty of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, breaking her bow sprit early this evening Sydney time.

SHK Scallywag, skippered by David Witt, had recently undergone modifications and with some well-known crew added, seemed to be in great shape, but it was not to be. Without the bow sprit, flying spinnakers is impossible.

A short time later, Peter Davison’s Archambault 40 RC, Arcadia from Victoria, along with the two-handed entry of Shane Connolly/Tony Sutton on the J/99, Rum Rebellion, also reported they had retired from the 78th running of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 628 nautical mile race.

SHK Scallywag from Hong Kong, has become the first casualty of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

SHK Scallywag broke her bow sprit early on the first evening.

Without the bow sprit, flying spinnakers is impossible..

The team are now making their way back to Sydney.

Arcadia has retired with a torn mainsail, but no reason has been given at this stage for Rum Rebellion from Sydney.

This leaves 100 boats racing, including 17 two-handed entries.

Just before 5pm this evening, both Christian Beck’s LawConnect and the John Winning Jnr skippered Andoo Comanche, reported they were sailing on a comfortable sea in nice 16-18 knot winds.

Ty Oxley reported from LawConnect: “We are neck-and-neck with Andoo and reaching at 20 knots in 18-20 knots of breeze. Wind is up and down on a comfortable sea.”

Sam Fay said from Andoo Comanche: “We are doing 26 knots and have just overtaken LawConnect.”

The three boats had been having a tight tussle until SHK Scallywag’s retirement.

Grant Wharington’s 100ft Wild Thing 100, with her shorter rig, is 13 nautical miles behind LawConnect at 7.30pm.

UPDATE

After 16 hours of racing, Andoo Comanche is going toe-to-toe with LawConnect around 90nm SE of Green Cape. She is doing 17.2kts, having averaged 12kts for the journey and has only a half mile lead over her rival.

URM Group and Alive have overtaken the other maxi Wild Thing 100 and are alongside each other 7 miles back in another tight battle.

Caro currently sits in 7th place on standings, with the two TP52s Smuggler and Highly Sprung on her tail. No Limit, Whisper, Celestial, Teasing Machine and Denali lead the rest.

The fleet is strung back to Wollongong where Currawong, Sylph VI and Silver Fern are presently doing 7.5 kts.

There have been two more retirements overnight. All are well. Richard Harris’ Cookson 50 Sticky (RPAYC) suffered a lightning strike and electrical damage.

Bill Barry Cotter’s TP52 Maritimo 52 (Southport Yacht Club) has had rigging damage to a forestay fitting.