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| Tricky conditions for Sydney Hobart. |
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Photos by
Peter Andrews,
Story edited from press release by Peter Andrews. |
| 10:00 AEDT December 26, 2010. |
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| As the rain poured
down in Sydney this morning, the Bureau of Meteorology’s
Michael Logan left Sydney Hobart competitors wondering just
what the weather situation would be for today’s 1.00pm start
and beyond of the famous 628 nautical mile race. Describing conditions
for annual Cruising Yacht Club of Australia race at the briefing
the Club this morning, Logan said they would be "tricky".
He said a narrow cloud band over NSW with thunderstorms in it is
filling in from the west and sliding gradually north-east: "Even
if it shifts, there will still be cloud cover, rain and storms
between short bursts of sun," he stressed. |
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Dockside rain on the morning of the start of the Sydney Hobart
2010, at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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Logan’s warning of "It’s a discouraging for crews who think they will get to Hobart early," brought much laughter from owners, tacticians and navigators in the room. "I expect it will be very light today, probably a westerly, if the cloud cover stays. A sea breeze may take the westerly out, but it will probably be west with a northwest flow," was the best the Bureau’s man could predict as he added: "The uncertainty is thunderstorms and gusts, which could change the outlook."
Race entrants were told they can expect the first of the southerly busters between 6.00 and 7.00pm, around Wollongong on the NSW south coast this evening, which could infringe into Sydney, with a strong wind warning attached. "I don’t know if it will be a true southerly, it may be a sou-westerly, but the fleet (87 yachts) can expect 20 to 30 knots. Monday winds will surge up the NSW coast and by 5.00pm there will be a strong southerly for up to 12 hours," Logan warned. |
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Race day weather briefing on the morning of the start of the
Sydney Hobart 2010, at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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A new system is expected
through on Tuesday 5.00am, when it is expected winds will lighten
off again, with sea breezes up and down the coast. On Wednesday,
a third change is expected, bringing 20 to 25 knot westerlies to
Tasmania. Logan said bands of storms look likely to be on the cards,
but said "the situation would be re-capped closer to the time."
It’s a far from easy situation for skippers, navigators and tacticians, as there are no certainties in the forecast. However, navigator of 21 races to Hobart, Richard Grimes, remained positive, which is a bonus for his skipper, Nick Bartels, who owns the Cookson 50 Terra Firma from Melbourne. Grimes had firm ideas of what to do to win the Sydney Hobart this year and the rain at the CYCA this morning was like water off a duck’s back for the veteran yachtsman and pilot, who says he subscribes to the farmers’ theory that "rain before 7.00 (am) means it’s clear by 11.00 (am)." |
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A packed race day weather briefing at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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According to Grimes, because strong rainfall has filled dams over the last couple of weeks, the cold water overflow is pushing the east coast current offshore. "It will be more of a wind game plan, especially early on. The trick is to not screw up on the first night, or you’re gone," he says. "You need to look for any current and the south-westerly. Once you’re in the sou’wester, you want to foot (sail off the breeze) for Hobart; you don’t want to sail hard on the wind. The third part of the race is the approach and timing to the Tasmanian coast. If you can get all those things right, then you’re in with a chance," he maintains.
Grimes will work with tactician-helmsman Barney Walker to get it right. "Between us we’ll figure it out," Walker said.
For further information about the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, go to: www.rolexsydneyhobart.com. The race can also be followed on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/rshyr. |
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| Outimage and Rolex © 2010 |
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