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Sailing the Sydney to Hobart

2K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  cunningdavid 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I'm well aware that sailing the Sydney to Hobart is not for the unprepared, but not sure what level is really required to join a crew.

How much racing experience would you recommend?

To get on a crew is it a matter of talking to the CYCA? How far in advance is normal?

Come this year's boxing day I'll have about 2.5 years racing experience (with RSYS in Sydney). Any advice would be welcome.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Hi David - First off, welcome to Sailnet. :)

I'd suggest you start by enrolling in a YA Sea Safety & Survival Course near you. Click on the link and go from there.

Once you get through that, THEN talk to the CYCA and put yourself up as available crew. If you get started now you should be just in time...

Good luck!

EDIT: I'm assuming you already have a YA Silver card with the RSYS.
 
#3 ·
Thanks Hartley.

Doing the sea survival course is definitely a good idea. I do have a YA silver card already.

Do you think many skippers will be interested, given 2.5 years experience? I've been racing on the harbour the majority of Saturday afternoons in that time.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Do you think many skippers will be interested, given 2.5 years experience? I've been racing on the harbour the majority of Saturday afternoons in that time.
David, as the others have said, the answer is YES - but you need to demonstrate your committment and your staying power. No-one wants to take onboard someone who is only functioning at the start, spends the remainder of the race in their bunk, green to the gills, and then raves about how great they were to all their mates in the pub afterwards.

So.. if you get enrolled in the next SSSC and find out from the club secretary who in the RSYS is going, get their phone numbers, call them and then make the effort to crew for one of them in every race they do between now and then, especially the off-shore races, you've a good chance of getting aboard something mid-fleet.

Depending on your fitness level, you might also need regular visits to a local gym between now and December 26th.. Don't underestimate how much of a hard slog the Sydney-Hobart actually is.

Keep in mind that it's quite an adventure you're about to embark upon and if you make it to the end you'll never forget the experience. Best of luck to you! :)
 
#5 ·
I think the greatest resource for the information you seek is in the bar at your own club! My brother in law is a member there, and has done more than 30 Sydney-Hobarts. Guys like him could tell you exactly what to expect and how to prepare.

In general I would think you need to prove yourself to prospective skippers by doing smaller offshore races with them before they would consider you a candidate for the big race!
 
#6 ·
There are some boats from the RSYS doing the Hobart race each year... So you can certainly ask the sailing secretary to give you the likely contenders and drop them a note or phone call.

The CYC has a crew list, I think it's actually on the net. As well as that just roll down there on a Saturday morning and see if you can get out with someone.

As for the experience you need, I would be doing the winter Harbour series to get you a better chance of getting on a boat for the Spring series, then the Summer.
Very few will take you unless you have raced the whole season with them.

So get cracking now! It's not too early to start working towards this years S-H



Mark
 
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