Why Doesn’t the Sydney Hobart Race Allow Multihulls?!?!?

The Sydney Hobart is one of the pre-eminent mixed-fleet yacht races in the world. The race takes place every year starting on December, 26, Boxing Day, and this year more than 100 yachts ranging from 34-100 feet embarked on the challenging 628 nautical mile race from Sydney to Hobart, and across the notorious Bass Straight.
The race attracts the top monohull racers from across the globe, but there is one curious thing that separates the Sydney Hobart from other major mixed-fleet races around the world: The Sydney Hobart doesn’t allow multihulls.
But why exactly is that? Only the race organizers know for sure but I have a pretty good idea.
A while back I did a video on why multihulls are so fast, where I compared Comanche, who won line honours in this years’ Sydney Hobart, with IDEC Sport, the fastest trimaran to circumnavigate the globe.
And while IDEC Sport wasn’t even on the podium in this year’s Route du Rhum, so it isn’t even a fast trimaran by today’s standards, it’s still close to 50% faster than Comanche.
This means multihulls are pretty much assured to get line honours, or first to finish, in any mixed fleet race they are allowed to enter.
To level the playing field in mixed fleet races, there is generally some kind of handicap system which gives the slower boats a chance to win on corrected time, but the real prize for many is line honours, or first to finish, regardless of handicap.
There is just something about being the first boat to cross the line that isn’t quite there when winning on corrected time. So line honours is a big deal for the fastest boat owners, their skippers, and perhaps most importantly their sponsors.
This years’ Sydney Hobart line-honours leaders are Andoo Comanche, LawConnect, Black Jack, and last but not least, Hamilton Island Wild Oats, which has won line honours a staggering nine times.
These are all Australian owned or chartered boats, and sponsored by Australian or regional companies or events that have close affiliations with the owners or charterers.
For example, John Winning Jr, is an Australian appliance mogul, and his sponsor Andoo is a major regional appliance retailer, so winning line honours in the Sydney Hobart is a big deal for both him and his sponsors.
Now if we look at another major mixed fleet race, the Fastnet, which is slightly longer but takes place in the waters off the UK and France, we start to get a sense of why the Sydney Hobart organizers don’t want multihulls: Pretty much all of the major ocean racing multihull campaigns in the world are owned, skippered, and sponsored by the French.
So including multihulls in the Sydney Hobart would all but guarantee that Australian owners, skippers, and sponsors would be ousted from the line honours podium and replaced by the French, and because sponsorship is such a big deal that’s a bitter pill the race organizers don’t want to swallow.
Of course it could also promote Australian investment in major multihull campaigns, but that’s a risk the race organizers aren’t willing to take, at least for now.
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[@SailingTipsCa]

A typical argument is that multihulls are not allowed in the Sydney Hobart for reasons related to safety, and in particular that multihulls typically cannot right themselves once inverted. At the same time several maxi trimarans have successfully broken global circumnavigation records, and in doing so have sailed right past the South East Cape of Tasmania, including IDEC Sport which managed 10 consecutive days above 800 nautical miles in the Southern Ocean. These maxi trimarans must meet World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations for Category 0 trans-oceanic races (www.sailing.org/inside-world-sailing/rules-regulations/offshore-special-regulations/) "which pass through areas in which air or sea temperatures are likely to be less than 5°C (41°F) other than temporarily, where boats must be completely self-sufficient for very extended periods of time, capable of withstanding heavy storms and prepared to meet serious emergencies without the expectation of outside assistance." The Sidney Hobart does not use the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations but instead uses the Australian Sailing Special Regulations (cdn.revolutionise.com.au/site/uoa1gvknbxk0adjq.pdf) which are similar but have a few differences. The Sydney Hobart is a Category 1 race which includes "offshore races of long distance and well offshore, where boats must be self-sufficient for extended periods of time, capable of withstanding heavy storms and prepared to meet serious emergencies without the expectation of outside assistance." There is no Category 0 for trans-oceanic races in the Australia Sailing Special Regulations. In any case it is interesting and perhaps even ironic that even multihulls that are deemed safe enough to circumnavigate the globe in the Southern Ocean are not seen as safe enough to compete in the Sidney Hobart per this argument.

[@johnstewart42]

Shaun Langman’s Team Australia, a French built 60 foot trimaran holds the outright record for the Sydney to Hobart. Shaun also owns and sails the oldest and shortest yacht In the race. His son raced it this year. Shaun has partitioned the SCYC to allow him to race his tri in a seperate class of course. Australia has a great history of multihulls designers like the late Lock Crowther. Your comments are spot on. It’s about money.

[@SailingTipsCa]

There are some great Australian multihull skippers too like Jimmy Spithill - wouldn’t it be cool if he could race an Australian boat in the Sydney Hobart instead of (or in addition to) racing multihulls in other countries! And the amateur multihull scene seems quite evolved and active with their OMR rating system, which seems much better than the multihull rating system we use here!

[@garthharrington9683]

April, 1992: Fred Gan’s F-31 OSTAC TRIUMPH wins the bi-annual Australian Offshore Multihull Championships. In the associated Brisbane to Gladstone Ocean Race, BOBSLED, a 67 foot million dollar racing monohull, made headlines in breaking the monohull record by an impressive hour and a half. The trailerable F-31 (a family cruiser) had caught and passed BOBSLED finishing an hour and fifteen minutes ahead! Ostac Triumph Bobsled - somewhat larger and a lot more expensive

[@SailingTipsCa]

This may also be what they are worried about - relatively low-budget multihull campaigns embarrassing high-budget monos!

[@C0N72]

As someone that has done 5 Hobart's, I really hope they don't ever allow multihulls. I have nothing against them, but a lot of the appeal of the Hobart is that it still feels like a traditional race. I like up next to boats like Comanche and they just look like a bigger faster version of us. You get that with multihulls. These big offshore, foiling multis are so far removed from anything else it takes away from the competitive feel of the race. I also don't really know how they handicap them. You talk exclusively about line honours which is what the media focuses on, but the actual race is an IRC race. Can you fairly handicap a trimaran to a 34 ft monohull?

[@Redmanuka]

I guess pacific voyaging outrigger sailing vessels are pre traditional... In the European sailing tradition.. :)

[@SailingTipsCa]

Just like monohulls there are both box rules and handicap rating systems for multihulls. Most of the monohulls in the Fastnet also race handicapped under IRC, and I believe this is where the “overall” trophy is awarded, but there are also box rule classes for Class 40 and IMOCA 60. Similarly, multihulls have a handicapped MOCRA division and an unlimited division, which is pretty much the Ultime class trimarans. So they don’t really have a way of rating a 35 foot monohull against an Ultime foiling trimaran and it still seems to go okay.

[@sergeambrose6812]

You are spot on - there is a time and place for everything. Multi's have their places. The Sydney 2 Hobart is not their place. By the way I love Multi's and there are plenty of other races around Australia that they compete in! If people are so keen on Multi's, why don't they do a Brisbane to Hobart Race on the same dates! All finishing together!

[@CraigOverend]

Start the multihulls the next day. Would be exciting to see them catching and passing the fleet.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Now you’re just rubbing it in! ;-)

[@WayOfHaQodesh]

This would be awesome, give them a realistic handicap so that they can race

[@bobdsailor]

The Fastnet takes places off the waters of the UK, Framce and IRELAND!! :-) Love the vids.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes of course - my bad! Glad you still like the videos!

[@stephenchigwidden7504]

A cat called Oli contested the race this year i think he and his crew finished last several days after the winning team but was still greeted by a small crowd at the finish line some of them with gifts.

[@SailingTipsCa]

LOL yes congrats to Oli being the first cat to finish!

[@PeterGrimes59]

They do however race in the Brisbane to Gladstone in a separate division and also Hamilton Island Race Week :)

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes, and multihulls are increasingly being invited to other events as well, with the race organizers creating separate divisions providing enough multis show up.

[@josemondbuttigieg8853]

6 out of 10 qualifying regattas list in the NOR's that you must complete prior to entering the SHYR allows multihulls in their regattas the other 4 forbid multihulls to enter as they are strictly monohulls.

[@glenn5ft19]

If they allowed multihulls, the race would be over in 24 hours or less, then everyone would switch off the telly and go to the pub. Event sponsors would get less time to promote their goods and services. They could always make the multihulls do a round trip. Sydney, then leave Tasmania to starboard and back to Sydney. Speaking of Trimarans. How long is the bowsprit on your F82? Is it in a tube or is it hinged at the bow? What is your opinion on those 2 different methods of mounting a bowsprit? Thanks Glenn

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes you’re right there is definitely an advantage from an advertising/sponsor perspective to have the race last a bit longer, and they could get multihulls to do a round trip! The bowsprit on our F-82R is about 6’ / 180cm and it is hinged at the bow with fixed whisker stays and an adjustable bobstay to enable folding. The tube mounted variety can eliminate the need for whisker stays and sometimes even the bobstay, with the disadvantage that the tip is less accessible from the boat for maintenance (e.g. to service blocks/furlers) the tube is a common source of water ingress into the main hull, and it uses quite a bit of space inside the main hull when retracted, so I have a slight preference for the folding variety.

[@glenn5ft19]

Thanks, I’ve got lots of time before I have to decide which system I build on the Avalon 8.2.

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@glenn5ft19 If you decide to go folding a really cool way to do it is to use a Forespar toggle and socket on the bow (like a large monohull would use on the mast for a traditional spinnaker pole) which allows you to articulate the pole under load in any direction by adjusting the whisker and bob stays. Good luck with your build!

[@fmh357]

Personally I see Mono and Multi-hulls as two very different animals. Same a foils vs no foils. In other terms like matching Stock Cars with F1 cars. Totally different IMHO. Remember when Americas Cup racers were required to sail their 12 Meter boats from home port to defenders port in order to qualify for the race? That and when Dinosaurs roamed the earth.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes they are quite different - here’s a video I did on Why Are Trimarans So Fast?!?!? kzbin.info/www/bejne/fanHdJapdsmCjK8 And that’s not even getting into foils, rotating masts etc!

[@Milesobrian]

make it interesting. new type of race. you must move a full size, fully loaded shipping container.

[@SailingTipsCa]

That would definitely be an interesting race! Would you have to build the boat onsite in a finite timeframe before the race?

[@Milesobrian]

@@SailingTipsCa just a different class of race. Steel hull. Mono, tri. Whatever. Wing or kite etc. Get the goods there.

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@Milesobrian I like it - a practical application!!!

[@Niknteen1]

A shipping container, can hold a lot of weight.. so thats a very "open" matter on its own. Shipping containers come in quite a few sizes also, not to mention shapes. I see a headache in formulating the rule book :d. Multi's Should formulate their own race.. not join the Lawyereed up debaclle that is the Multi's of today. Rule #1.. No lawyers. Rule #2. race with good intent and a pure heart.. after that. go hard. lols.

[@michaelkeaton5394]

This really make me wish there was more non french multi hulls in the ultim 23 32 class, i do like that my cpuntry produce the most perfoming sailboat of the world but it would be nice to see a bit more competition

[@SailingTipsCa]

I wonder if the class rules themselves have anything to do with that? I believe it’s under the French Sailing Federation…

[@stephenhampson]

Shaun had a 60ft tri ready as did Vodaphone, there have been a few large Crowthers ready. Scallywag racing has a tri ready as well as a few large Schionings and French Outremers. S2H has become a protect obsecure group of insular minority preventing the best sailing to be displayed. If you want spectacular go multihull like GP sailing coming to Sydney in Feb.

[@SailingTipsCa]

So they’re waiting in the wings! Yes SailGP is a great spectacle, and an excellent display of what can be done on the bleeding edge of sailing!

[@Arafury57]

All the big monos are just fancy motor sailers these days. How much diesel to get to Hobart?

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes many of them have to run their engines for the entire race to power the hydraulics to operate the boat!

[@sheldonmcclaflin8904]

don't tell the "Just Stop Oil Crowd"@@SailingTipsCa

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@sheldonmcclaflin8904 I guess they could use fuel cells to create electricity instead…

[@JohnHandley-y4s]

I am sure these multi hulls designed to sail around the world could manage the Hobart, though 600 miles sitting right on the edge of the continental shelf, especially across Bass Strait would contain some nasty wave forms different from the southern ocean. My question is, where would they put them. The Marina’s around Hobart are not set up for them and why invest in docking space for a type of boat which is of relatively little interest to the sailing community to actually sail, and only might turn up for a couple of days a year.

[@SailingTipsCa]

That’s an excellent point that they do simply take up a LOT of space so logistics of accommodating them just may not be practical!

[@Sam_Ah8]

For instance Hamilton Island; a major tourist spot, was a tv sponsor this year as well as having naming rights to a champion boat.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes looks like they sponsored Wild Oats!

[@twpayne]

Would multihulls be able to tack out of Sydney harbor safely? All your points are valid though!

[@SailingTipsCa]

Good question! They have to tack up the Needles Channel for Fastnet although I’m not sure how that compares to Sydney Harbour…

[@twcintrepid]

Sydney to Hobart is one of the few races that Run North to South crossing latitudes and this often brings different weather systems into play. With the EAC running down the coast north to south and the often strong counter Southerly winds, can cause very large backless waves to form. This causes a huge amount of pounding into heavy seas dropping of the back of large waves. Not a place to be in a multihull yacht.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes conditions can be pretty nasty there especially with the Bass Strait!!!

[@thenewnormal30]

As a multihull sailor, it is hard to give the huge budget, half boats the credit they desire. It is not that I don’t admire the grace and technology of them… it is the simple fact that all craft has a purpose. Multihulls are for speed. I understand the old guard and the investment made by the owners of the huge maxi’s. it is hard, however, to give full credit to a race that only allows the half boats. I understand we all have our views but it should be noted that we see it as a race of tall ships or couta boats. They are beautiful though 😊

[@SailingTipsCa]

Exactly - why would you pay all that money to go slow!!!

[@paulgush]

Trying to get the multihulls out of Sydney Harbour in a North Easterly breeze would be a royal mess! This year's start was hairy enough with the Super Maxis

[@SailingTipsCa]

It definitely looked like there was some good super-maxi excitement at the windward mark!!!

[@capoukaverne]

to me we the French have a real expertise in multihull. It was Eric Tabarly the first to think that multihulls could have big benefits vs monohull so i can understand that some races are just open to monohull and national companies because of the money invested...even if it's not very fair and representative of the modern sailing...i think futur is multihulls (GP is a good exemple) and monohull scow (another French creation and expertise)

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes in many ways the French are on another level with regard to offshore sailing in general!

[@capoukaverne]

@@SailingTipsCa thanks for that notice and bravo for your youtube channel!

[@rg3412]

Look up the history of the French multihulls in the 70s (Eric Tabarly, Olivier de Kersauzon), winning all the Pacific races but being snubbed by the all the local moguls that thought multihulls was just cheating and old money and class belong to monohulls.

[@SailingTipsCa]

To be fair, it's not unusual historically for multihulls to be snubbed, however many races that previously didn't allow them are now more welcoming, maybe in response to dwindling monohull fleets, maybe because they're suddenly "fashionable" due the America's Cup and SailGP?

[@PaulBKal]

Not only should multihulls not be allowed in the Hobart, but nor should vessels who’s systems require an engine to run 24/7 to power them, as do the current crop of 100 footers. Yep, sorry to burst your bubble but Comanche, Wild Oats XI, Blackjack, etc all need a 150 hp diesel engine running the whole time to power the winches and hydraulics that are used to trim the sails, canting keels and dagger boards etc. So essentially they’re motorboats. How is this sailing?

[@SailingTipsCa]

It is kind of ironic that the “traditionalists” who don’t want multis somehow turn a blind eye to the Diesel powered systems on monos! Lots of races require the use of human power for this stuff…

[@alanbstard4]

local owners would not be kept off the podium if they got their own multihulls if they were allowed. It's also good to see a race with traditional boats only

[@SailingTipsCa]

There are some excellent multihull sailors in Australia! Most of the boats themselves are quite a bit smaller than the French Ultime’s though…

[@alanbstard4]

@@SailingTipsCa that's easily fixed. They have the money

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@alanbstard4 Definitely lots of sponsorship money for the big monos in Sydney Hobart! It would be nice to see some Aussies challenge the French on the multihull ocean racing scene!

[@alanbstard4]

@@SailingTipsCa oh yeah 👍

[@sailingwiththeerros9139]

I'm OK with only monos in the Syd to Hob. Not sure why people want the multies to race in the event for- tradition should mean something. I don't think they allow multies in the Melb to Hob "Westcoaster" either. Perhaps a separate race for the multies, Hob to Syd starting the day after new years day?

[@SailingTipsCa]

It could be moot as I’m not sure the fast European multis would bother making the long delivery to Aus, whereby the Fastnet, which also previously didn’t allow multis, is right in their back yard.

[@glennh2965]

With Berthing so limited and expensive in Australian waters, large racing multihulls would be almost impossible to keep!

[@SailingTipsCa]

There is a decent multihull racing scene in Australia, so there’s room for them somewhere, but maybe Sydney Harbour is just too small for any more boats in this event? I know berthing limitations do limit some racing fleet sizes in other places.

[@ozskipper]

Im sure they would find space for them.. Simply by pushing the prices up and the little 30-40 footers wouldnt be able to afford marina the marina space ;)

[@robinmalina2645]

it is getting a bit boring local competition for rich old Aussies, missing modern fast monohulls like Imoca, multihulls etc.

[@SailingTipsCa]

The Fastnet didn’t used to allow multis either but they haven’t detracted from the race in any way IMHO!

[@paulgrimmond6351]

Not 100% sure on the premise. IMOCA 60's are allowed to race in the Sydney Hobart and that division abroad is totally dominated by Europeans but gets usually gets little in the hobart race. Also, International monohulls have always been a regular appearances in the hobart race. Ondine(s), Kialoa(s), Condor(s), Sayona, Morning Glory, Nicorette, a couple of Scandinavian Volvo 60's and most importantly Comanche, are or were all non pacific entries that dominated the race on more than one occasion. While money certainly has some consideration, I think the main reason is that the CYC prides itself on safety and has always erred on the more cautious side of things, in regards to regulations, safety and development. Powered winches, water ballast, canting keels were all initially and not that long ago, banned due to safety concerns. A foiling (or non foiling for that matter) tri or cat is probably more of a risk than the CYC want to take on at this time.

[@SailingTipsCa]

For this year's Sydney Hobart I believe Comanche was chartered by Australian appliance mogul John Winning Jr, so technically an Australian boat. The previous time Comanche did the Sydney Hobart in 2019 she was owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, also Australian, no? Most of the IMOCAs are based in Europe, so delivering the fleet to Australia for what is a relatively short race for them may just not be worth it, especially when they have lots of major events closer to home. The Ultime trimarans are typically set up for Category 0 racing (e.g. Southern Ocean) which exceeds the Category 1 safety requirements of the Sydney Hobart, however they may also not be interested for the same reason as the IMOCAS. According to the Australian Offshore Multihull Rating (OMR) Specification most of the local multihulls are smaller Grainger or Farrier designs that generally wouldn't qualify for Category 1 racing without significant modifications and/or carrying payloads that would significantly blunt their performance.

[@paulgrimmond6351]

@Sailing Tips Good points you put forward there, and I see your point on Comanche ownership. I suppose the point I was trying to make is that the race has always been pushed forward by foreign entries and then Australian yachting comes back to match and exceed the international challenger. Comanche is probably the only international boat that has been bought by an Australian syndicate with the view to win the race, after it had seen success, built and raced by another country. That said, Morning Glory (another foreign boat) was the first boat to beat the race record in 21 years and it was also the first Reichel Pugh design to win. Since then RP designs have practically dominated the race (all of which are Australian or Kiwi boats), with the exception of Comanche, which wasn't originaly Australian, Kiwi or RP. As for the 'safety' comment I made, it isn't relating to Catagory ratings as defined by MCA etc, it is about the types of boats, technologies and crewing requirements that the CYC see as being safe and tested enough. For example there are many cat 0 yachts that are solo capable, some can race in the hobart race (IMOCA comes to mind) but the limiting factor in this case is crew requirements (solo is still not permitted in the hobart race). Canting keels had Cat 0 clearance back in the day but were banned by the CYC until they were satisfied that the technology was safe enough. There were some monumental failures of early canting keel designs (early Farr yachts come to mind), and the CYC just didnt want to take the risk. Further on reflection though I think you may be correct about the CYC trying to protect Australian sailing interests to a degree. If the race were overcome by international multihulls, the race would die off fairly quickly I think, and that would be a darn shame. If Alex Thompson's hugo boss raced, well that may be the change we all could get behind, and could have lasting impacts on the boats that contend the race from that point.

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@paulgrimmond6351 Thanks so much for your thoughts! It’s definitely interesting to contemplate their reasoning. As for some arguments people have made about it being a “classic” race, I wonder how those people might speak to the allowed use of powered winches, which aren’t “classic” in my mind, nor universally acceptable in racing circles. As such it’s almost like the Sidney Hobart has established it’s own class of dominant boats!

[@paulgrimmond6351]

@Sailing Tips Great discussion, thanks! It is interesting to contemplate the CYC's reasoning on why they align the rules like they do. The thing I forgot to bring up on the safety front is that multihulls can't self right in the event of a capsize. Therefore requiring rescue. When Bass Strait gets nasty, it gets nasty fast. The 1987 and especially 1998 race come to mind. Interesting you bring up powered winches as they were also banned in the mid 2000's! I look forward to your next video on the race!

[@sailawayteam]

The real question is why is "line honours" so damn important - we all know it means nothing in a mixed fleet.

[@SailingTipsCa]

I suppose if there are multiple boats competing for it they might think of it as a “division” of sorts…

[@artfulalias3984]

Ocean racing would be far more interesting, and produce healthier boats that contribute more to yacht design, if there were a cargo requirement. This could also help even out the multi/mono divide. Race entries are to be weighed on a travel lift. Just before the race the cargo is announced, loaded, and secured. Cargo is apportioned as a percentage of boat mass. The exact cargo makeup and % of mass is not known ahead of time. It is randomly generated from allowable ranges just before loading. It is always a mix chosen from predetermined forms simulating traditional cargo: long lumber, cylindrical barrels of dense liquid, low density 1 meter cubes, burlap sacks of grain, ???. The cargo has sensors to measure "damage" like shock, dryness, compression, tampering, depending on cargo type. Crew and powered automation are more tightly regulated than dimensions or rig. All sail area on board is counted in handicap. What gets produced are hopefully designs which could haul an interior, and cruising stores, while still being fast, rugged, and flexible in trim. Rigs with a little extra power and flexibility that don't require as large a crew, and require fewer large sail changes.

[@SailingTipsCa]

That’s a really interesting idea - I love it!!!

[@yzScott]

I've not done the Sydney Hobart yet, but it is legendary rough across the shallow straight. A tri was dismasted during the last Newport Bermuda race. I was out for that race. It wasn't THAT rough. Trimarans might be a safety concern as well.

[@SailingTipsCa]

World Sailing has Offshore Safety Regulations for both monohulls and multihulls for all waters covering the globe: www.sailing.org/tools/documents/WSOffshoreSpecialRegulations20222023v2-[27823].pdf The Category 0 multihulls sail pretty much the same course around the world as the Vendee Globe monohulls, including through the Southern Ocean, so I think it would be a matter of ensuring the right safety regulations are in place.

[@yzScott]

@@SailingTipsCa There is something above Cat 0 for especially nasty bits?

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@yzScott Category 0 is the most stringent category defined as “Trans-oceanic races, including races which pass through areas in which air or sea temperatures are likely to be less than 5°C (41°F) other than temporarily, where boats must be completely self-sufficient for very extended periods of time, capable of withstanding heavy storms and prepared to meet serious emergencies without the expectation of outside assistance”

[@brucewymond5138]

I believe this is factually wrong, Bass Strait is one of the roughest stretches of water in the world with rogue wave at shallow opposing front exceeding 10m in height at a very close pitch that could tip a cat or trimaran. They aren’t allowed because they can’t self-right.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes the Bass Strait can be a very nasty piece of ocean and multihulls cannot self right. At the same time the ULTIME maxi trimarans are not as prone to capsize as other classes, including IDEC Sport which holds the world record for a global circumnavigation via the Southern Ocean and sailed right past the South East Cape of Tasmania while doing so, covering more than 800 nautical miles per day for 10 consecutive days. Have any of the current suite of maxi yachts that frequent the Sydney Hobart done a circumnavigation?

[@george11419]

Why should the multihulls gate crash everything? They can have their own separate race at another date if they wish.

[@SailingTipsCa]

And that’s what they currently do!

[@reallynotyourbusiness1659]

Money and tradition at present, rolex will probably decide the future as the major sponsor.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Interestingly Rolex is also the major sponsor of Fastnet which allows multihulls!

[@davidwolff8903]

A lot of it stems from safety. A multi will not self write itself making it far more dangerous. Every participating vessel now self writes itself.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes the inability for a multihull to self-right itself is definitely a downside! Fortunately the ULTIME maxi trimarans like IDEC Sport don’t capsize very often, and many have broken global circumnavigation records in the Southern Ocean, sailing right past Tasmania in the process.

[@leroyheers2012]

Multihulls are known as catamarans and trimarans not yachts. A yacht has a single hull.

[@autonomous_collective]

Smart.....

[@SailingTipsCa]

LOL thanks!!! I’m sure not everybody thinks so…

[@autonomous_collective]

@@SailingTipsCa = Australia has to do what they got to do. Its their race. My hats of to them.

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@autonomous_collective Yes it’s their prerogative! They also have a fairly active amateur multihull sailing scene, and what appears to be an excellent multihull rating system, so at the same time it’s unfortunate that they are disenfranchising some of their own sailors.

[@garthharrington9683]

Ian Farrier commented on why his boats weren’t allowed in many races. Paraphrased “ because their fibreglass is arranged in a more efficient manner”

[@WayOfHaQodesh]

I'm guessing because they'd destroy the competition, especially the maxi trimarans

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes I think they absolutely would!

[@phertek1]

This is called tradition, even this word doesn’t mean you anything

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes I’ve heard that too - why not race square rigged wooden ships with cannons then!

[@alohathaxted]

No tongues!

[@leroyheers2012]

It is a yacht race. A multi hull boat is not a yacht. Please look up YACHT.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes and the Fastnet is also a yacht race which allows multihulls, for example, hence the question.

[@russ549]

Probably cause their junk in the way that they can't right themselves after a flip over

[@johnstewart42]

Sadly there are a few Sydney to Hobart yachts on the bottom of the ocean. Both forms of yachts aren’t infallible.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Some designs can right themselves, like the Gougeon 32, although I wouldn’t sail that in this particular race.

[@russ549]

@@SailingTipsCa it seems a multi hull would be more likely to break apart as well as not roll over

[@russ549]

@@johnstewart42 yea anything Is dangerous in a bad storm I imagine...it does seem a multi hull would be more likely to break apart though

[@GlobetruthFU]

Those 100 foot mono motor-sailers are an embarrassment. The crew are basically just sail handlers.

[@SailingTipsCa]

Yes it's interesting that motor-powered hydraulics are allowed in an event that tries to portray itself as traditionally-oriented!

[@navcenter77]

Sorry to rain on your parade, Team Australia did the journey in absolute dream conditions. I have crossed Bass Strait multiple times and can tell you 95% of the time conditions range from Bad to the downright ugly all the way to the conditions that occurred during the 1978 Fastnet Race. Modern multihulls are not strong enough to withstand those sorts of conditions. Imagine sitting on a wave where your outriggers are on the crest of a wave with the main hull suspended 20 feet or more above the trough. This is a safety issue first and only.

[@SailingTipsCa]

The outboard floats (amas) of a modern racing trimaran are typically designed with flotation equal to 2-3 times the weight of the entire boat, and the beams (akas) are designed to withstanding righting moment forces of 10 times the weight of the boat or more. This enables sailing on the leeward float alone, with the main hull and windward float entirely out of the water, so having the main hull out of the water is not only not a problem, it's rather normal. That said, there is a substantially increased risk of capsize/pitchpole in the conditions you describe, therefore racing a multihull in the ocean requires a different mindset than racing a monohull: With a monohull the crew is typically asking themselves "How do we make this boat go as fast as possible in these conditions?" pretty much all the time (except survival conditions). With the multihull the crew is typically asking themselves "How fast is it safe to go in these conditions?". In other words, the safety of a multihull is much more dependant on the decisions and actions of the crew than a monohull. Multihull crews must also take sea state into account much more than monohull crews, both with the speed and direction of the boat. A diligent multihull crew will slow the boat substantially in the difficult conditions you describe, and also steer the boat much more in accordance with the sea state, even if it means going in the wrong direction.

[@navcenter77]

@@SailingTipsCa I have built many types of boats and although they may have the structural integrity you describe the race is for irc and ior rated yachts. As for pitch polling and capsize ability in anything than absolute ideal conditions most multi hulls wouldn't make the offshore mark without some kind of major incident. Personally having sailed around Australia multiple times I would suggest multi hulls should stay north of Newcastle and the tropics where sea states are more favourable

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@navcenter77 Probably not a good idea for these Jules Verne Trophy multis to be playing around in the Southern Ocean then!!! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne_Trophy

[@navcenter77]

@@SailingTipsCa Personally I wouldn't take them outside the Mediterranean, but that's just me. Fundamental Rule A "It is a skippers responsibility whether to start or finish a race" In other words the skipper has legal responsibility other the health and safety of the crew and vessel.

[@SailingTipsCa]

@@navcenter77 You’re absolutely right about the skipper’s responsibility for the health and safety of the crew and vessel Thanks for all your comments!!!

[@sirgregoir]

Because multi-hulls would embarass the mono's.......tooo sloooow, old boys club....boooring

[@SailingTipsCa]

That’s a succinct way of putting it!!!