Tough ocean race good training for the laidback life

• NEWS
• 18 Dec, 2005 09:46:00 AM

Tough ocean race good training for the laidback life

Forget the glamour of high tech, lightweight flyers and drenched professional crews perched on the rail battling across Bass Strait, for David and Andrea McKay this 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is the start of a life the rest of us dream about.

Designed for short-handed sailing anywhere in the world, their 48 foot steel Van de Stadt cruiser Diomedea may not threaten the front of the fleet, but they are really looking forward to the race in their new boat anyway. 

“The best way to learn how to sail a boat is to race her,” said David.

“Diomedea is a bit big and heavy to race around the buoys so passage racing is the way to go.

“We did the Hog’s Breath Regatta and came 14th out of 40 boats, so that’s pretty good.

“After Hobart we will take a trip to New Zealand and perhaps the Pacific Islands, gradually warming up to bigger things. 

“We were inspired (to buy a Van de Stadt) by a couple we’ve been following who are currently doing some high latitude stuff in the same type of boat.  The two of them have done a 9000mile leg on their own down in the roaring forties.   

“I’m also a bit of a Berrimilla.com junkie,” he says, referring to Alex Whitworth’s blog from his little Brolga 33 which is on its way home from a round the world journey.

After completing his 13th Rolex Sydney Hobart last year Alex and crewmate Peter Crozier set off from Hobart for a year long circumnavigation via Cape Horn, the Falkland Islands, the 2005 Rolex Fastnet Race in England and the Cape of Good Hope.  They are currently on their way to Sydney, sailing against the clock and the weather to make the start of the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

The McKays aren’t sure they necessarily want to replicate a twelve month dash around the world.  For the moment a dash to Hobart will do.

After that?  Well, who knows?