Bill Northam, who rocketed in prominence in Australian yachting when he took his crack 8m Saskia to Melbourne and brought the Sayonara Cup back to New South Wales early in 1955, for the first time in years. Having successfully defended the cup he turned his eyes to ocean racing and the Hobart race in particular. With this in mind he bought the Tasmanian yacht Caprice which had been built to a Robert Clark design in 1951. Her record in seven seasons racing at Huon was most impressive and there was little to pick between her and the 8m Erica J. In three Bruny Island race she gained two firsts and a second under similar handicapping to that under which the Sydney Hobart race is sailed. After starting in the 1957 race, when she carried away her mast off Wollongong, she has been prepared for this event by racing  consistently in offshore events during the last season. Recent performances in Sydney Harbour's 1st division racing, show that she is reaching her peak.