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Commodores and sons make history in 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart

Home 2024 Commodores and sons make history in 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart

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It’s rare to see commodores from Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) and its Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race finishing partner, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (RYCT) - both competing in the great race south however, that is the case this year.

Sam Haynes, Commodore of race organiser, CYCA and RYCT Commodore Stephen 'Rowdy' McCullum, are making the 628 nautical mile journey on board two very different yachts.

Commodore Haynes is the skipper of the Volvo Open 70, Celestial V70, for his 14th Sydney Hobart while Commodore McCullum is the sailing master on the Sparkman & Stephens 47, Love & War, for his 28th.

Commodore Haynes will be joined by his son William, 26.  Meanwhile, Commodore McCullum’s son Jack, 31, will be in the race, but the 31-year-old shipwright and business owner will sail on the Cookson 50 Porco Rosso.

Commodore McCullum believes it’s a first to have both commodores and their sons competing in the race.

“It's probably one of the first times in the history of the race that this has happened,” he said. “It is quite a milestone for the race. And it adds just another bit of mystery to the Rolex Sydney Hobart.”

Love & War sailing in the 2024 Cabbage Tree Island Race.   Image: CYCA | Andrea Francolini

Back together
William Haynes sailed in the 2016 Sydney Hobart on his dad’s TP52, Celestial. He grew up sailing Sabots and Flying Elevens on Sydney Harbour and participated in the CYCA’s Youth Sailing Academy programs.

These days William, soon to embark on a PHD in neuroscience, isn’t on the water as much as he used to be.  But when he heard his dad was taking the boat normally known as Willow, to Hobart, the opportunity was too good to miss.

Commodore Haynes said his son had been thinking about “coming back” to the Sydney Hobart for some time.

William’s first offshore race was on the Rogers 46, Celestial, in the 2014 Sydney Gold Coast Race, which won overall.  His dad hopes William will be Celestial V70’s good luck charm.

“I'm really looking forward to having him on board.  It's nice to have the camaraderie,” Commodore Haynes said.

Celestial V70 should be towards the top end of the fleet.  A bit further back, RYCT Commodore ‘Rowdy’ McCullum will be on Love & War, his eighth time sailing the three-time Tattersall Cup winner in a Sydney Hobart where he is second in charge.

In the past, he sailed the race with Jack twice on Love & War and once on the S&S Yawl Kialoa II.

But this year, for his eighth Sydney Hobart, Jack will join a crew of talented young Tasmanians on Porco Rosso, which won the 2013 Sydney Hobart as Victoire.

Commodore McCullum is proud of his son’s achievements and passion for the sport.

“Jack’s been bitten by the sailing bug,” his father said. “It's an ongoing legacy of the family. It's always a great achievement to do a Sydney Hobart, so everyone's pretty excited.”

As for Commodore duties in Hobart, both will have to save most of their post-race celebrations for later.

“Last time I was literally straight off the boat, straight into [an official] dinner,” Commodore Haynes said. “That was a bleary-eyed experience, but you recharge the batteries pretty quick. Hobart's pretty good for not sleeping.”

But before official duties begin, he will be sure to have a dockside celebratory drink with William and another son, Joseph, who is flying down.

“It's great to have family involved in the race,” Sam said. “It's become a big part of our whole family lifestyle - Christmas, Boxing Day and then the Sydney to Hobart. And now Commodore as well. You don't get much more involved than this.”

Greta Quealy/RSHYR Media