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How a young English sailor secured a last-minute ride to Hobart

Home 2025 How a young English sailor secured a last-minute ride to Hobart

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Englishman Patrick Whelan flew out from the UK to Sydney on 3 November, with a suitcase and a dream – to compete in the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

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He assisted with Sean Langman’s Back 2 Black Admiral’s Cup campaign in the UK in July. During that time, crew members on board the Reichel/Pugh GP42 convinced the 23-year-old that he needed to experience an Australian summer of sailing.

Patrick Whelan at the helm of Clockwork - Mary Ann Harvey pic.

“They were the guys that said, ‘You need to come out to Australia and experience all of this’,” he said, sitting on a boat on a gloriously sunny day at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), home of the famous 628 nautical mile race. “And, you know, I did.”

The one obstacle to making the start line was that two months out from the race, he did not have a ride.

Taking a gamble on Clockwork

Whelan tried his luck, like several other international hopefuls, to lock in a last-minute ride south.

Fortunately for English sailor, the gamble paid off. Prior to a Sydney twilight race in mid-November, he had signed up for the CYCA’s Concierge Program, which connects crew with skippers for racing. Mary Ann Harvey and Andrew Lloyd, co-owners of the Sydney 38 Clockwork from South Australia, received Whelan’s contact details through the program.  This was the first time Harvey had utilised the concierge program. It was meant to be.

“I saw the concierge program email and I thought, ‘I actually could do with an extra couple of hands on board’,” Harvey said. “So, I sent an email and said, ‘Can we have someone with some experience?’ and it was Paddy (Whelan).”

Wyuna's Hilary Arthure (left) and Clockwork's Mary Ann Harvey at the Sydney Race Village Women in Sailing night - CYCA/Ashley Dart pic.

At that stage, Whelan was not confirmed with a spot for the Sydney Hobart. But when a Clockwork crew member suffered a knee injury, he received the call he had waited for since he stepped off the plane at Sydney airport.

Whelan could barely contain his excitement.

“When they called and said, ‘Do you want to race south with us?’ I was jumping around the garden,” Whelan said.

Whelan is one of 10 crew members on board Clockwork for the 80th edition of the race.

The Clockwork crew celebrate crossing the finish line of the 2024 Sydney Hobart - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic.

Navigator role to run like clockwork

Whelan will take on the important navigator role for his first Sydney Hobart. While he has some experience with navigation back home, this is the first time he will officially wear the navigator’s hat.

His previous experience includes working as “second fiddle to the main navigator” on board a Sun Fast 3300 with the Griffin Project in the UK, a program that provides opportunities for young sailors.

Clockwork beating into the wind in the 2023 Sydney Hobart - ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo pic.

“I’ve done races out of England and France, and coastal races around the south-east of the UK that have been a large part of my last 12 months. And now I’m here doing my biggest race,” Whelan said.

His first major test on board Clockwork came during the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore (ACSBWPS) Cabbage Tree Island Race (172 nautical miles) in early December. It is a qualifier for the Rolex Sydney Hobart. With Whelan on board, Lloyd was able to focus more on helming the yacht.

“He was excellent,” Lloyd said. “I was able to relax about a lot of things. His calls for the race were pretty well spot on.”

Whelan added, “A lot of the race was eyes out of the boat and adapting to things as they happened, rather than making big course decisions early on. It was super fun working with Andy [Lloyd] and everyone else.”

Sailing his first Hobart, Whelan will work closely with Lloyd on major navigational calls. This year will be the latter’s  fifth Sydney Hobart and he and Harvey hope to successfully defend their IRC win in the Sydney 38 Division.

Lloyd and Harvey embrace after finishing the 2024 Sydney Hobart - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic.

Beyond Hobart

Whelan hopes the Rolex Sydney Hobart marks the start of a professional sailing career as a navigator.

On his return to the UK, he plans to compete in the Round the Island Race in July (an annual race around the Isle of Wight, Cowes) and the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October. The young sailor also hopes other opportunities present themselves along the way. Having a Sydney Hobart under the belt is sure to help.

“It’s all coming together at the moment,” Whelan ended.

Greta Quealy, RSHYR media