The Yachts

St George Midnight Rambler

St George Midnight Rambler

 

Since launching the latest Midnight Rambler mid-2011, Psaltis, Thomas and Bencsik, who won the storm ravaged 1998 Sydney Hobart race with a Hick 35, AFR Midnight Rambler, have scored various podium finishes. They include second overall in this year’s Gosford Lord Howe Island Yacht Race; second in IRC Division 2 in last year’s Hobart; third in the CYCA’s 2012-2013 Blue Water Pointscore Series, second in the Cape Byron Series (ORCi division of the BWPS) and second in IRC and PHS of the 2012/2013 Grant Thornton Short Ocean Pointscore Series.  The trio, whose crew is a well-melded one with many regulars, added a new sail wardrobe to help lift the boat’s light-wind performance and went on to place 5th Overall IRC in the CYCA’s 2013-2014 BWPS.

This year they race as St George Midnight Rambler. They completed the 2014 Land Rover Gold Coast Yacht race finishing 16th on line, 10th overall IRC and first place IRC Division 2. Between them, the owners and their crew have over 120 Hobart races under their belts. As well as their Hobart victory, Psaltis and Thomas have won every offshore race on the east coast including the Gosford Lord Howe Island and Sydney Mooloolaba races twice, and finally succeeded in winning the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race in 2009 with a former Midnight Rambler (a modified Farr 40), having previously won their division three times.

 

Competitor Details

Yacht Name St George Midnight Rambler
Sail Number 8338
Owner Thomas/Psaltis/Bencsik
Skipper Ed Psaltis (34)
Sailing Master Michael Bencsik (18)
Navigator Tom Barker (10)
Crew A Taylor (10), A Psaltis (12), B Dixon, B Psaltis, M Watson (2), T Hampton, C Rockell (17)
State NSW
Club CYCA / RSYS
Type Ker 40
Designer Ker Yacht Design
Builder McConaghy
Construction GRP
LOA 12.2
Beam 4.1
Draft 2.6