Hartbreaker

In March 2013, Tony Walton and Alan Breidahl purchased the boat known in the past as Hardys Secret Mens Business 2 and Shamrock. Coinciding with its re-launch anniversary, they retitled it Hartbreaker, in a nod to the boat’s builder, Hart Marine, and because it was severely damaged in the pre-start of Race 1 at Hamilton Island in 2007, and then fell off the truck on the way to the repairers. The name also denotes Walton’s career as a cardiologist. As Shamrock, it won the triple of line honours, IRC and PHS in the 2008 Melbourne Hobart race, but retired from the 2010 Rolex Sydney Hobart with rudder damage.

Walton and Breidahl appear to have changed the boat’s fortunes, finishing every race and regatta they have started – and in one piece. They were 66th overall and 12th in Division 1 in last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart, ninth overall at the Festival of Sails, 49th overall and 10th in Division 1 in the Sydney Gold Coaster and were sixth in Division 1 at Airlie Beach Race Week against tough competition, such as Ichi Ban (the TP52) and OneSails Racing. Hartbreaker went on to place sixth overall in the Brisbane Keppel Race in August.

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