Extasea

This is the former Pretty Fly III and Ubox, which last raced south in 2016 with her Chinese owner and finished a brilliant third overall, with a mix of Chinese along with some French offshore sailing stars. Victorian, Paul Buccholz, replaces his former Extasea, a DK46 (he sailed her to 44th overall last year), with this canting Cookson 50, which he purchased very recently. As Pretty Fly III, she was one of 31 retirements from 2015’s Rolex Sydney Hobart, after placing 44th to win Division 0 in the 2014 Hobart and 10th in 2013 for second in division. Best result was fourth overall in 2010 and second in Division 0.

These seasoned Victorians have won every local offshore race over 13 years with the DK46, culminating in winning the ORCV Offshore Championship four times. In 2015, they took line honours in the Melbourne Hobart race for the fourth time (between 2011 and 2015), excluding 2014, when Buchholz contested the Hobart and finished 29th overall. Buchholz and crew will be pacing themselves against the other Cookson 50’s; Oskana (also sports a canting keel) and About Time, not to mention some other fast 50’s and the TP52’s.

Competitor Details