| Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 |
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Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984
Major Results
Line Honors: New Zealand (3-11-31-21)
Maxi Division: New Zealand
Division A: Patrice III
Division B: Indian Pacific
Division C: City Limits
Division D: Lawless
Weather
A low pressure system near Melbourne on Christmas Day brought windy weather to Bass Strait and Tasmania. This system slowed up east of Bass Strait about mid-day on Boxing Day, creating two different swell patterns that combined off the NSW coast to make very treacherous seas.
The race featured a spectacular spinnaker start before a 25-knot southerly that slowly strengthened throughout the first afternoon. During the first night, the breeze touched 40 knots from the south and retirements came thick and fast. A strong 35 knot southerly remained during the second day with punishing seas and there were more retirements.
Late on December 27th the leaders were only as far as the south coast of NSW. As the fleet approached Bass Strait the wind moved SSE but still with uncomfortable seas and winds at 30 knots making life aboard wet and uncomfortable.
On the third day the breeze moved from SSE to E and after some 50 hours of windward work the fleet was able to spring sheets for a hard reach across The Strait, the breeze moderating to 20-25 knots. As the leaders approached Tasman Island the breeze had freshened from the NE to give the smaller yachts a hard run down the Tasmanian coast. The first half of the fleet had a quick trip across Storm Bay, but some of the little boats which appeared poised to win handicap honours were once again frustrated by the calms of Storm Bay and the Derwent River.
Results | Overall ResultsOverall Results in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1988
RetirementsAdria, Amaroo, Andromeda, Aphrodite, Apollo, Apollo II, Aquila, Audacity, Caprice of Huon, Centrefold, Challenge II, Challenge III, Christa-Farr, Cobweb, Condor, Crusader of Brighton, Cybele, Dancing Mouse, Derwent Lass, Destiny, Di Hard, Diamond Cutter, Dr Dan, Drake's Prayer, Dry White, Dynamite, Encore, Endless Advice, Enigma, Eureka, Evelyn, Fanny Adams, Farr Fetched, Farr Out, Firetel, Fly By Night, Freight Train, Groundsfor, Halcyon, Hullabaloo, Impatience, Impeccable, Inca, Inch By Winch, Intrigue, Isle of Luing, Jorja, Kia Ten, Lady Ann, Lady Penrhyn, Larrikin, Mandala, Mandrake, Margaret Rintoul IV, Marloo, Mary Muffin, Morning Tide, Much Ado, Nadia, Nynja-Go, Once More Dear Friends, Osprey III, Out of Sight Out of Mind, Outrageous, Overdraft, Patrol, Phyllise, Piccolo, Piet Hein, Pippin, Public Nuisance, Punch, Quetzal, Ragamuffin, Rebecca II, Red Faces, Restless IV, Ruff 'n Tumble, Runaway, Sagar Rani, Sangaree, Seaquesta, Shenandoah III, Solandra, Southern Cross, Spider, Spirit of Queensland, Sunburst, Sunseeker, The Gambler, The Office, The Swagman, Thirlmere, Too Farr Out, Too Impetuous, Topaz, Tradition, Uptown Girl, Vanessa III, Water Frontier, Witchcraft, Witchdoctor, Wy-Ar-Gine IV, Yahoo II, Zap. |
Official Program |  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 1  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 2  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 3  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 4  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 5  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 6  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 7  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 8  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 9  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 10  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 11  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1984 Souvenir Program Page 12 |
Pictures and Articles | Diamond Cutter II Diamond Cutter II Crew in 1984 Hobart  Diamond Cutter II Crew in 1984 Hobart  Diamond Cutter II Crew at the start of the 1984 Hobart  The Mosman Daily - Boats limp home to safety  The Mosman Daily - Boats limp home to safety |
News |  Huge Seas may Stop 100 YachtsBy Rob Mundle  EXPERIENCED yachtsman last night predicted more than 100 yachts would retire from the gale-lashed Sydney-Hobart race before its finish. Gale-force winds already have caused more than 70 of the 155 starters to quit. As the leading yachts yesterday crashed through huge seas and southerly winds near Bass Strait, structural damage, mast breakages, torn sails, injuries, fatigue and seasickness were taking an enormous toll. Conditions were deteriorating as the fleet approached Bass Strait and race officials feared a massive overnight retirement of competitors. There were reports of squalls in excess of 70 knots in Bass Strait. The silver-hulled Kiwi maxi. New Zealand, skippered by Peter Blake. was pressing on last night at the head of the fleet. When we flew over the yacht off Moruya yesterday massive waves were sweeping her deck and she was down to using her next to smallest sails. New Zealand has been built for next year's Whitbread Round The World yacht classic and when we saw her the heavy equipment on board was meeting the challenge. But that wasn't the case for so many other supposedly high technology ocean racing yachts. The Sydney sloop Too Impetuous returned to the Cruising Yacht Club yesterday with a large crack in her topsides. caused by her plunging from the tops of mountainous seas into troughs. Cruising Yacht Club of Australia general manager and Hobart race veteran, Mr Mike Polkinghorne, blamed construction techniques for the high level of retirements this year. "These yachts are built from the very latest space age materials," he said. "It's obvious now that many of the people building them have not come to terms with this space age technology." One retired yacht, the maxi Condor, had fittings designed to carry the cables from the steering wheel to the rudder torn from the hull. Dwindling When owner Bob Bell stepped onto the dock from Condor he said that he did not believe the yacht was built too lightly. "We push these boats to the limit and every now and then something has to break," he said. When the dwindling fleet reported positions to the race centre last night, New Zealand was leading by 10 nautical miles from Spirit of Queensland. The Sydney maxi Vengeance was third, ahead of Time Suspect, Die Hard, Bewinched, Scallywag H and Indian Pacific. Party spirit belies the heartbreak IT definitely wasn't Hobart but at the Cruising Yacht Club in Sydney yesterday the atmosphere belied the fact that 70 entries had retired from the ocean racing classic. And as a press conference called to discuss the retirements began upstairs, CYC general manager Mr Michael Polkinghorne battled to speak above the sound of a rousing Chuck Berry song coming from the bar below. As the list of casualties grew, some returned crewmen were enjoying the sun, joking and joining in a singalong. Richard Chapman, a crew member from Too Impetuous, which retired with structural damage, said: "It's all part of ocean racing. "It's very disappointing - they're out there trying their hearts out but you've just got to take it as it comes." Helmsman struck by falling mast From KEVIN WHALAN in Wollongong A HELMSMAN from the Sydney-Hobart yacht race competitor Andromeda was taken to hospital after the crippled boat limped into Wollongong Harbor yesterday. Sean Langman, 22, of Sydney suburb Rhodes, was asleep on the cabin floor after his watch when the mast broke in a huge swell, spearing into his head as it fell. Andromeda's owner, Mr Gerard Mieli, and his crew cut free the rest of the mast and hurled it into the sea before heading the boat towards Wollongong under motor. Mr Langman was in a satisfactory condition last night with concussion and lacerations. No one else aboard the yacht was injured. Mr Mieli, of Sydney, estimated damage to the $120,000 yacht at $30,000, and said he would be competing again next year. The other helmsman, Kevin Johnston, said the winds were about 30 knots and he thought the Andromeda was going well until it lost its mast. |