How is traffic managed in Sydney Harbour?
Boxing Day is one of Sydney Harbour’s three busiest days (alongside Australia Day and New Year’s Eve), and if the weather is nice, the water can resemble a traffic jam. Competing yachts, support boats, media vessels, and spectators fill the harbour. It takes a fleet of official boats to keep everything in check.
Traffic on the water is managed by NSW Maritime and water police.
The public, aboard everything from one-person kayaks to well-stocked commercial vessels, are kept in an “exclusion zone” that keeps everyone safe, and Haynes said anyone who crosses the line will “find out pretty quickly”. Harbour ferries are halted for the beginning of the race.
How do the boats know when to go?
Competitors mostly rely on the CYCA countdown being streamed onto their vessels and the hoisting of special flags. But, to keep the tradition alive, replica cannons from Captain Cook’s Endeavour, are fired at 12.50 pm, 12.55 pm, and 1 pm (when the race actually starts).
This year’s cannon firers are seasoned sailor and overall race winner Simon Kurts, two-time line honours champion George Snow and longtime sailor John Winning snr .
Though it may seem counterintuitive, racing to be the first over the line once the cannon is fired can prove a risky pursuit as crossing the line early incurs penalties that could cost competitive boats the race.
Haynes, who will race this year aboard Celestial V70 said “In a lot of racing, you’ll push the line to be on it as close as possible, but in the Hobart race because it’s such a long race, you want to be safe. So part of the tactics is just to make sure you’re not over the line [early].”
Master Lock Comanche is expected to contend for line honours victory.Credit: Getty Images
What is a protest?
As with any sport, there is a lengthy list of dos and don’ts, and the Racing Rules of Sailing dictate the spirit of the competition. Racers are required to help those in danger and demonstrate sportsmanship and fair play. They’re also required to give each other space, not hit turning marks and give right of way based on orientation.
Penalties for breaking the rules can include additional minutes being added to one’s finishing time, or a boat being forced to make 360-degree turns in the water.
“Protests have to be given immediately, directly from one boat to another, so that they know that they can go through a process where they can exonerate themselves,” Haynes said. “Even if they feel that they’re in the right, they can still do penalty turns, and that would mean that they can then exonerate themselves.”
What do the winners take home?
Despite the magnitude of the 628 nautical mile race, the prizes for the Sydney to Hobart are humble. The two most high-profile awards are the Tattersall Cup — for fastest adjusted time after handicap — and the John H Illingworth Challenge Cup — for fastest over the finish line at Hobart. Both prizes come with a Rolex watch. Prizes are also given out for individual divisions, including the first female skipper over the line, the first small boat to finish, and more.
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