The Wild Oats team will unleash two yachts on this year's Sydney to Hobart for the first time in a bid to recapture the line honours crown that has eluded them since 2014.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wild Oats XI will take its usual place as one of four super maxis, aiming to finish the race for the first time since 2015.
She will be joined by Wild Oats X, a 20-metre prototype of the super maxi with similar systems and technologies, but at two-thirds of the size.
It was originally built for Australia's Admiral's Cup defence, after that competition was won in 2003.
Both yachts will contest Tuesday's annual Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour.
"We sail the little boat every week socially; we raced it out at Hamilton Race Week," Wild Oats XI owner Sandy Oatley said.
"We had to do a few mini mods to it to get it up to spec for the Hobart race. It's ready to go."
Oatley's son-in-law Troy Tindill will skipper Wild Oats X for the Big Boat Challenge, and throughout the Sydney to Hobart.
The yacht is a three-time winner of the Sydney to Gold Coast (2005, 2007 and 2009), and won the 2008 Sydney Harbour Regatta.
At Hamilton Island earlier this year the boat was skippered by Prince Frederik of Denmark, and took top honours in the grand prix racing division.
Team Wild Oats are targeting a Sydney to Hobart double this year, eyeing off line honours for the super maxi and a handicap win with the smaller boat.
Wild Oats XI was forced to retire from the past two races – with a hydraulics issue 12 months ago, and after tearing the mainsail during a rapid wind change the year prior.
"We were very disappointed last year not finishing as we didn't finish the year before when we tore the mainsail, and the boys are very keen to get back out there and get to Hobart," Oatley said.
"It was never a question, that's why we're taking the two boats this year. When we stopped last year they said where's the little boat, we'll finish the race in the little boat and I said it's not here so we can't.
"We said ahh well we'll take both boats this year and they can both escort each other down to Hobart."
Oatley said the hydraulics issue that ended last year's Sydney to Hobart campaign had been identified and addressed to avoid a repeat.
"It was a fatigue fracture of the hydraulic ram; it was caused by a misalignment but we've taken that out of the boat now, we're very confident that it's better than ever," Oatley said.
"We've triple checked everything this year so hopefully we got it right.
"The best 100 footers in the world are here. It's a great feather in the cap of the CYCA [Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia] to have them all there and all racing against each other, which will be fantastic.
"There are different types of boats for different conditions so it depends on what the wind God gives us. It'll suit either one or the other. The Hobart normally gives you a lot of different weather conditions all the way."
Meanwhile, Wild Oats XI and Black Jack shared line-honours bragging rights in lead up races on Sydney Harbour this weekend.
Wild Oats XI was first across the line with Black Jack second in Saturday's Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Trophy Series race.
The order was reversed on Sunday with the Queensland boat finishing ahead of the Hobart eight-time line honours winner.
Both races were contested in relatively light breeze, conditions which are more suited to Black Jack.
