The Jackal sets the pace in 53rd Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race
The summer sailing gods were certainly smiling over Portsea Pier today with the 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race fleet lining up under azure skies on crystal clear waters for the start of the race down the West Coast of Tasmania to Hobart.
The fleet started the 53rd Westcoaster in a southerly breeze of 10 knots in ideal conditions for the fleet.
In stark contrast to the challenging wave state experienced by the Cock of the Bay fleet on Boxing Day, today’s conditions were a welcome relief for the sailors with weather models starting to align, forecasting stable weather patterns for the duration of the race.
The Jackal approaching the rounding mark before exiting Port Phillip Heads to claim the Port Phillip Sea Pilot’s Trophy / Photo by Al Dillon
As anticipated in the race preview, The Jackal, a Ker 11.3 skippered by Matt Setton from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, would set the pace early being first across the line, giving a boost to Setton’s confidence sailing his first Westcoaster as skipper.
Justin Brenan’s Lidgard 36, Alien and Andrew McConchie’s Beneteau First 47.7 Vagabond were hot on the heels of The Jackal as the fleet headed towards the first mark.
Faster Forward is farewelled by spectators in the 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race / Photo by Al Dillon
Matt Fahey’s Sydney 38, Faster Forward, copped an individual recall for a little too much energy on the start line but was soon hunting down their archrival, The Jackal, and after setting their Code Zero, quickly made-up ground.
Joan Lorraine, the Beneteau Oceanis 46 skippered by Peter Garner from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, was close behind.
The Jackal held off Faster Forward at the first mark, asserting buoy room to be first around and claiming the Port Phillip Sea Pilot’s Trophy for first boat through Port Phillip Heads.
A tough duel is predicted between these two boats for the rest of the race.
The race day weather forecast was music to the ears of skippers and race newcomers with a high-pressure system giving rise to a stable weather pattern for the entire race, a welcome departure from the forecast earlier in the week which was predicting a low-pressure system to cause challenging conditions for the fleet.
Prevailing winds of 10 to 20 knots with a prediction that they will see no more than 30 knots of wind and 2-metre swells, will make for relatively smooth sailing conditions down the West Coast and into the Southern Ocean.
The crew of The Jackal cruising at 8-12 knots outside Port Phillip Heads / Photo by Matt Setton
Tactics and strategy are always key points of difference across the Westcoaster fleet and while the weather patterns look stable, the outcome of critical decision-making could be the key.
A wind transition zone is expected off Strahan, near Hells Gates, with a large lighter patch developing, offering skippers and navigators a tactical decision as to whether they go further offshore in search of more wind or sail closer to the shore looking for katabatic breeze.
The fleet is competing for the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy which will go to the handicap winner on AMS.
Other prizes include the Zeehan Trophy for the Navigator of the boat that wins the Heemskerk Trophy, the Wrest Point Abel Tasman Trophy for the winner on line honours, and the City of Melbourne Perpetual Trophy for first on corrected time on performance handicap.
The Westcoaster is one of the world’s great ocean races, covering 435 nautical miles from the start in Port Phillip to the finish line in the River Derwent in Hobart.
The race starts with a 125 nautical mile passage across Bass Strait before the fleet sails 200 nautical miles south down the West Coast of Tasmania, past Maatsuyker Island, east to South East Cape, then turning northeast through the challenging waters of Storm Bay and then the fickle conditions of the River Derwent.
The monohull race record of 1 day 17 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds was set by Shortwave in 2008.
Follow the 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race on Blue Water Tracks on: https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2025-melbourne-hobart-westcoaster
The Melbourne to Hobart "Westcoaster" Yacht Race is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania
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