Sydney to Hobart race
Fun four sport Devils jerseys in Bass Strait
Four old Virgilians came together to crew in the gruelling Sydney to Hobart yacht race into a “floating apartment” cruise, complete with fresh sashimi and team colours.
They didn’t get any silverware in the 80th Sydney to Hobart yacht race but the
all-Tasmanian crew of Flight Mode sailed away with the prize for the most entertaining boat in the fleet.
As well as sailing their 54-foot racer/cruiser hard and safe to 71st yacht across the line and fifth in PHS Division 2, the ten-man Tasmanians crew found moments to have fun.
Dan McCormick (SVC 1995-98), and Tim Nicholas (SVC 1995-98) wore their Tasmanian Devils footy jerseys as they sailed down the state’s east coast, and Mat Cubit (SVC 1991-84) lapped up his “fishing trip” crossing Bass Strait.
He hit the jackpot by hauling in a big Blue Fin tuna, which they had as sashimi for lunch.
No doubt the Flight Mode crew did it in comfort and style.
“We’re just a bunch of mates doing it more as a cruise than a race, even though we were trying to push it,” said skipper Rob Gourlay (SVC 1992-95).
“Our main goal to just enjoy it as a cruise.”
Rob, who owns Flight Mode with his father, Tim, and mate, Matthew Pilkington, (pictured below) described her as “quite comfortable”.
“It’s a bit like a floating apartment. It has three state rooms and three en-suites, a nice big kitchen and a big saloon.
“So it’s very comfortable and not easy to sail because it’s a big heavy boat.
“It weighs the same as Comanche and Wild Thing but half the size.”
And in the spirit of their cruising strategy, they had fun.
“We were having a bit of a laugh in the nice weather with the lines off the back,” Rob said.
“It was very uncomfortable in the windy stuff on the first two nights, personally I was sea sick for two days straight, along with some of the others".
“But it was nice to do it in comfort and style. We were here to have a good time without being too fussed about where we finished.”
After they left the brutal conditions of the first 48 hours behind them, the race was more like a holiday.
“Coming down the East coast on days three or four with the sun out and wind on our back and catching fish, having a few laughs and seeing nice sunsets, the second half of the race was amazing for sure,” Rob said.