Yachting: Survival first for Auckland sailor

Aucklander Phil Chisholm's initial target in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race beginning tomorrow is to make it to Hobart.

His second goal is to get there by late afternoon, December 31.

"So long as there we are there on New Year's Eve, it will be OK. We have been invited to the (Tasmanian) Governor's function and that is at 5pm."

If the current is right for his masthead sloop Nevenka, Chisholm believes he might make it a day earlier.

"The biggest advantage going down the coast is current and if it's pretty strong we will slice a good chunk off our time and if we get in on the night of the 30th we will have a big party."

But they are big ifs. Chisholm is only 23, the youngest skipper in the 85-strong fleet but he has been around long enough to know that plans can be upset easily on the often tempestuous voyage to Hobart.

"It's a very steep learning curve for me, but we are all looking forward to it," he told NZPA.

Even Nevenka, a Townson 36 yacht, is three years older than Chisholm.

He thinks it is the only yacht of its type to sail in the Sydney to Hobart and one thing he likes about it is that is built for comfort.

"It's very heavy for its size and has a large sail area. When it blows offshore, it stays nice and comfy and dry and it's good to able to sleep in a dry bunk."

He has eight crew aboard, including navigator and yacht owner Pete Mummery. Nevenka is an entry for the Richmond Yacht Club in Auckland.

Chisholm is looking for strong winds, for they have been sadly lacking on his Australian odyssey.

"If it blows 40 knots or if 50 knots comes along that is our breeze and I know the boat is still perfectly driveable. Our calculations are that it is driveable up to about 80."

Not that he has encountered that wind strength so far.

He piloted Nevenka across the Tasman early in October, but there was little wind and he had to motor for quite a large distance.

"It took us 10 days. That makes the Hobart race look quite short doesn't it?"

At the end of that month, he contested the Gosford to Lord Howe race.

"We attempted to do the Lord Howe race but got becalmed with no wind."

He reckons they might have finished fourth in their division if it wasn't for that.

"It was a very tactical race that one, mind you so is this one coming up."

Matters improved in the trials this month for the Sydney to Hobart. In one of the races Nevenka was fourth in line and handicap honours.

Nevenka is racing in the PHS (performance and handicap system) division and Chisholm admits that in his 10.97 sloop, he hasn't given much thought to the 30m canting keel supermaxis, Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats XI.

'They are not racing in our division. I think we can be competitive in our division, but it depends on how generous the handicapper is."

Chisholm has been around boats since he was a nipper. He said he had switched in recent years from racing committee volunteer to racing keels and decided this year to give offshore racing a go.

"I am driven by determination and this race looks to be something of a challenge."

He and the crew are loving it so far.

"There are three Kiwis, one Pom, two Aussies and two Yanks. Some have been on board since February, but they are all good and keen and want to do it. Most of them want to come back next year too."

But the comfort-seeking Chisholm would like to reduce the crew by two.

"There'll be a bit more space on board then."

- NZPA