Synopses & Reviews
“A compelling story, well written and meticulously researched.”--
Cruising WorldOne of the worlds three great ocean sailing competitions, the annual 600-mile race from Sydney, Australia, to Hobart, Tasmania, pits sailboats against the notoriously rough waters of Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea.
The 115 boats leaving Sydney Harbor on December 26, 1998, expected rough weather, but the gale that caught the boats well at sea in the predawn hours of December 27 was anything but routine. The freak, unseasonal storm brought hurricane-strength winds, waves six stories high, and the worst sailing disaster in recent history. Seven boats were abandoned at sea and five sank. Fifty-seven sailors were plucked from the decks of broken boats or from the sea itself under impossible conditions. Six sailors died.
About the Author
Rob Mundle is the managing director of Rob Mundle Promotions Pty Ltd. and writes a weekly column for the Australian. A veteran reporter and television personality, he has also reported on five Americas Cups, three Olympics, and numerous other sailing events. He is the author of Sir James Hardy.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Map
Part One
1 Are You Doing the Hobart This Year?
2 History of the Great Race
3 The Anticipation
4 Sailing into a Brick Wall
5 The Cauldron Begins to Boil
Part Two
6 Destined for Disaster
7 AMSA
8 HMAS Newcastle
9 Winston Churchill, Part 1
10 Kingurra
11 Midnight Special
12 Sword of Orion
13 B-52
14 Miintinta
15 Business Post Naiad
16 Solo Globe Challenger
17 Winston Churchill, Part 2
Part Three
18 Racing to the Finish
Epilogue
Honor Roll
Publisher's Afterword
About the Author