ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART RACE — I
t was controlled mayhem as 103 yachts of all sizes, shapes and descriptions jockeyed for positions at the start of the 78th Sydney to Hobart ocean race on Boxing Day, December 26. Hundreds of spectator and press boats clogged the harbor while drones and helicopters hovered overhead. The narrow passageway out of the harbor, guarded by the towering cliffs of the North and South Heads, was a sea of froth as boats attempted to claim rights as they hurtled out to the Tasman Sea. Among the fleet was the only American boat in the race, the newly commissioned Beneteau First 44 Lenny, skippered by California ocean racer and boat dealer Charles Devanneaux. "The race fulfilled a lifelong dream," he said. "I've watched the start for years on TV. Now I am here. What a moment!" Fast-forward four days and 20 hours, and a tired Devanneaux is relaxing dockside in Hobart, a glass of red wine in hand. "This was one of the toughest races I have ever done," said an exhausted Devanneaux. "In comparison, the Fastnet, the Transpac and Pacific Cup and Mexican races look almost 'easy' after a tough S2H." Lenny finished 71st in the Line Honors category and 15th in her IRC3 class. The California-based veteran ocean racer called the run down to Tasmania the most challenging part of the race. "Passing Tasmania Island was really tough. Solid 35 knots of wind; squalls with smashing rain; 12-15 feet of swell … and obviously it is when the electronic system shut down. But we got through it. The team was great." Devanneaux's boat is named Lenny in honor of Southern California's ASA (American Sailing Association) founder
Lenny Shabes, who passed away last year at the age of 75. Devanneaux called Shabes a mentor and was proud to have the opportunity to name his boat in tribute to him. "Lenny started so many people on the road to safe sailing," Devanneaux said. "We talked about this race often. It's an honor to have him represented in this race by this great boat." Devanneaux, a Frenchman by birth and a naturalized US citizen, sailed Lenny with an all-French-speaking crew. "When things go haywire, clear communications are key. We all are French speakers. This makes sailing the boat under challenging conditions much safer."
"It was a cliffhanger right up to the bloody finish, wasn't it?" The 628-mile Hobart race is the last leg of a 9,000-mile bluewater shakedown cruise for the newly minted Beneteau First 44 — the first of this new model to reach Australia. First, there were some offshore tune-ups in California. Then, the 2,200-mile Transpac ocean race, which saw Lenny finish second in her class. From Hawaii, the crew took Lenny on a leisurely run to Sydney. Devanneaux calls Lenny "An SUV … a big, comfortable, safe and fun-to-sail performance cruiser. I'd rather face the Bass Strait in an SUV than in a flashy sports car," he joked. Of the 103-boat fleet, only 10 were
ASHLEY DART
The 'Lenny' crew at Hobart Dock after a tough race.
international entries. According to Devanneaux, two big reasons there are so few boats from the United States entered in the Hobart are time and money. "Once you get your boat here," he says, "it is a three-week commitment to get the necessary practices and inspections completed. Add lodging, airfare, expenses and doing the Hobart is a lot about bankroll and logistics." Lenny's crew featured an international who's who of accomplished ocean racers. Among the eight crew members were Luc Sorlin (Devanneaux's best man at his wedding 27 years ago); Pierre Follenfant (the "Legend," the first skipper of a maxi-trimaran in 1982 and first finisher in Vendée Globe 1989); Olivier d'Enquin (old friend who sailed with the boat to Australia); Christophe Vanek, a French-Australian and 17-time Hobart veteran; Jerome de Baecque and Arnaud Crussol, FrenchAustralians; and Yann Masselot, executive director for Beneteau. Notable among the crew was Pierre Follenfant, who proudly took his place in the galley as he prepared mouthwatering French cuisine throughout the voyage. "Just because you are sailing that's no excuse not to eat well," said Devanneaux. On board meals included steak and veggies; quiche Lorraine; pasta carbonara; and duck paté and rillettes. After the race, Devanneaux confirmed that Pierre's cuisine was one of the highlights of the race. At the conclusion of the race, the crew celebrated by opening and consuming several bottles of red wine that had been carefully transported from California to Hobart aboard Lenny. The bottles were from the cellars of Lenny Shabes.
T
his year's race featured a number of notable repeats, with a few surprises thrown in.