Forward of a fiftieth Sydney to Hobart, Lindsay Could displays on wins, rescues and humble beginnings

Lindsay Could has but to notch his fiftieth consecutive Sydney to Hobart yacht race however he is already excited about his 51st.

With three general titles and one line-honours win to his identify, Could will subsequent week turn out to be the primary sailor within the race’s 78-year historical past to attain the half-century milestone, when he navigates Antipodes from Sydney Harbour to Hobart’s Structure Dock.

His storied crusing profession started in 1973, when the then 24-year-old Could stepped off his surfboard and onto a yacht.

“I by no means thought I might get to 50 and I had no concept what I used to be in for,” Could mentioned.

“I had accomplished little or no racing. Then I went crusing right here on the harbour with a mate of mine who was within the navy and I used to be simply hooked.

“I acquired invited to go on a ship to New Zealand — the three older guys wished some youthful guys to do all of the work.

“Then the fella mentioned, ‘Hey, you probably did an incredible job. I’ll get you a journey to Hobart’.

“He acquired me on a ship, Onya of Gosford, in 1973 and I’ve by no means identified anything on Boxing Day.”

In a six-page yearly up to date doc titled The way to Get to Hobart — ASAP, Could condenses his years on the ocean into a listing of hard-earned and well-learned ideas for taking up the journey south.

Amongst his ideas, Could suggests sailors use child powder to assist dry perspiration moisture, have a listing of the crew’s most popular sizzling drinks within the galley and all the time have one hand on the boat — particularly when dressing.

“I have been scared on a few events,” he mentioned.

“I do bear in mind 1984 was a really, very dangerous race. I got here up on deck and I used to be there with my arms hooked by the fence and we slid sideways down this extremely steep wave.

“We did not put on harnesses in these days. We simply needed to tie a bit of rope round our waist and have a clip onto the boat.

“I believed, ‘The one factor that is going to occur on the backside right here is we will flip turtle’, and I wasn’t even clipped on at that stage.

“Then the boat, up it got here and away we went once more.

“We gained that race on handicap.”

In 2006, Could and his crew surprised the crusing world when he took out handicap honours because the skipper and navigator of the 33-year-old picket vessel Love & Conflict.

However the veteran sailor confesses the spotlight of his 49 begins is as a substitute a race he didn’t end.

In 1993, when solely 38 out of 104 starters completed, Could plucked fellow competitor John Quinn out of the Tasman Sea.

Quinn had been washed overboard and spent almost six hours within the water.

Requested whether or not with 50 on the board he can be glad to shut the chapter on his ocean adventures, Could remained pragmatic.

“I would prefer to suppose (I might make) 51 races, however I’ve acquired to have a ship to sail off. I do not personal a ship,” he mentioned.

“If you happen to do a superb job, individuals say to you, ‘Would you need to come alongside subsequent 12 months?’

“That is simply what’s occurred 12 months after 12 months after 12 months.”

ABC Sport will reside weblog the 2023 Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Boxing Day.

AAP