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  • Toucan Takes Flight: A new Double Handed journey in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

Toucan Takes Flight: A new Double Handed journey in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

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  • 26 Jul, 2024 10:42:00 AM
Toucan Takes Flight: A new Double Handed journey in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

Toucan Takes Flight: A new Double Handed journey in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

As the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race approaches, the crew of Toucan, skippered by Edward Curry-Hyde and Scott Robertson, is eager to embark on their first major ocean race together. This Sun Fast 3300, a promising contender in the Double-Handed fleet, has undergone extensive preparation since its launch in December.

Edward Curry-Hyde, reflecting on his journey back to ocean racing, shared, “I got into ocean racing during my university days in South Africa, but had to step away due to business commitments. Now, with more time on my hands, I wanted to get back into it, and Double Handed racing seemed particularly exciting because it's just the two of us making the difference.”

Scott Robertson, who joined Edward in this venture, added, "I started sailing at an early age and have done mainly club racing. When Edward’s first choice pulled out, I was asked to join him," he said, laughing. "At first, I wasn’t sure, but now I’m very excited. The boat handles really well, and we’ve been training to get ourselves up to speed for the race ahead."

Despite being a new team, Toucan’s crew has been working tirelessly to refine their boat setup and teamwork. “Our training has been focused on simplifying procedures for setting, changing sails, and doing it safely,” said Curry-Hyde. “We need to do things as routinely as possible because in Double Handed racing, fatigue is a big challenge.”

Robertson echoed the sentiment, noting, “There are quite a few ropes and setups on this boat, so we’ve been going through the full repertoire, making sure we’re comfortable with it, and getting it to work smoothly between the two of us.”

One of the significant challenges for the Sun Fast 3300 is its performance upwind. “The Sun Fast’s weakest spot is going upwind. Its strength is going downwind and reaching, so we’ve been putting a lot of work into getting the boat faster going upwind, especially in light airs,” Curry-Hyde explained. “We’ve also added a full symmetric spinnaker to handle light downwind conditions better.”

As they approach their first major race, the crew of Toucan has set clear expectations. “This is our first long race offshore as a team on this boat,” said Curry-Hyde. “We’re looking forward to getting the moat on and seeing how we manage over a sustained period, especially since it looks like we’ll be on port tack for most of the race.”

Robertson emphasised the challenge of balancing navigation and rest. “In Double Handed racing, you’re trying to do everything – navigating, updating weather models, and keeping the boat at optimal performance while also trying to get some sleep. It’s going to be interesting to see how we manage all these tasks with just the two of us.”

With their meticulous preparation and strategic focus, Toucan is set to soar in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, aiming to make a mark in the competitive Double Handed division.

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