Brindabella wants crew

Brindabella, the veteran maxi yacht that still holds the record in the Rolex Sydney-to-Hobart Race for conventionally ballasted yacht, is advertising world-wide for adventurers who want to crew in this year's 630 nautical mile race.

The 80 foot maxi, which has been continually upgraded since she was launched more than a decade ago for Sydney yachtsman George Snow, will race to Hobart with a crew of 24 sailors and about 10 crew positions are open to anyone with some offshore racing experience and a healthy bank balance.

Racing in the Sydney-Hobart is not a cheap exercise and the company running Brindabella in this year's race is asking would-be crew members to contribute $8500 each to the kitty.

For that they get what is being billed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They will compete in one of the world's most challenging offshore yacht races, experience the thrill of the race start of Sydney Habour with thousands of vessels and more than 500,000 spectators, suffer the tough conditions across Bass Strait and the joy of the welcome at Hobart's Constitution Dock.

The crew package, which excludes travel accommodation, a personal EPIRB and wet weather gear, covers virtually everything else.

Training for the whole crew, both locals and overseas based sailors, will start on December 18 and will go for five days, including an overnight offshore passage. 

The race starts as usual on Boxing Day and Brindabella is expected to finish in Hobart about two or three days later. After joining the boisterous party that rocks Hobart from the time the first yacht finishes until after the recovery from New Year's Eve, Brindabella will start cruising back to Sydney on January 2. The paying crew members are welcome to join this passage -- which many local sailors reckon is the best part of any Sydney-Hobart race.

Brindabella will carry a very experienced skipper and mate and at least six very experienced crew. Another six crew will have done the race before and all crew members will be required to have completed an accredited sea safety and survival course.

This year's Hobart race will see a battle between three of the world's fastest racing yachts, Wild Oats XI, Alfa Romeo and Leopard of London. These 30 metre super maxis all have canting keels and should finish up to 24 hours ahead of Brindabella. But the old warhorse should be one of the first conventional yachts to cross the finish line.