Sydney to Hobart stalwart Grant Wharington has declared renovated super maxi Ragamuffin 100 far and away the best boat he's ever sailed on.
Wharington, one of the race's best-performed big boat skippers of recent times, won't be campaigning his own boat for the first time in 17 years.
Instead he will be part of the crew aboard sailing icon Syd Fischer's 100-footer.
Ragamuffin 100 has been completely overhauled since finishing third across the line last year, having been fitted with a new hull, keel and rudders.
While Fischer and his team have released very little information publicly about Ragamuffin 100, she is known to be about 10 per cent faster upwind and 20 per cent quicker downwind than last year.
"The new boat is just amazing, it's just incredibly fast," Wharington told AAP.
"it's just far above and beyond the performance I've seen in any of the other boats that I've sailed on.
"The numbers that we are seeing from this boat are just absolutely staggering."
Like new American super Maxi Comanche, Ragamuffin 100 will go into the Hobart as a unknown quantity, not having raced since her revamp.
"Sure, we would love to have had more time and definitely would have loved to have raced," said Wharington, who will be a watch captain and do some steering on Ragamuffin 100.
He will be sailing with 87-year-old Fischer for the first time, though he was part of a successful multi-boat Australian team with the legendary yachtsman back in the 1990s.
`"I've always known Syd and got on really well with him and been amazed by his enthusiasm," Wharington said.
"He steered the boat down Sydney Harbour doing 21 knots. Obviously he's still in great health and great fitness and (for him) to be able to do the race is just an inspiration to all of us on the boat.
"It's my 26th (Sydney to Hobart) race this year and I'm just excited to be sailing a new boat with such a great bunch of blokes.
"No special people, there's no egos and everyone is there for the one reason, and that's to support Syd and his program and make sure it's successful."
Wharington won line honours on Skandia in 2003 and has logged six more top-10 placings, including a second (Skandia - 2008) and two thirds (Skandia - 2005, 2006) over the past decade.
In his last two Hobart races in someone else's boat, he finished third across the line in 1996 and 1997 aboard Foxtel Amazon and P.L Lease Future Shock, respectively.
There's one thing Wharington definitely won't miss about not sailing his own boat this year.
"The great thing is no bills arrive," said Wharington with a smile.
Share
