MARINE BUSINESS NEWS
NEWS UPDATE
02 January 2026
Publishers note
Wishing all our readers a happy, healthy and prosperous 2026.
Congratulations to Master Lock Comanche on winning the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. By all accounts, the journey south was far from “all chardonnay and lobster”. Conditions tested crews throughout the fleet, teams had their work cut out for them, and sadly a number of sailors were injured along the way. We wish those affected a full and speedy recovery.
Having attended her christening only a couple of weeks prior to the start, I kept a particularly close eye on Palm Beach XI. She went on to finish a very creditable fifth, just under two hours and fifty minutes behind the winner. A strong result, especially considering the boat had only recently come out of the sheds in the lead-up to the race.
Her biggest setback came early, when the yacht became entangled in discarded fishing gear and was left drifting offshore on the first day. The debris was an old, obsolete fishing net, complete with six heavy steel traps still attached.
“We were forced to stop and heave to for around 40 minutes while they worked to cut the debris free,” skipper Mark Richards said.
“It was really bad,” he added. “It did a lot of damage to the board and the keel fairing. But that’s life.”
Congratulations to everyone involved in this year’s race, not only the competitors on the water, but also the many people behind the scenes whose efforts made the event possible.
We do hope you enjoy this week’s news.
Marine Business News is an Australian-owned marine industry news service publishing local and international news. If you have news stories you would like to share, please let us know by contacting our newsroom via our email at NewsRoom@MarineBusinessNews.com.au.
Stay safe on the water,
Domenic Genua - Publisher
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