New breed of super maxis to tackle Rolex Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race

The complexity of 'Alfa Romeo' raises the obvious question of what happens if it goes wrong or breaks.

"There is no doubt that we will be sailing 'Alfa Romeo' right at the limit of her ability," says Crichton, "and that means there is always the risk of something breaking or the technology failing, whether it's a sunfish hitting a rudder, a plastic bag blocking the cooling inlet of the engine or something simply breaking under the strain."

For this reason, Crichton, who has been intimately involved with every aspect of 'Alfa Romeo' from design, through construction to crew training, to ensure that every safety precaution has been taken, but when the technology is this cutting edge, it is not possible to foresee every potential problem.

"Ultimately the skipper is totally responsible for the safety of the yacht and her crew," says Crichton, "and it is something I take very seriously, as I demonstrated in 2000 when I turned around rather than risk the crew to get to the finish line."

This means that the canting keel can be returned to its normal vertical position with battery power, the hydraulically operated winches can be top-cranked by hand if required and on table navigator's table, alongside the computers and satellite receivers, are a traditional brass navigator's compass and pencils, with a sextant sitting in a drawer that makes setting a course by the stars and the sun possible if communication with the GPS satellites is not available.

"This year's Rolex Sydney to Hobart will be one of the most exciting events in its 60 plus year history," says Crichton. "Considering what has gone before, that may be saying something, but this year we have the best boats in the world and the best crews taking part in the toughest test of sailing skill in the world. I am in no doubt that whoever crosses the line first will be best sailor, not the person with the most technology, and, as it always has done, the Rolex Sydney to Hobart will remain the ultimate test of sailing skill, knowledge and expertise, regardless of the size or type of yacht."

A fleet of 86 boats are entered for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. They range in size from the 98-foot maxis - the largest yachts allowed in the race - to a Mumm 30, little more than a 30-foot dinghy. The aims and ambitions of the crew are as diverse as the yachts themselves.

Last year was a rough passage to Hobart, so some teams are hoping the wind might offer them a reprieve this time. The recently-launched super maxis, Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats XI, will certainly be hoping for a fast downwind passage. The last thing they would want is a repeat of the evil winds from the south that, along with a vicious seaway, took a severe toll on the maxis in the 2004 event.

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