Organising Authorities are increasingly recognising the advantages of establishing a Technical Committee (TC). The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has demonstrated leadership in this regard by appointing a TC for their offshore races. This report is based on the outcomes of the pre-race inspections conducted prior to the 2025 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. 

Experience from the recent inspections has highlighted the importance for boat owners and managers to ensure that the sails and equipment onboard their yachts correspond with the rating certificate intended for use in the race. It remains the owner’s responsibility to avoid any discrepancies. 

Out of the 104 boats entered in the race, 46 were selected for inspection using a pseudo-random process. Yachts considered potential overall or divisional winners comprised a larger proportion of those inspected. 

Among the yachts inspected, 60% were found to have no issues, reflecting a significant improvement compared to technical inspections at previous regattas and races. However, 40% of the yachts still presented various issues. 

Common problems identified included sails being incorrectly listed on the certificate, with most discrepancies involving sails that were undersized or not measured at all. Unmeasured sails present a challenge for technical inspectors, as it is not always clear whether the sail is smaller than the one referenced on the certificate. In such cases, measurement was required, resulting in additional time and cost. 

In some instances, sails were found to be oversize. Several boats opted not to use these sails during the race, while others ordered new certificates, incurring extra costs for expedited processing. These errors can be readily avoided by reviewing sail and certificate measurements in the weeks leading up to the event. 

Aft rigging configurations remain an ongoing concern within the IRC racing fleet. Such issues can be easily prevented by thoroughly checking the yacht’s certificate and actual aft rigging. When in doubt, owners should consult their measurer for confirmation. The TC lodged a protest of boat with an aft rigging issue; although the protest was dismissed, the yacht was required to urgently obtain a new certificate to resolve the problem. Two other boats in the fleet faced similar situations. 

Overall, the racing fleet has shown improvement in complying with issued certificates, which is an encouraging trend. The crews’ responses to the inspection team were consistently positive, and it is hoped this attitude will continue. 

Most problematic sail measurements involved sails being smaller than what was listed on the certificate. Detecting these issues earlier could have resulted in a reduced rating. The general advice is for owners and managers to check aft rigging configurations and other measurements on their boats before the next revalidation application. 

By Chris Zonca