Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S600 LEADERBOARD

America's Cup challenger to race on Derwent

by Peter Campbell 5 Oct 2018 15:57 PDT 7 October 2018
Gretel II sailing on the River Derwent earlier this year © Peter Watson

Famous America's Cup challenger Gretel II, now based in Hobart, will return to racing on Sunday (7 October) in the Channel Race, a 30 nautical mile day race from Hobart down the River Derwent to Bligh Point in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and return.

The classic 12-metre class yacht, which challenged for the America's Cup at Newport, Rhode Island in 1972 and again in 1977, will also line up for tomorrow's (Saturday) afternoon's traditional Opening Day of the Sailing Season sail past in Sullivan's Cove.

Gretel II's owner, Michael Maxwell, is flying down from Sydney to skipper the yacht with a crew of local sailors put together by champion Hobart sailor Steven Shield.

"GII (as she known in America's Cup history) is in immaculate condition, having just undergone a refurbishing of her timber hull, which in two year's time will be 60 years old," Shield said yesterday.

"She also has a new mainsail and number one and number three headsails, made of dacron in keeping with her history.

"The owner plans to race GII in several longer day races on the Derwent and the Channel over the summer as well as inviting interested sailors to crew aboard her," Shield added.

Gretel II was designed by the late Alan Payne for newspaper magnate Sir Frank Packer and had many innovations, including an advanced hull form, trim tab on the rudder, a bendy riveted aluminium mast, 'coffee grinder' winches and twin steering wheels.

Racing against the US defender Intrepid in 1970 with Sir James Hardy as skipper, she had a luckless series, winning one race and controversially disqualified after finishing first in another. Intrepid won 4-1.

In 1977, another champion yachtsman Gordon Ingate, skippered GII in the Challenger series with a crew that became known as 'Dad's Navy'. She proved no match for the latest 12-metres but created great interest at Newport.

The yacht was gifted to the Sydney Maritime Museum but was not well maintained until current owner Michael Maxwell bought her and had the 'twelve' extensively refitted.

Gretel II already has one win to her credit on the Derwent, in the Green Island Race on Australia Day 2011 following a visit for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival. Her 1977 America's Cup skipper Gordon Ingate was on the helm.

A smart fleet of 18 yachts have been entered for Sunday's Channel Race, traditionally the RYCT's first race of the summer sailing season.

Lining up in Division 1 against Gretel II will be ocean racers Oskana, Whistler, The Fork in Road, Filepro and Ciao Baby II.

The Channel Race will start at 10am from off Castray Esplanade with all three divisions starting together.

Related Articles

Maritimo S60 Sedan Motor Yacht - Global launch
Enhancements to both the exterior and interior deliver great appeal Leading Australian luxury motor yacht manufacturer, Maritimo, will proudly display the first S60 Sedan Motor Yacht at the 2025 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Posted on 21 May
Maritimo M50 Flybridge Motor Yacht - Global launch
Setting the benchmark in long-range cruising motor yachts Maritimo, Australia's world-class luxury motor yacht builder, expands its next generation model line-up with the global launch of the all-new M50 Flybridge Motor Yacht at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, May 2025. Posted on 21 May
Welcome aboard the M7
Available for private viewings at select Mediterranean locations this summer Unveiled at the Düsseldorf Boat Show in January 2025, the new M7 has already established itself as a standout in the world of multihull motor yachts. Posted on 21 May
Lazzara Yachts enters the expedition market
With sale of Lazzara EX 165 Lazzara Yachts (a part of Euro Marine Group) is proud to confirm the sale of its Lazzara EX 165, Lazzara's largest yacht to date. Posted on 20 May
Coast Guard proposes removing hundreds of buoys
Some buoys are in notoriously rocky and challenging bays and harbors on the Northern Atlantic Coast On April 15, the First Coast Guard District released an initiative proposing the removal of hundreds of navigational buoys, or Aids to Navigation (AtoNs). Posted on 20 May
Feadship Project 715 launched
The explore yacht slipped from her building hall in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands Feadship's latest entry into the genre of explorer yachts slipped from her building hall in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Posted on 18 May
Riviera's 72 Sports Motor Yacht Series II Premiere
Part of Riviera's 12 yacht showcase at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show Riviera celebrates two World Premieres at this year's Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. The new generation 72 Sports Motor Yacht - Series II joins the exciting new 4300 Sports Express as part of Riviera's spectacular 12 yacht showcase. Posted on 18 May
CL Yachts unveils sporty new CLB65 SUV
New model being introduced ahead of the 2025 Sanctuary Cove Boat Show As the ever-popular CLB65 continues its grand tour - following its Asia-Pacific debut in Hong Kong and standout appearances at major boat shows across Australia and the US - CL Yachts is proud to unveil its latest concept: CLB65 SUV. Posted on 17 May
The Outer Reef 27 Crossover
The Outer Reef 27 Crossover The 27 (Meter) Crossover is the first in Outer Reef's Crossover Series and a standout member of our Adventure Sports Vessel (ASV) lineup. Posted on 14 May
New exterior views of in-build 52-meter GTT 170
A next-generation superyacht designed for shallow waters and high-speed cruising from Dynamiq Constructed entirely in aluminum and currently in-build in Antalya, Turkey, this groundbreaking superyacht is purposefully engineered for discerning owners in the United States and the Middle East. Posted on 13 May
Palm Beach Motor YachtsMaritimo 2023 M600 FOOTER