A 121-year-old ketch returns to the Sydney Hobart, carrying family history, craftsmanship, and hard-earned offshore pedigree.
While the modern fleet charges down the coast in the middle of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, one yacht on the start line carries a very different kind of history.
Maritimo Katwinchar is a 32 foot ketch built in London around 1904. She is the oldest confirmed yacht ever to compete in the race, and by some margin. At 121 years old, she is not a curiosity or a novelty. She is a working offshore yacht, restored, prepared, and sailed with intent.
Katwinchar was originally built at the Watney Brewery in London for proprietor W. Watney. She was a private yacht from the outset, constructed in an era when craftsmanship was heavy, materials were overbuilt, and longevity was assumed rather than marketed.
Katwinchar’s connection to Australia began in earnest in 1951, when E. J. Mossop sailed her from England to Australia and entered her in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. She retired from that first Hobart, but her place in the event’s early history was established.
Decades later, Katwinchar returned to the start line under very different ownership.
Bill Barry-Cotter bought Katwinchar after finding her in a dilapidated state. Long before Maritimo became one of Australia’s most successful motor yacht builders, Katwinchar was the Barry-Cotter family boat. Bill and his brother Kendal sailed her as children while growing up around Sydney’s Northern Beaches, learning seamanship aboard a heavy, honest yacht that demanded respect and care.
Over two years, more than 15,000 hours were invested in bringing the yacht back to racing condition. The work was carried out at Maritimo’s Coomera facility on the Gold Coast, with the aim of preserving her character while making her structurally sound and race compliant.
The restoration did not chase speed. It focused on integrity. Hull, structure, rig, and systems were rebuilt carefully, respecting the yacht’s age and original form. The result is a yacht that looks every bit her age, yet is capable of safely crossing Bass Strait.
Her modern Sydney Hobart chapter resumed in 2019, when she competed in the 75th edition of the race under the command of Michael Spies. That year, Katwinchar won the Grand Veterans division, finishing in 4 days, 6 hours, 27 minutes, and 47 seconds.
Spies, widely known as Spiesy, is one of the most experienced sailors ever to race to Hobart. This year marks his 47th start. His offshore record includes Line Honours and the race record on Nokia in 1999, overall victory in 2003 aboard First National Real Estate, and world titles in both 18 foot skiffs and the 11 Metre One Design class.
He first sailed Katwinchar in the Hobart in 2019, then returned last year for a double handed attempt with Peter Vaicuirgis. That campaign ended in retirement, but the experience added to the boat’s modern offshore record.
This year, Katwinchar is back with a full crew. Scott Kaufman, a highly regarded Australian designer and sailor now based in New York, along with Courtney Macris, and Emma Rankin.
Katwinchar does not rely on favourable ratings alone. A hard blow suits her best, where seamanship and judgement matter more than outright speed. That combination has defined her history from the start.
Physically, she is compact by modern standards, but robust.
Owner: Bill Barry-Cotter
Skipper: Michael Spies
Navigator: Max Herscovics
Club: Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
State: NSW
Specifications
Maritimo Katwinchar specifications
Yacht name: Maritimo Katwinchar
Sail number: CYC8
Type: Watney built ketch, circa 1904
Length overall: 10.0 m
Beam: 2.5 m
Draft: 1.6 m
Hull weight: 4.847 tonnes
Total displacement: 290 kg
Total sail area: 98 square metres
Alongside Katwinchar on the start line is her modern counterpart, Maritimo 100. The contrast is stark.
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race: two Maritimo boats, one hard-earned philosophy
Maritimo 100 specifications
Owner: Bill Barry-Cotter
Skipper: Peter Jones
Club: Southport Yacht Club
Type: Oyster 100
Length: 30.4 m
Beam: 7.4 m
Draft: 4.0 m
Total sail area: 1,670 square metres
Total displacement: 103 tonnes
Hull weight: 31 tonnes
Top speed: 20 knots
Average daily run: 250 nautical miles
Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race: Maritimo 100 and the long-game approach
Between them sits more than a century of yacht design. Yet both are here for the same reason.
Katwinchar remains one of the most distinctive yachts ever to sail south from Sydney. She carries her history honestly, sails with restraint, and rewards careful hands. In a race known for testing boats and people alike, her presence remains quietly compelling.
