07:40AM AEDT – SHK Scallywag 100 sits at the front of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, locked in a three-boat fight as the leaders work south of Tasmania in very light air.
Scallywag has edged ahead of both Master Lock Comanche and LawConnect during a prolonged slowdown off the Tasmanian coast, where boatspeed has dropped sharply and gains are coming from positioning rather than raw pace. The three maxis are sailing within a narrow band of distance to the finish, separated by margins that are changing slowly as pressure fades near the shore.
Earlier in the race, LawConnect led out of Sydney Heads and controlled the opening phase before Comanche asserted herself offshore. That advantage has now compressed. With boatspeed across the leading trio hovering in single digits, Scallywag has used the transition zone effectively, converting small shifts and cleaner lanes into forward progress.
For skipper David Witt, it is a significant moment. Despite decades of offshore racing and multiple record-breaking campaigns, he has never won Line Honours in a Sydney Hobart. Scallywag’s return to contention follows a difficult recent history in the race, including retirement with a broken bowsprit in 2023.
The yacht’s reliability has been a focus since then. Following that Hobart, Scallywag underwent a comprehensive systems overhaul. Hydraulic, electrical, and control systems were rebuilt with an emphasis on redundancy and durability rather than outright weight savings. That work carried through into her European campaign, highlighted by Line Honours in the 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race, and is now being tested in the slow, tactical phase unfolding overnight.
SHK Scallywag 100 is a 30.48-metre Dovell-designed supermaxi built for sustained offshore pace. With a beam of 5.8 metres and a draft of 5.6 metres, she carries a powerful keel and righting-moment package that rewards stability and pressure rather than short-course manoeuvrability.
The hull was originally launched as Maximus before racing under Syd Fischer as Ragamuffin 100. The Dovell hull form remains central to her performance, paired with a modified deck layout derived from Investec Loyal, optimised for load management and sail handling at scale. She is one of the highest-rated IRC yachts racing anywhere, placing a premium on execution when racing under handicap.
Under sail, Scallywag is most effective in pressure and open water, where her length and sail area convert cleanly into speed. In light air, the equation changes. Trim accuracy, foil immersion, and tactical positioning matter more than power, which is exactly the phase the race has entered.
Behind the leading trio, Palm Beach XI and Lucky remain close enough to stay relevant if pressure returns first from the west. For now, the race is defined by patience, positioning, and incremental gains.
With the fleet stalled west of Tasmania and a finish expected later today, the outcome will be decided by who escapes the light air first.
No mistakes now.
