Your First Hobart: Start with Goals, Build the Plan

Why Goals Matter

The Sydney Hobart isn’t just a 628-nautical-mile slog from Sydney Harbour to Constitution Dock—it’s a test of preparation, teamwork, and grit. For most boat owners sticking to a budget, every decision counts. Are you aiming to finish safely, chase a division placing, or just soak in the experience? Your goal shapes the next 9 months. A safe finish might mean staying out of the stronger currents if it’s wind-on-tide and having a slower ride inshore, while flying smaller sails that are easier to manage.  A competitive run could demand new performance sails and a 9 months on drilling the team to polar percentages. Define what success looks like for you, and you’ll know what you’re building toward from crew numbers to catering to sail wardrobe.

Want to place in IRC Division 3? You’ll want to budget for new upwind sails at a minimum. Just want to cross the line? Focus on maintenance and building a crew that can reef and do sail changes with their eyes closed and worry less about spinnaker trimming. Goals turn a daunting race into a checklist.

No doubt you’ve done this before on Cat 2 & 3 races, but the Hobart is a level up in it’s investment in time and money, so work out what’s worked for you so far, and have a good think about what you need to change to succeed.

Choosing Your Team

Your crew’s the backbone of your Hobart campaign, and your goal points you to the right people. The NoR mandates a minimum of six crew, with at least 50% holding a Category 1-equivalent race certificate (or 500 offshore miles logged, which can be done in lead up races this year) and two with valid first-aid training. That’s the baseline. Beyond that, think about fit. A safe-finish needs steady hands—sailors who know your boat, and can handle a storm without drama. A competitive goal might call for racers with sharp skills, and that might mean trying to attract some gun trimmers or a navigator with experience, and having hard conversations with your bay-racers that might not be up to the demands of a 4 day race.  Chances are you’re already racing offshore, you need to have a good hard honest think about who’s up to the challenge, both physically, and in a team fit sense. 

Don’t overcomplicate it.

Start with who you’ve got—your regular crew, local club mates, or that mechanic who’s handy with a winch and going to chip in on working bees. Then fill gaps based on your ambition. Budget matters too. Will crew chip in for food or race fees? A goal-focused conversation upfront—“We’re aiming to finish strong, everyone covers their share”—sets expectations. If your crew expects everyone to chip in on race expenses and working bee days, and you have team members that can’t afford to do their sea survival courses or buy a new PLB with AIS built in, just can’t prioritise a Sydney Hobart over other commitments, they’re probably not a fit this time around.

Talking to Stakeholders

Your first Hobart isn’t just your project—it’s a pitch to family and business partners too. Nine months of planning, weekends on qualifiers, and a week away over Christmas even if you don’t do the deliveries? They’ll feel it, and without a conversation now, resentment can begin to fester. 

Lay out your goal clearly: “I want to finish Hobart safely.” Logic wins them over. Show how it breaks down, when you’ll be training, when you’ll haul out to do maintenance, which offshore races you’ll be doing across the calendar. When they see the plan, not just the dream, they’re more likely to nod.  

Business-wise, if you’ve got a small operation, frame it as a win-win. A Hobart finish boosts your credibility—great for networking or even sponsoring your own boat. Keep it real: “It’s tight, but I’ll juggle the workload.” Transparency builds trust.

And for the family – instead of hiding expenses, focus on bringing them into the project. This way, when something unexpected does come up, you’re in a great place to have a good talk about additional budget.  You might not think they’re interested, but including them in the team t-shirt order, to sailing with the kids on board during training days, to inviting them at the table at the post-race dinner in Hobart, turns something that can be seen as a conflict into something that shows your kids what they can achieve in their own lives, and becomes a great family memory. 

How Goals Drive the Details

If you’re really clear on what you’re setting out to accomplish, you can make smart choices across the year.  Want to finish on a budget – then you’re hunting for second hand sat phones on facebook marketplace, and investigating life raft rentals.  That’s a totally different campaign compared to a boat aiming to place on handicap and optimising a new sail wardrobe.  Whichever way you go, the drinks at Customs House taste just as good. 

Start Now

Entries close October 24, 2025, per the NoR, but don’t wait. Sit down this week. Get clear on your goal as the boat owner.  Is it to finish, place, or something else. Maybe you want to raise funds for a charity or bring a proportion of first timers with you. Sketch out your crew needs and talk to your people—family, mates, business. You’re not just entering a race; you’re building a campaign. 

Your first Hobart is a big deal. Start with why you’re doing it, and the how will sort itself out.

See you on the start line.