Katwinchar, originally built in 1904, at Watneys Brewery in London. The 32 foot Ketch (sure looks like a yawl. – ed) started its first race in 64 years in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Cabbage Tree Island Race, which was a qualifying race for the pending Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Conditions claimed a lost of high profile scalps,including the well documented Wild Oats XI breakdown. Katwinchar emerged largely unscathed. It just underwent a painstaking 2 year long rebuild and refit under the watchful eye of Maritimo principal and Katwinchar owner Bill Barry-Cotter, who returns to Yacht Racing after a decades on the Offshore Power Boat Circuit.
Despite only beating one boat for Line Honours, Katwinchar corrected out to a solid 9th on IRC which is perhaps somewhat flattering and inflated as she was one of the very few boats to carry a Spinnaker without mishap most of the night. Next port of call for Katwinchar is hopefully Hobart! -Anarchist Michael.
