| 1st Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race | |
| Coordinates: | -33.8558°N 163.4°W- -42.8783°N 166.58°W |
| Type: | Yacht |
| Dates: | 26 December 1945 - 6 January 1946 |
| Host City: | Sydney, Hobart |
| Distance: | 628nmi |
| Boats: | 9 |
| Website: | Rolex Sydney Hobart |
| Winner: | Rani (Captain John Illingworth) |
| Winner Year: | 1945 |
| Previous: | None |
| Next: | Morna (Claude Plowman) in 1946 |
The 1945 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was the inaugural running of the annual "blue water classic", the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. It was hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia based in Sydney, New South Wales.
The race was initially planned to be a cruise planned by Peter Luke, Jack Earl and the Walker brothers who had formed a club for those who enjoyed cruising as opposed to racing.[1] [2]
The plan was changed, however, when a visiting British Royal Navy Officer, Captain John Illingworth, famously suggested, "Why don't we make a race of it?"[3] The inaugural race,[4] like all those that have followed, began on Sydney Harbour, at noon on Boxing Day (26 December), before heading south for 630 nautical miles (1,170 km) through the Tasman Sea, past Bass Strait, into Storm Bay and up the Derwent River, to cross the finish line in Hobart.
The 1945 fleet comprised 9 starters.[5] Of the 9 starters, 8 yachts completed the race. Illingworth's own vessel, Rani, won the inaugural race in a time of 6 days, 14 hours and 22 minutes.[6]
Peter Luke's record for longest-ever time to finish the course stands to this day:11 days, 6hours, and 20 minutes.[3]
9 yachts registered to begin the 1945 Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. They are:
| Yacht | Nation | Skipper | Previous Starts | LH (Elapsed) Time d:hh:mm:ss | HW (Corrected) Time d:hh:mm:ss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambermerle |  (NSW) | J Colquhoun, C Kiel | NA | |||
| Archina | (NSW) | P Goldstein | NA | RETIRED | RETIRED | |
| Horizon | (NSW) | J R Bartlett | NA | |||
| Kathleen | | Jack Earl | NA | |||
| Mistral II | (NSW) | Robert Evans | NA | |||
| Rani |  | Captain John Illingworth, RN | NA | 6:14:22:00 | 4:9:38:00 | |
| Saltair | | A E and R M Walker | NA | |||
| Wayfairer | (NSW) | Peter Luke | NA | |||
| Winston Churchill | | P Coverdale | NA |
| Position | Sail number | Yacht | State/Country | Yacht type | LOA (Metres) | Skipper | Elapsed time d:hh:mm:ss | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44 | Rani | Great Britain | Barber 35 Cutter | 10.67 | Captain John Illingworth | 6:14:22:00 | [7] | |
| 2 | B3 | Winston Churchill | Tasmania | Coverdale 52 Cutter | 15.66 | Percy Coverdale | 7:07:38:00 | ||
| 3 | 29 | Kathleen | New South Wales | Archer 44 Yawl | 13.44 | Jack Earl | 8:06:20:00 | ||
| 4 | CYC 32 | Horizon | New South Wales | Bailey 40 Ketch | 12.27 | J.R. Bartlett | 8:07:47:00 | ||
| 5 | CYC 14 | Ambermerle | New South Wales | Gronfors 34 Cutter | 10.40 | John Colquhoun Clarrie Kiel | 8:08:18:00 | ||
| 6 | CYC 59 | Mistral II | New South Wales | Alden 63 Schooner | 19.32 | Robert Evans | 8:12:55:00 | ||
| 7 | 15 | Saltair | New South Wales | Walker 44 Ketch | 13.27 | Bert & Russell Walker | 8:13:48:00 | ||
| 8 | CYC 7 | Wayfarer | New South Wales | Alden-Larson 40 Ketch | 12.19 | Peter Luke | 11:06:20:00 | ||
| DNF | CYC 20 | Archina | New South Wales | Boden 52 Ketch | 15.85 | Phil Goldstein | Retired |
| Position | Sail number | Yacht | State/Country | Yacht type | LOA (Metres) | Skipper | Corrected time d:hh:mm:ss | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44 | Rani | Great Britain | Barber 35 Cutter | 10.67 | Captain John Illingworth | 4:09:38:00 | [8] | |
| 2 | CYC 14 | Ambermerle | New South Wales | Gronfors 34 Cutter | 10.40 | John Colquhoun Clarrie Kiel | 5:14:39:00 | ||
| 3 | B3 | Winston Churchill | Tasmania | Coverdale 52 Cutter | 15.66 | Percy Coverdale | 5:15:20:00 | ||
| 4 | 29 | Kathleen | New South Wales | Archer 44 Yawl | 13.44 | Jack Earl | 5:15:59:00 | ||
| 5 | CYC 32 | Horizon | New South Wales | Bailey 40 Ketch | 12.27 | J.R. Bartlett | 5:19:23:00 | ||
| 6 | 15 | Saltair | New South Wales | Walker 44 Ketch | 13.27 | Bert & Russell Walker | 5:21:09:00 | ||
| 7 | CYC 59 | Mistral II | New South Wales | Alden 63 Schooner | 19.32 | Robert Evans | 7:17:13:00 | ||
| 8 | CYC 7 | Wayfarer | New South Wales | Alden-Larson 40 Ketch | 12.19 | Peter Luke | 7:19:43:00 | ||
| DNF | CYC 20 | Archina | New South Wales | Boden 52 Ketch | 15.85 | Phil Goldstein | Retired |