comanche sailboat video

• AMERICA'S CUP
• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

100-foot supermaxi Andoo Comanche returns to Australia

Related Articles

Comanche Story: Across the Ocean in a Work Week

Shattering the transatlantic sailing record.

Even the most daunting world records are meant to be broken … eventually. For elite navigator Stan Honey and a crew of sailing all-stars, beating the prestigious monohull transatlantic sailing record was the ultimate accomplishment. And it was no easy feat. On July 22, 2016, the Comanche — a custom-built, 100-foot racing yacht — set sail from New York to the southern tip of England.

Precisely five days, 14 hours, 21 minutes and 25 seconds later, the Comanche’s crew shattered the world record … by more than a day.

Brave the high seas as we set sail on one of the most amazing and inspiring journeys ever to take place on film.

A Great Big Film dedicated to Comanche, made in partnership with Land Rover ( http://www.landroverusa.com/vehicles/… ).

About Comanche

Comanche is a 100 ft (33 m) maxi yacht. She was designed in France by VPLP and Guillaume Verdier and built in the United States by Hodgdon Yachts for Dr. James H. Clark and christened as  Comanche . 

Comanche  holds the 24-hour sailing record for monohulls, covering 618 nm, for an average of 25.75 knots or 47.69 kmh/h. The boat won line honours in the 2015 Fastnet race and the 2015 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, under the leadership of skipper Ken Read. In 2017,  Comanche  set a new Transpac record, covering 484.1 nmi in 24 hours, for an average speed of 20.2 knots (37.4 km/h). In 2019, under navigator Stan Honey, the yacht won the 2225-mile 50th Transpacific Yacht Race, with a time of 5 days 11 hours 14 minutes 05 seconds.  Comanche  won the 2017 Sydney to Hobart yacht race, with a time of 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes 24 seconds, a record that still stands today.

At 5 days 14 hours 21 minutes 25 seconds, the sailing yacht holds the Monohull Transatlantic sailing record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, which they achieved on July 28, 2016.

In December 2017, was sold to Australian Jim Cooney, and was renamed to LDV Comanche, as part of a one-time sponsorship from SAIC Maxus Automotive Co’s  LDV  brand. The yacht later returned to its original, unsponsored title of Comanche. Under this name it won the Sydney-Hobart race again in 2019 in 1 day 18 hours and 30 minutes.

Soon after the completion of the 2019 Sydney-Hobart race, Comanche was reportedly sold to a Russian interest group. [7]  Details of the sale have not been disclosed as of yet.

10 Sailing Tips Essentials to Make You a Better Sailor!

5 tips for anchoring your sailboat, 7 wonderful cities to live on a sailboat, american magic’s first new ac75 patriot revealed, live your passion, subscribe to our mailing list.

Published on December 27th, 2022 | by Editor

Comanche first to finish Sydney Hobart

Published on December 27th, 2022 by Editor -->

(December 28, 2022) – John ‘Herman’ Winning Jr has set his sights on back-to-back Line Honors wins in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race with Andoo Comanche after the maxi claimed this year’s title.

Early this morning, Winning Jr skippered the champion 100-footer to its fourth elapsed time victory for the 628 nm course, but his first with the boat he has on a lease until April 2024.

“We’ve got the boat and will be coming back for sure,” said Winning. “We’re not trying to come second. We’re here to win every race that we do.

“This boat doesn’t deserve to come second; certainly not when it’s in its prime. Until the foiling boats outdate this boat she should always be going out there trying to win Line Honors.”

However, for now, Winning Jr and his crew will continue to celebrate their success in this year’s race, secured when they crossed the finish line at 12:56:48 am today.

Their winning time of 1 day 11 hours 56 minutes 48 seconds was just outside the race record time of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds, set by LDV Comanche in 2017.

But their victory was nonetheless an impressive one in the fast downwind conditions which were created by the north-north easterly winds that prevailed for their entire journey south.

Second to finish at 1:23:19 am was Christian Beck’s LawConnect in 1 day 12 hours 23 minutes 19 seconds.

Third at 1:40:34 am was Peter Harburg’s Black Jack, skippered by Mark Bradford. The Oatley Family’s Hamilton Island Wild Oats, skippered by Mark Richards, crossed at 2:38:13 am

Andoo Comanche and LawConnect, which flew protest flags due to incidents exiting Sydney Harbor, both finished with their protest flags no longer up.

For Winning Jr, who was aboard Perpetual Loyal for her victory in 2016, it was a special result. It was his first as skipper and his father, John ‘Woody’ Winning, was also aboard.

“The moments are still sinking in,” Winning Jr said. “It just didn’t feel real until the last minute. Once it started sinking in, I just started thinking about who went into making it all possible.”

Andoo Comanche’s win added another chapter to its history. It was its fourth Line Honors win after 2015, 2017 (record that still holds), and 2019. It is also the first boat to win under three different owners.

American Jim Clark and his Australian wife, Kristy Hinze Clark, were the original owners of the yacht designed by Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP. They launched Comanche in 2015 and took Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart that year.

The Clarks sold the boat to Jim Cooney and his wife Samantha Grant, who renamed the yacht LDV Comanche and took Line Honors and the race record of 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes 24 seconds in 2017, returning as Comanche in 2019, to take Line Honors again.

LawConnect’s owner, Christian Beck, was more than happy about finishing second behind Andoo Comanche, especially in conditions that did not suit his boat.

“We thought we were going to come fourth in these conditions, so second was beyond our expectations,” said Beck, for whom it was his fifth campaign on the boat.

“I’m very proud of it. The boat’s not that good, but the crew is awesome. For us to be half an hour behind Comanche and ahead of Wild Oats and Black Jack is incredibly good for us.”

Black Jack skipper Mark Bradford said this Rolex Sydney Hobart might be the last for Peter Harburg’s yacht, which won Line Honors last year.

“We’re going to head to Europe next year,” he said. “We’re going to go where the winds are light. We’re getting out of here!”

As for this year’s race, Bradford noted how it was a totally different race compared to last year. “Just an easy downwind race. No real dramas. Everyone should get here safely and yet have a great race.

“It was always going to be a close race, this race. Halfway through, Comanche had a pretty healthy lead and then towards the end, it came back into sort of 12 miles or so to us and six to LawConnect. I think that’s probably a fair result for everyone, really, to be honest.

“Comanche is a great boat with a great crew. They sail it well, obviously; but to be 12 miles behind after 628 nautical miles in what is their conditions? We’re pretty happy with that.”

(L-R) Benoit Falletti – Managing Director, Rolex Australia; John Winning Jr – skipper, Andoo Comanche; John Winning Sr – Andoo Comanche; Arthur Lane – Commodore, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Photo: ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

Attrition: Two boats retired on day one – the two-handed Avalanche (James Murchison/James Francis) due to a broken bowsprit and Louis and Marc Ryckman’s Yeah Baby with rudder damage from a sunfish strike.

On day two, the fleet was reduced to 106 boats with the retirement of the TP52 Koa, co-owned by Peter Wrigley and Andy Kearnan, after losing its rudder and calling for assistance.

Race details – Tracker – Facebook

The 628 nm Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is the 77th edition in 2022 and had a fleet of 109 boats for the start on December 26. One hundred fifty seven teams set off in 2019, but since then the 2020 race was cancelled due to the pandemic with 88 entries in 2021.

From the start in Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the south-east coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides the mainland from the island State of Tasmania), then down the east coast of Tasmania. At Tasman Island the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.

Source: RSHYR

Tags: Sydney Hobart

Related Posts

Double win for two-handed team in Sydney Hobart →

VIDEO: Sydney Hobart Race 2023 →

Alive claims overall Sydney Hobart title →

Victory to LawConnect in Sydney Hobart →

© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .

• Privacy Statement
• Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

• Your Name...
• Your Email... *
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Andoo Comanche

Arguably the fastest monohull on the planet, Andoo Comanche returns to defend her Line Honours title in the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.  Skipper John “Herman” Winning Jr and his exceptional team including tactician Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton, Iain Murray and Richard Allanson have captured every major Australian offshore line honours title since they chartered the yacht in 2022.  With a new inventory of sails by North Sails, Andoo Comanche will be hard to beat in 2023, with John Winning Jr looking to cap off his impressive run with the maxi yacht.

Competitor Details

OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

Berthon Winter Collection

Latest issue

August 2024

In the August 2024 issue of Yachting World magazine: News Few finish a tempestuous Round The Island Race European rules are eased for cruising to France and Greece Olympic sailing…

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Video: Comanche – Matthew Sheahan gets aboard the world’s fastest monohull

• Matthew Sheahan
• August 15, 2015

It’s rare that yachts look bigger on board than from off the boat, but I was bowled over by Comanche, admits Matt

Setting the start line ends in your chart plotter two days before the race may seem a little over eager, but on the 100ft super maxi Comanche it was essential. She might be the world’s fastest monohull after having a set a new 24 hour record of 620nm during her recent race across the Atlantic, (subject to ratification by the World Speed Sailing Council), but when it comes to close quarters manoeuvring she needs space and plenty of it.

Yet by Sunday’s Rolex Fastnet Race start, with a record breaking fleet of 370 boats on the line plus spectators, you can be sure there won’t be much of that.

But there are other problems that the big red supermaxi and her crew have to contend with that you and I might not have considered. Before the race, all competitors are required to pass through an identifying gate, a simple procedure for most.

“There are three gates, but only one will have enough water for us to get through,” explained navigator Stan Honey, “and even then we’re going to have to take it carefully, so I’d like to have look at that a little later on.”

Her draught of 6.50m (21ft 4in) severely limits where she can safely go, making the Solent feel more like a shallow river estuary than the wide expanse of water that it is for most. Even in the deep water channels, traveling at double figure speeds that are her norm, it doesn’t take long to get to the edges.

But it is the sheer size of this boat that grabs you most.

It’s rare that boats look bigger on board than from off the boat, but from the moment I stepped onto her aft quarter where the freeboard is lower, I was bowled over by the expanse of deck in front of me.

Clearly there are other 100 footers around. Two weeks ago I raced aboard Mike Slade’s Leopard, a few years back I sailed Speedboat, (that became Rambler 100 before losing her keel) and yet Comanche feels significantly bigger than both of these and is easily the most impressive.

For starters it is the combination of her 7.80m (25ft 6in) beam and her flat almost featureless foredeck with no coachroof, that sets the scene and confirms immediately why she has been nicknamed the aircraft carrier.

Her mast is set much further back in the boat than is typically the norm making her foredeck look more like a runway, while her giant carbon boom extends all the way to her transom. None of her overall length goes unused, a feature that is driven home when the crew hoisted the first of several sails that were on test for the day.

The carbon, masthead A3 is tacked on the bowsprit while her clew comes pretty much all the way to her stern and presents a giant black wall of sail. Looking to leeward is challenging at best.

In just 8 knots of breeze we were doing 13-14knots at a true wind angle of 135 degrees. Downwind, with the new larger mainsail with it’s huge square top head and the 1,100m2 (11,840ft2) A3 sheeted in and with so little visual clues on the water, it took a while to get orientated. Cranking sails on, to go fast downwind is more like multihull behaviour.

“One of the big things we’ve learned is that we sail this boat like a multihull,” said Read as we gybed our way down the east Solent towards Portsmouth. “It’s one of the misnomers that a wide boat can’t work in light airs. But we heel her over a fair bit as if sailing on the leeward hull and we are fully powered in 6-7 knots.”

This heel angle is also something that takes a little getting used to and that once again emphasizes the size of this boat. From the usual weather rail hiking position we towered above the Solent’s surface and yet strangely I still had a sense of speed as she sliced upwind at 11 knots. Perhaps it was the driving rain that added to the sensation, or maybe the view of the long drop to the leeward side. It was like peering over a balcony at her wake several stories below.

And when talking of views, one of the strangest on Comanche is from her bow looking back to the cockpit where her significant reverse sheer means that you can see little of the cockpit deck gear and only the upper torsos of the crew. It’s like looking over the brow of a hill.

You also realise how little you can hear from her bow. While this is one area in the boat where you can’t hear the huge generator that powers the hydraulics working away like a digger on a building site, you can’t hear the crew either. Hand signals and experience is what counts.

Her deck design has incorporated some new ideas to help with the handling, the most noticeable is an alarm system that kept blaring out just before the noise of the generator eased down.

“We have an audio alarm system for the halyard locks,” explained Read. “We also have a light system to tell us when the halyards are on the locks, but the audio system is a big improvement for us. Everyone can hear it and it’s not only making us more efficient, but it’s saving damage on the locks and wear on the halyards.

Such systems undoubtedly help her 21 strong crew to throw sails up and down as if she was a modern forty footer, even though each sail is so heavy that it has to be craned up onto the side deck.

With powered pit winches this doesn’t involve too much sweat, unlike the sheet and runner winches which are manually driven from the batteries of pedestals, yet each manoeuvre requires careful co-ordination. When it comes to handling, this is a well drilled but relaxed crew. A few words from the back and things just happen with little or no discussion making it easy to underestimate the skill and professionalism that is required. Even Read is surprised by this.

“I spend so much time out on sail trials aboard a wide variety of boats that it knocks me out when I sail with these guys,” he said. “Even when you’ve spotted something, they’ve seen it first and are already dealing with it.” Staying on top of things is clearly crucial aboard such a potent behemoth. Getting out of control doesn’t bear thinking about.

During the course of our morning trials the crew hoisted, trimmed, checked, logged and packed six or seven different sails, some of them fresh out of their bags for the first time. This in itself was impressive to watch.

Below decks she’s a cavernous carbon shell where once again her massive beam is what strikes you immediately.

Having descended one of two giant companionway entrances set either side of her centreline, the main engine/generator takes centre stage in the accommodation. Further forward lies the galley and beyond that the first of the collision bulkheads.

But what grabs you is how low the headroom is for a boat of this type. That and the number of large transverse structural members that make going forward more of a hurdles event than you might have expected.

Elsewhere there are eight hinging pipe cot bunks either side, strung up as far outboard and as close to the underside of the deck as is possible while the navigation station is wedged under the cockpit sole and behind the companionway steps.

On deck I had joked with Honey who was wearing a caving type head torch that the English summer may not be that good but that it also wasn’t night time just yet.

“It’s always night time down there,” he replied.

I could see what he meant.

But for me the highlight of the day was when Read offered me the helm.

“Just don’t hit anyone,” he joked.

Easy for him to say, as we barreled towards a wall of sail strung out across the entrance to the western Solent. With various fleets sailing downwind with their kites set while others beat off their line, you may get a good view of the task ahead but it’s a daunting one when you’re traveling at three times their speed.

Nevertheless, helming Comanche was an intoxicating experience. While you’re acutely aware of her size as you thread your way through ‘normal’ boats, she also feels like she’s shrunk as she picks up speed. Light and responsive there is little sense of her 31 tonnes through either of her carbon wheels, just a feeling of power and urgency as her speed changed with every subtle move of the helm.

Once you get used to the more neutral feel of her twin rudders, it takes no time to get into the groove.

It takes even less time to see why 20 of the world’s top sailors who have ‘been there/done that’ on many previous extreme boats, still seem as excited as teenagers on a field trip.

I had been excited all week at the prospect of just sailing her, now the only thing that I was disappointed about was that I wasn’t joining them for the race.

• SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL
•   Weather

Search location by ZIP code

Watch: des moines police release body camera footage of water rescue.

• Copy Link Copy {copyShortcut} to copy Link copied!

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

The Des Moines Police Department released a body camera video of a water rescue after a boat capsized last Monday night.

The video shows the quick work of the emergency responders near the I-235 bridge.

Seven people were in the boat at the time, and only one made it to shore initially. The rest held on to a rope thrown to them by a police officer.

Eventually, fire rescue boats arrived to collect them.

Thanks to the work of the police officers and the fire department's Wet Team, no one was hurt in this incident.

» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

Get the latest headlines from KCCI

• SYDNEY, NSW
• MELBOURNE, VIC
• HOBART, TAS
• BRISBANE, QLD
• ADELAIDE, SA
• CANBERRA, ACT

Fishermen's 'pretty crazy' moment great white shark attacks boat off Sunshine Coast

• Sunshine Coast

Send your stories to [email protected]

Auto news: 'What I wish I'd known before buying an electric car'.

Top Stories

Australia records highest winter temperature ever, amid balmy end to season

Woman who disappeared for 18 years walks into police station

Thousands of construction workers to protest across Melbourne

Australia's snow season comes to disappointing early end

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Conservation and Philanthropy
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• BOATPro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

3 speed records smashed by Comanche

Comanche breaks the transatlantic speed record.

Sailing superyacht Comanche has set a new record for crossing the Atlantic Ocean after completing her latest Transat on July 28.

The 30.45 metre carbon-fibre yacht sailed from New York’s Ambrose Lighthouse to the UK’s Lizard Point in 5 days, 14 hours, 21 minutes and 25 seconds. This new speed record for a sailing monohull, which is subject to ratification, shaves 27 hours off the previous fastest time previously set in 2003 by Mari Cha IV (which has since been refitted and renamed Samurai ).

Prior to Comanche ’s departure from New York on July 22, skipper Ken Read, president of North Sails, said: “We have been on standby for a few weeks now and have almost left on three separate occasions since the end of June. But now the right conditions have presented themselves.”

Read’s media commitments at the 2016 America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth meant he could not be on board for the record-breaking crossing. In his absence, Comanche ’s crew was led by Casey Smith.

The success of  Comanche  – the sailing yacht built to win  – follows her  second place finish at the 2014 Sydney Hobart race .

This Transatlantic speed record is just the latest in a remarkable series of records broken by  Comanche .

Comanche sets a new 24-hour distance record

The Transatlantic speed record comes 12 months after Comanche set a new 24-hour distance record for monohulls. The record was broken during the 2015 Transatlantic Race after  Comanche covered 618.01 nautical miles in 24 hours.

Her average speed was recorded as 25.75 knots, on the cusp of some strong southwesterly winds in the North Atlantic. The 24-hour distance record has since been ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.

Comanche sets a speed record at Les Voiles de St Barth

After she failed to win the 2014 Sydney Hobart race on her maiden regatta, the first half of 2015 saw  Comanche come into her own and deliver in every conceivable way.

In an April showdown with a fleet of some of the world’s finest sailing yachts at  Les Voiles de St Barth 2015 ,  Comanche  established a speed record in the Maxi I class with a time of 2 hours, 33 minutes and 4 seconds, taking all line honours in her division.

Sponsored listings