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 Spirit of Sydney was designed by Ben Lexcen designer of America’s Cup winner “Australia 2”, and launched by Bob Hawke (then Prime Minister of Australia) for Ian Kiernan to sail solo around the world in the B.O.C. Challenge Race of 1986. Spirit was designed and built in an era when exceptional racing performance was tempered by respect for the power of the mighty southern ocean. Consequentlty she is a strong and powerful yacht with excellent all round sailing ability.
Spirit is an ocean greyhound. Her long clean lines and flared bow sections are for surfing the big rollers of the southern ocean, while her strong aluminium construction and watertight bulkheads have given her a useful second life as an Antarctic Expedition yacht.
In the summer of 1994/95 Don and Margie McIntyre sailed her to Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica , loaded to the gunnels with all the supplies and materials to install "Gadget Hut" where they wintered over for a year. Since then she has made 17 Antarctic voyages and one Sub-Antarctic voyage. She has sailed in the Southern Ocean every summer since 1994.
Spirit has been meticulously maintained and refitted, so that she has evolved on a yearly basis. In 2002 Spirit had a major refit that included a new engine, new mainsail, covering of the cockpit with a plexiglass dodger and other work. In 2004 Spirit sailed to Buenos-Aires for another full refit, gaining a new saloon and navigation area in the process. Her recently installed central heating system, hot water system and custom water maker specified for antarctic waters, have added greatly appreciated comforts. Last season as part of continuing maintenance and upgrades she was fitted with a new genoa furler, a webasto heater to dry diving gear in the forecabin and
Spirit of Sydney has 'state of the art' weather and communications systems designed and built by Jonathan Selby of Xaxero. Spirit is the first yacht to provide individual email accounts for guests and daily uploads are possible via the Iridium network. She is is also equipped with Xaxero’s Sky-Eye System for real time satellite image downloads of weather systems as they happen which can be cross referenced with weather information from Global Marine Network.
Spirit of Sydney is based in South America (Ushuaia - Argentina). Spirit offers considerably faster passages, more room, greater storage space for cargo (sea kayaks, skis, film or scientific equipment) and more comfortable conditions for passengers than smaller yachts. Sailing clients will appreciate her thoroughbred handling and the chance to sail a real racing yacht in the southern ocean.
As well as an improved service in support of expeditions, Spirit offers sailors an exciting opportunity to cruise in one of the most beautiful (and fast!) yachts around in the spectacular regions around the southern tip of South America, the Antarctic Peninsula and the sub Antarctic islands including South Georgia.
Cath Hew and Darrel Day
 Cath Hew and Darrel Day purchased Spirit in 2003 and have operated a number of trips each season since then. Both are experienced sailors and Cath has built her own yachts and between 93 and 97 sailed the latest (an Adams 46 design) around the world, as well as competing in many major ocean races in Australia including the disastrous 1998 Sydney/Hobart Race. Darrel is an avid climber and mountaineer and has climbed in many of the world’s wild and wonderful places. In 2000, Cath and Darrel visited the Peninsula where they decided to make their dream of sailing to the region a reality that they could share with others.
For the summer 03/04 trips Cath and Darrel, were joined by an experienced Ice skipper for their first Peninsula trip then Cath took up the reins as skipper and they sailed double handed across the Drake in a gale to make their rendezvous, on time, at King George Island with the Steve Irwin film crew and complete a very successful season. These days, after 5 seasons and many varied and exciting trips, Darrel revels in his role as a southern ocean ice skipper, chief engineer and bottle washer, while Cath is co-skipper .
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Alternative Skipper- Ben Tucker has lived on yachts literally all of his life and sailed the latest an SS34 'Snow Petrel' from Hobart to Commonwealth Bay on an epic shorthanded voyage. Ben is both a commercial seaman and an experienced accomplished southern ocean yachtsman. He's got many a tale to tell of his days as First Mate of the square rigged tallship Soren Larsen. Above all Ben is a genuinely nice person to sail with and a sailor with a wonderful depth of knowledge for his passion.
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