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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. She was one of the most expensive yachts ever built in australia at the time. 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 this winter she is currently in Buenos Aires for refit and maintenance and the addition of a new bowsprit for running light wind sails.
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 also equipped with an Interphase Colour Twinscope forward looking and side scanning sonar, which is invaluable when operating in antarctic waters where charts are often quite poor, Using the Interphase Colour Twinscope we can nose our way into unexplored spots with confidence. http://www.interphase-tech.com/main.htm
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, before taking up sailing as a means of getting to such places. Darrels' early years growing up boat racing in the Hawkesbury serve him well for the demanding task of keeping all things mechanical well maintained and self sufficient in such remote area operation.
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 their first trip in 2003 Cath and Darrel, were joined by an experienced Ice skipper, 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 6 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, however Cath and Darrel welcome fellow adventurers to become expert southern ocean sailors aboard Spirit of Sydney.
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