1998 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Weather Conditions (and Chronology of Events) Notes Location of events are based on information supplied by NSW Water Police including the CYCA’s “Chronology of Events” and the AUSSAR Search and Rescue Review Times are in EST (+ daylight savings) All distances are in nautical miles Surface pressure, wind and wave depictions are provided by the Bureau of Meteorology. The Bureau accepts no responsibility for any subsequent manipulations and alterations to these data files.
Explanatory Notes Wave Heights in metres wave height increase by colours changing from blue (lowest) - red - yellow (highest) white vectors represent direction of waves Wind Barbs beginning of the barb represents the location that the winds has been calculated the direction of the barb represent the direction of the wind the feathers of the barb represent the strength
Mean Sea Level Pressure (MSLP) / Winds at 2200 hrs 26 December 1998 Position of Fleet at 2000 hrs
Mean Sea Level Pressure (MSLP) and Surface Winds Wave Heights and Direction / Wind Speed and Direction at 0100 hrs 27 December 1998
Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 0400hrs 27 December 1998 Position of Fleet at 0300 hrs
Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at December 1998
Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 1000hrs 27 December 1998
Chronology of Events hrs 27 Dec 1998 Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 1300 hrs 27 Dec /12 Winston Churchill Position at Sked /12 Winston Churchill Position at Sked /12 Business Post Naiad Position at Sked /12 Business Post Naiad Position at Sked /12 (Sked Position) Sword of Orion advises fleet of extreme winds of knots, gusting up to 80 knots ahead /12 (Sked Position) Sword of Orion advises fleet of extreme winds of knots, gusting up to 80 knots ahead /12 Doctel Rager reports severe weather ahead, winds knots, gusts 70+ knots /12 Doctel Rager reports severe weather ahead, winds knots, gusts 70+ knots
Chronology of Events hrs 27 Dec 1998 (4) /12 - Winston Churchill Approximate position of sinking (4) /12 - Winston Churchill Approximate position of sinking (5) /12 - Business Post Naiad Yendys advises May Day from BPN, message that BPN had rolled over with major hull damage, its position was S, E, was attempting to steer 174 deg (5) /12 - Business Post Naiad Yendys advises May Day from BPN, message that BPN had rolled over with major hull damage, its position was S, E, was attempting to steer 174 deg (2) /12 Sword of Orion Retires and heading to Eden 38.18S, E. (3) /12 Sword of Orion Roll-over 360 deg, dismasted, MOB, May Day, EPIRB activated on deck, lost sight of MOB minutes later (2) /12 Sword of Orion Retires and heading to Eden 38.18S, E. (3) /12 Sword of Orion Roll-over 360 deg, dismasted, MOB, May Day, EPIRB activated on deck, lost sight of MOB minutes later Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 1600 hrs 27 Dec 1998 (1) /12 - Stand Aside Rolled and dismasted, 12 crew airlifted (Sienna - injury, stood by Stand Aside) (1) /12 - Stand Aside Rolled and dismasted, 12 crew airlifted (Sienna - injury, stood by Stand Aside)
Chronology of Events Winston Churchill, Business Post Naiad and Sword of Orion hrs 27 Dec 1998 Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 1600 hrs 27 Dec /12 - Winston Churchill Approximate position of sinking /12 - Winston Churchill Approximate position of sinking /12 Margaret Rintoul II, 38.15S, E reports red flare sighted at hours /12 Margaret Rintoul II, 38.15S, E reports red flare sighted at hours /12 - Business Post Naiad Yendys advises May Day from BPN, message that BPN had rolled over with major hull damage, its position was S, E, was attempting to steer 174 deg /12 - Business Post Naiad Yendys advises May Day from BPN, message that BPN had rolled over with major hull damage, its position was S, E, was attempting to steer 174 deg /12 Sword of Orion Retires and heading to Eden 38.18S, 50.17E /12 Sword of Orion Roll-over 360 deg, dismasted, MOB, May Day, EPIRB activated on deck, lost sight of MOB minutes later /12 Sword of Orion Retires and heading to Eden 38.18S, 50.17E /12 Sword of Orion Roll-over 360 deg, dismasted, MOB, May Day, EPIRB activated on deck, lost sight of MOB minutes later
Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 1900 hrs 27 Dec /12 - Winston Churchill Approximate position of sinking /12 - Winston Churchill Approximate position of sinking /12 Margaret Rintoul II At 38.15S, E reports red flare sighted at hours /12 Margaret Rintoul II At 38.15S, E reports red flare sighted at hours /12 - Business Post Naiad Yendys advises May Day from BPN, message that BPN had rolled over with major hull damage, its position was S, E, was attempting to steer 174 deg /12 - Business Post Naiad Yendys advises May Day from BPN, message that BPN had rolled over with major hull damage, its position was S, E, was attempting to steer 174 deg /12 Sword of Orion Retires and heading to Eden 38.18S,150.17E /12 Sword of Orion Roll-over 360 deg, dismasted, MOB, May Day, EPIRB activated on deck, lost sight of MOB minutes later /12 Sword of Orion Retires and heading to Eden 38.18S,150.17E /12 Sword of Orion Roll-over 360 deg, dismasted, MOB, May Day, EPIRB activated on deck, lost sight of MOB minutes later Chronology of Events Winston Churchill, Business Post Naiad and Sword of Orion hrs 27 Dec 1998
Chronology of (Additional) Events hrs 27 Dec 1998 Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 1900 hrs 27 Dec 1998 (6) /12 Kingurra Reports May Day, MOB deployed EPIRB, boat was knocked down (6) /12 Kingurra Reports May Day, MOB deployed EPIRB, boat was knocked down (3) /12B52 Dismasted and activated EPIRB (3) /12B52 Dismasted and activated EPIRB (8) /12 Loki No motor (8) /12 Loki No motor (7) /12 Solandra Dismasted, (7) /12 Solandra Dismasted, (4) /12 - Winston Churchill Approximate position of sinking (4) /12 - Winston Churchill Approximate position of sinking /12 Margaret Rintoul II, reports red flare sighted at hours /12 Margaret Rintoul II, reports red flare sighted at hours (5) /12 - Business Post Naiad Yendys advises May Day from BPN, message that BPN had rolled over with major hull damage, (5) /12 - Business Post Naiad Yendys advises May Day from BPN, message that BPN had rolled over with major hull damage, (1) /12 Sword of Orion Retires and heading to Eden 38.18S, E. (2) Sword of Orion Roll-over 360 deg, dismasted, MOB, May Day, EPIRB activated on deck, lost sight of MOB minutes later (1) /12 Sword of Orion Retires and heading to Eden 38.18S, E. (2) Sword of Orion Roll-over 360 deg, dismasted, MOB, May Day, EPIRB activated on deck, lost sight of MOB minutes later
Chronology of Events hrs 27 Dec 1998 Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 2200 hrs 27 Dec /12 Miintinta Dismasted and sunk, 6 crew rescued by FV Josephine Jean /12 Miintinta Dismasted and sunk, 6 crew rescued by FV Josephine Jean /12 - Tenacious Knockdown, no motor, all OK, heading to Eden /12 - Tenacious Knockdown, no motor, all OK, heading to Eden /12 Team Jaguar Infinity Dismasted /12 Team Jaguar Infinity Dismasted
Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 0100 hrs 28 December 1998
Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 0400 hrs 28 December 1999
Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 0700 hrs 28 December /12 Zeus II Dismasted 36.45S, E /12 Zeus II Dismasted 36.45S, E /12 Outlaw Damaged, engine problems, heading to Eden, crew ok, requesting stand by /12 Outlaw Damaged, engine problems, heading to Eden, crew ok, requesting stand by /12 Midnight Special Dismasted and probably occurred earlier. Yacht presumed sunk, 9 crew airlifted /12 Midnight Special Dismasted and probably occurred earlier. Yacht presumed sunk, 9 crew airlifted
Wave Heights and Direction and Wind Speed and Direction at 1000 hrs 28 December 1998