Not all boats heading for Hobart come with a triple digit waterline length or a shore crew team as large as the sailing team, for Cyan Moon and her owner Wayne Seaward, this years race is about getting their new team to Hobart and enjoying the ride.
Blake Anderson of Doyle Sails Melbourne has been an integral part of the Cyan Moon campaign and Wayne Seaward has given us an insight into the process to get to the start line of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart 2022.
Wayne and his crew have allowed us all a little insight into their team’s preparations for the Great Race and we can all learn something for sure, between them they have 11 Sydney to Hobart Races ticked off already along with other ocean crossings. Good luck and safe sailing to their crew, we look forward to watching your race.
Cyan Moon’s high level planning
“After sitting out the last few sailing seasons trapped in Queensland because of Covid, I was inspired by watching the 2021 Sydney to Hobart. Wonderland another Beneteau 473 had entered and stepped up to the heavy weather expected in last year’s race!
My first reaction was Cyan Moon could do that. As soon as Rebecca, the owner of Wonderland arrived in their home port of Newcastle I was on a plane heading there.” says Seaward
“After meeting the crew and debriefing their two S2H races, I was hooked. Key feedback from Rebecca and her crew was around their sails and the use of a furling headsail. So my next step was to meet with Blake Anderson from Doyle Sails in Melbourne and discuss options for using the Furler but not furling the head sails. Blake who knows Cyan Moon and her rig recommended several options. This is what we came up with”
Below is the Cyan Moon game plan to get the boat, new crew and sails ready for the race.
Agreed Options: Leave the furler on board but develop a suite of sails to support a competitive race.
➢ New Stratis #1 Headsail
➢ New Stratis #2 Headsail (that could furl to #3)
➢ Number Four (Heavy weather)
➢ Storm Jib
➢ New Stratis Main, with three reefs
➢ Panelled Cabless Code zero
➢ One New Symmetrical Spinnaker
These new sails would add to Cyan Moon’s Doyle Asymmetrical Spinnaker and one older Asymmetrical Spinnaker.
Next tasks were to find a crew from across the East Coast, so as, to develop a competitive crew for the Sydney to Hobart.
At the Same time lift Cyan Moon from a Cat 5 to Cat 1 Audit Result. We decided to do the works and training at RQYS. We identified 14 possible crew members and started training and selecting on Morton Bay. As part of the training, we decided to compete in the Brisbane to Hamilton Island Race. This would assist us get entry into the Sydney to Hobart as well as develop our crew.
It would also be a good race to trial the new sails. We entered intro the Airlie Beach Race Week and Hamilton Island race week to further develop our new crew.
We trained in Morton Bay starting at Easter and then every weekend we could get together.
Several of our crew have assisted in Cyan Moon’s Delivery to Sydney. Now in Sydney with all our documentation developed and submitted Cyan Moon is well prepared for the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race in 2022.
Cyan Moon Sydney to Hobart Crew Structure
Fundamental to crew alignment, collaboration, high performance, and success within a long-distance race, is starting with “First Principles”.
For me these simply include:
➢ Our Core Values
➢ Our Vision (Why have we come together)
➢ Our Mission (What do we want to achieve)
➢ Role and Task clarity?
➢ How does our role fit into the big picture?
With Paul and others leaving the crew, I have reflected on what I would like to achieve by completing the Sydney to Hobart this year. I have though long and hard, had discussions with specific crew members and family.
While maintaining a safety focus, I would like to stretch all your expectations, capabilities, and capacity. I hope you will feel empowered and focused within your allocated roles.
➢ From Sunrise to Sunset (9.00am till 6.00pm), we will run a flexible Watch System.
➢ From 6.00pm till 9.00am we will run a “Three (3) Hour Rotating Watch System”.
➢ We will have two dedicated Watch Captains. Each with three support Crew Members
Crew Structure (Each Watch: Helm, Headsail Sheet, Main Sheet, Bow)
During the year Mark Gibbs and I have DEVELOP TRAININGS to support our crews’ development and integration. At the same time, we developed Cyan Moon Operational Documents including: Safety At Sea Manual, Documented Role Descriptions, Race Fitness material, Training and Development Program Materials, High Performance Skills and The Soft Skills (The hardest Skills)
What an amazing journey so far?
We have been able to draw together an outstand group of people with a passion for sailing and a dream to participate in and enjoy the rigours of a Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
After nearly nine months of planning, seeking crew, participating in training and trial race events, I can now say we are ready for the next few steps.
These include:
➢ Finalising the paperwork for our entry into the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race
➢ Have Mark develop, and run a two-day training program at RQYS 29th-30th October
➢ Get as many of the Crew as we can to the ORCV “Bow the pointy end” Program
➢ Get Cyan to Sydney (Pen will be ready on the 1st of December)
➢ Countdown the days
I am very proud of everyone who has trusted us during this East Coast Adventure to date. We are a diverse bunch with different levels of experience and qualifications. We also have a lot in common with each other. I am very proud to be part of this crew.
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