Sebastian Bohm’s Australian Smuggler Racing Team are first and foremost a strong group of mates who go yachting. The well-oiled regatta team have been sailing together for eight years and moved from their Rogers 46 “Smuggler” to their very competitive Judel/Vrolijk TP52 of the same name in 2019.
The team has had great success racing this season with a 6th place in the Sydney to Hobart ORCi Division 1 with Doyle Sails’ apprentice sailmaker Garth Bickford onboard as a trimmer, followed by a great event at Geelong race week; however, they didn’t have the result they wanted with Port Lincoln Race week.
Last month when the predominantly amateur team knuckled down in Act 1 of the 4-part TP52 Gold Cup Series in NSW, they were pipped at the post in a countback result, ending the regatta in 2nd place – “it was perfect conditions for us at the first event, 10-13knots in Manly Circle,” said Bohm. He continued, “Smuggler loves the light conditions and tight windward-leeward racing”.
The rest of the season for Bohm’s racing team is locked and loaded with the remainder of the Gold Cup events, followed by Newcastle and Port Stephens before the final event in Pittwater which they are looking forward to.
They will use the highly anticipated Bluewater Points Score events in the build-up to the Rolex Sydney to Hobart in December, Sebastian’s 9th Hobart. Long-term, Bohm’s team look set to compete in the 2024 Sydney to Noumea Race, and the Sydney to Auckland event in 2025, getting some more ocean racing miles under their belt.
“When we purchased the TP52, we moved across to Doyle Sails, Shane from Doyle Sails Sydney is a good friend of mine and has been an integral part of the decision-making with our sail package. His sound advice and the level of finishing detail is second to none,” said Bohm.
Smuggler Racing Team have worked closely with the Doyle Sails global network of designers and sails with a full itinerary of Doyle Sails Stratis working sails utilizing the Structured Luff technology in their headsails. Sebastian says, “Our Structured Luff jibs have been very responsive to trim changes, and performance improvement was obvious upwind; the sails straight out of the bag have been flawless.”
“Working with Sebastian and his team has been great; they’re a very fun team to be around and it has been incredibly satisfying to see this project go from a discussion all the way through to fitting sails to the boat and watching them win their first races. Sebastian has also taken our apprentice sailmaker Garth onboard, which gives him excellent racing opportunities and great hands-on experience,” said Shane Guanaria.
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