For the past six months, Shimmer, a beautiful Hanse 505 that Nick sold new to Steve and Jac back in 2015, has been preparing for her next big adventure…. Her first Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race!
Taking on a race like this is no small undertaking, but Steve and Jac are certainly no strangers to offshore sailing. Over the years, Shimmer has competed in the Melbourne to Hobart, King Island, Stanley and Devonport races, so she’s already got plenty of ocean miles behind her.
For Steve and Jac, it’s not about chasing trophies or winning the race. It’s about taking a boat they love, sailing with good friends and enjoying the challenge of one of Australia’s most iconic ocean races. And knowing how well they sail and look after Shimmer, we’re sure they’ll give it everything they’ve got.
Over the past 11 years, Steve and Jac have become great friends and supporters of Inspire Marine, so it’s particularly exciting for us to see Shimmer taking on such a big event. And to make it even more special, Andy will be joining the crew for the race!
Shimmer has been exceptionally well maintained and continually upgraded over the years, which is a real credit to Steve and Jac. And with preparations now well underway, Andy has been spending plenty of time onboard competing in the lead up races, learning the ins and outs of Shimmer and getting plenty of practice sailing together as a crew.
We’re not sure Andy will be quite so keen to jump back onboard with us on a smaller boat after getting used to the comforts of a 50-footer!
With the big race now just a couple of months away, there’s plenty of excitement building. Shimmer has certainly covered plenty of miles since we first handed her over, but this will be another special milestone for Steve and Jac, and we’re really looking forward to seeing them and the crew take on the challenge.
You can be sure we’ll be keeping a close eye on the tracker come Boxing Day!