The three entrants, Shining Sea, Too True and Secret Men’s Business will be skippered by Andrew Corletto, Andrew Saies and Geoff Boettcher respectively.

Boettcher is one of the club’s most experienced sailors, having raced in 20 Sydney to Hobart races.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “We’ve resurrected the hull that we built last year, we found it had a few deficiencies so the whole boat went back into the factory and we created a new hull.”

Boettcher has never finished on the podium in Australia’s premier sailing race, but he thinks the new hull could change his fortunes.

“Last year we did quite well, the conditions were good for us but our timing coming around Tasman Island left us a few hours behind where we should have been. But this year, with a new boat we’ll be a bit faster and we think we’ve got a very good chance,” he said.

CYCSA executive officer Craig Evans said participation in the famous race is not only exciting, but very important for the club.

“It creates a real buzz around the club,” Evans said. “Most members know the three skippers or at least some of the crew, so everyone keeps a close eye on what is happening and how our guys are going.

“It’s obviously the most widely covered sailing event in this country, and to be sending the only South Australian entrants it’s great publicity for the club,” he said.

Evans is no stranger to the Sydney to Hobart himself, competing in the race eight times and winning it in 2000 as the navigator aboard South Australian entrant Ausmaid. Evans was also a part of the infamous 1998 race, when hellish conditions took the lives of six sailors.

“The 1998 race was certainly a bitter-sweet race for us. We finished second overall that year, but certainly got hammered in some very atrocious conditions,” Evans admitted.

“Winds consistently in the order of 60 to 70 knots together with mountainous seas certainly made this a very hard race. Around two thirds of the fleet did not make it that year.

“After coming second in 1998 and third in 1999, winning the Hobart in 2000 was a dream come true. Not only was it personally very satisfying but it was great to bring the trophy to the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia for the first time.”