It's always better to wait for a proper weather window...
Here is the story of Maximus, http://www.supermaxi.co.nz/ one of favorites for line honors in this years Sydney to Hobart.
They left Auckland bound for Sydney about 10 hours before my earliest departure option for the same route.
My weather data and the consultation from Commanders' Weather Consultants http://www.commandersweather.com/ showed a deepening low pressure system being followed by a very strong high pressure system - the conclusion was to delay 48h to avoid very rough conditions in the middle of the Tasman Sea.
Maximus departed Auckland to keep their schedule for race prep and got caught in very rough weather and suffered keel damage.
I am very grateful for the full support of the owner and yacht management company on the weather and safety decisions for the yacht that I captain.... Here is the story as reported on the Rolex Sydney Hobart website
DISASTER AVERTED
Sydney, Australia (December 17, 2007) The New Zealand 30m
maxi yacht Maximus will be lifted from the water Monday to have its keel
damage fully assessed, which was sustained during its delivery voyage from
Auckland, NZL. Maximus left Auckland on Wednesday and was in the final stages of
the delivery trip to Sydney on Sunday when the crew heard a loud bang. It
was when they sent a diver overboard to investigate that the cracked keel was
discovered. The Rolex Sydney Hobart entrant limped into Sydney in the
early hours of Monday, motoring with the Sydney Water Police vessel Launch Alert
as escort for the final 78nm in case assistance was required. It has not yet
been disclosed as to what may have been the cause of the damage. –
http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com
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