ragamuffin yacht history

Ragamuffin II Whitsundays History

Ragamuffin is an overnight sailing boat in the Whitsunday Islands that offers a 3 day and 2 night tour for guests to explore and sail!

Ragamuffin is an ex sailing maxi yacht, which measures 21m, or 70ft, in length. Ragamuffin was originally designed for the Admiral's Cup an international yachting regatta, which took place off the Southern Coast of England. She was designed by Australian Ben Lexcan, known for this design of a previous Admiral's cup winner, the Mercedes III.

Ragamuffin raced in the 7th Admiral's Cup in 1969, where she narrowly lost to America. While Ragamuffin dominated the beginning of the race and won the 225 nautical mile channel race, she lost momentum when the wind died down near the end of the race and the crew had to depend on their motor. In a series of unfortunate events that involved loss of power, an 'all standing' gybe, and some bad timing, Ragamuffin lost the lead allowing American to grab the title. She went on racing afterwards, but never experienced the same drama that came along with the Admiral's Cup.

Ragamuffin was skippered by Syd Fischer, who to this day is a well known racer, and had raced in a total of 8 Admiral Cup campaigns. Now in his 90s, he recently christened Ragamuffin 100, another racing yacht.

Ragamuffin now sails the Coral Sea in the Whitsundays with 13 passengers at a time. She was recently refitted in 2011 and offers guests the option to choose from open double berths or single bunks, and has two bathrooms on board. The open plan concept allows passengers to feel comfortable with space to roam around. Up top you will find her large masts, complete with billowing sails that were once used to race in the Admiral's Cup.

**Please note this tour is no longer in operation. For similar options, please refer to  Small Group Sailing ,  Backpackers (18-35's) , or ask one of our friendly consultants.

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Sparkman & Stephens “Ragamuffin”

Sail Number: 70

Current Name: Spirit of Koomooloo – ex, (1988) Margaret Rintoul II, ex (1968) Ragamuffin

Type: S&S 48

LOA: 48’8″ / 14.83m – LOA: 48’8″ / 14.83m – LWL: 36’0″ / 10.97m – Beam: 12’6″ / 3.81m – Draft: 7’9″ / 2.36m – Design Number: 1949 – Rig: Sloop – Displacement: 30,654 lbs – Ballast: – Sail Area: 1,050 sq ft – Sail Number: 70 – Designer: Sparkman & Stephens – Built By: Quilkey Brothers, Sydney, Australia – Original Owner: Syd Fischer – Current Owner: Mike Freebairn – Launched: 1968  

Historical:

Ragamuffin has raced in 21 Rolex Sydney Hobarts, three Admiral’s Cups – 1969, 1971 and 1973

Legendary owner Syd Fischer has represented Australia internationally in 5 America’s Cup campaigns; self-funding all (a record shared with Sir Thomas Lipton). Lifetime Achievement Award from the Australian Yachting Awards 2013, Award for services to Yachting 2003, mentor to many of today’s sailors including Ian Murray, James Spithill.

In 1968 the first of Syd’s yachts named Ragamuffin hit the water. Syd built her in time for the Admiral’s Cup trials. She was the top point scorer at the ’68 Cup for Australia, with the team finishing 2nd overall.

The boat went on to win every major race it contested in Australia, with the exception of the Hobart race. As of 2010, she has sailed 25 Hobart races under the names of Ragamuffin, Margaret Rintoul II and Spirit of Koomooloo.

Known Racing History:

1971 – Fastnet Race Winner

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner/Guardian: (1968) Syd Fischer Owner/Guardian: Mike Freebairn

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Graham 'Scooter' Eaton and Keith Batt next to Maxi Ragamuffin. Photo credit Jim Gale.

There are three Ragamuffins racing to Hobart, not just two

Ragamuffin 100, with 88-year-old owner Syd Fischer on board, and the TP52 Ragamuffin, helmed by his grandson Brenton Fischer, have receievd a lot of pre-race publicity. But there is a third Ragamuffin the race as this story from the Rolex Sydney Hobart media team's Jim Gale explains:

She was one of the greatest maxi yachts of her day; winning line honours three times, first as Bumblebee IV in 1979, and then as Ragamuffin in 1988 and 1990 and she last raced to Hobart in 1993.

For the last 20 years she has been thrilling charterers in Queensland, but in 2015, Maxi Ragamuffin has been painstakingly brought back to full racing trim. On Boxing Day spectators can marvel again as the 36 year-old German Frers design punches her way out through the Heads, bringing back so many memories of one of the great eras of this remarkable race.

The big boats fighting it out for line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart have always held an irresistible glamour. These days it’s the mesmerizing speed of a Wild Oats XI , the jaw-dropping acceleration of Comanche .  Lithe, athletic, not an ounce of fat to be found anywhere in their exotic carbon-fibre hulls, these giant blue-water skiffs epitomize the modern, professional aura of elite sport in 21 st century Australia.

In the 80’s and 90’s, the age of the great aluminium hulled maxis, it was all about resilience and power. The stately American Nirvana may have wrapped that power in Newport Rhode Island elegance; the pretty Siska in brash West Australian bravado, but it was still raw power.

When John Kahlbetzer‘s Bumblebee IV burst onto Sydney Harbour in 1979, she oozed brute force.  A prize fighter, uninterested in a points decision when a knockout would do.

These big, heavy maxis roamed the world, from one big race to the next. They were little ships. Be it Valetta, Monaco or the CYCA marina in Rushcutters Bay, we plebs would gaze in wonder at the wealth, and yes, a different kind of power, that these giants represented.

“She is a very powerful boat, and she bites if you let her get away from you,” muses Graham ‘Scooter’ Eaton , Maxi Ragamuffin’s tireless boat manager come skipper. “She is a tank, state of the art in her day, no compromises.  But a cruising boat compared with today’s V70s.”

Kahlebetzer won line honours in 1979, then took her overseas to beat the best in the world. In 1984 Syd Fischer bought her, called her Ragamuffin , and campaigned her in six Hobarts, winning line honours twice; in 1988 and 1990. However, soon the first carbon-fibre maxi, Windward Passage II, would bring the curtain down on the aluminium age.

It has been a mammoth job getting Maxi Ragamuffin back to racing trim. “She’s been fully stripped and rebuilt from stem to stern,” Eaton says “We took 95 percent of the deck gear off.  All the winches were stripped and we found that 50 to 90 percent of each winch had to be rebuilt and there were no spare parts available anymore. Everything had to be custom made in Sydney.

It hasn’t come cheap.  Keith Batt, the CEO of  Nant (Whisky) Distilling Company and Maxi Ragamuffin’s owner, thinks there hasn’t been much change out of a million dollars. Buying the boat was the cheap part. But he has no regrets.

“It’s been just incredible, the enthusiasm and passion that everyone involved has brought to this project, which started as a marketing idea.  I do some sailing and I asked if we could sponsor a boat in the race.  When they came back with the cost, I thought we might just as well buy a whole boat.  I googled boats for sale and there was Maxi Ragamuffin .  I flew up to Queensland straight away. “

For Batt, his attitude to the boat is similar with his approach to whiskey making.  “We make our whiskey in traditional ways, in restored stone buildings, built by convicts in the 1820s.  We like tradition.

“This boat represents something about Australia.  Everywhere she goes people come to see her because they remember her and tell their kids about her.”

And in keeping with the whiskey tradition, Maxi Ragamuffin will carry a very unusual cargo: two barrels of whiskey will mature on the way to Hobart. 

“In the past they used to mature whiskey by putting it in barrels as ships’ ballast,” Batt explains.  “They discovered that this gives the whiskey lovely colour.”

Of the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Batt says: “We’re going to be trying hard, she is stunning to sail. To see our helmsman, Roger Snell, put her through her paces is amazing. He throws her around like 20 footer.  She loves going upwind.”

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts on Boxing Day, December 26, at 1pm AEDT and will be broadcast live on the Seven Network throughout Australia, webcast live to a global audience on Yahoo!7 and live streamed via mobile.

By Jim Gale, RSHYR media 

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Published on December 19th, 2015 | by Editor

History Returns to Sydney Hobart Race

Published on December 19th, 2015 by Editor -->

She was one of the greatest maxi yachts of her day; winning line honours three times in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, first as Bumblebee IV in 1979, and then as Ragamuffin in 1988 and 1990 and she last raced to Hobart in 1993.

For the last 20 years she has been thrilling charterers in Queensland, but for the 2015 race, the 80-foot Maxi Ragamuffin has been painstakingly brought back to full racing trim. On Boxing Day, spectators can marvel again as the 36 year-old German Frers design punches her way out through the Heads, bringing back so many memories of one of the great eras of this remarkable race.

The big boats fighting it out for line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart have always held an irresistible glamour. These days it’s the mesmerizing speed of a Wild Oats XI, the jaw-dropping acceleration of Comanche. Lithe, athletic, not an ounce of fat to be found anywhere in their exotic carbon-fibre hulls, these giant blue-water skiffs epitomize the modern, professional aura of elite sport in 21st century Australia.

In the 80’s and 90’s, the age of the great aluminum hulled maxis, it was all about resilience and power. The stately American Nirvana may have wrapped that power in Newport, Rhode Island elegance; the pretty Siska in brash West Australian bravado, but it was still raw power.

These big, heavy maxis roamed the world, from one big race to the next. They were little ships. Be it Valetta, Monaco or the CYCA marina in Rushcutters Bay, we plebs would gaze in wonder at the wealth, and yes, a different kind of power, that these giants represented.

“She is a very powerful boat, and she bites if you let her get away from you,” muses Graham ‘Scooter’ Eaton, Maxi Ragamuffin’s tireless boat manager come skipper. “She is a tank, state of the art in her day, no compromises. But a cruising boat compared with today’s latest designs.”

Kahlebetzer won line honours in 1979, then took her overseas to beat the best in the world. In 1984, Syd Fischer bought her, called her Ragamuffin, and campaigned her in six Hobarts, winning line honours twice; in 1988 and 1990. However, soon the first carbon-fibre maxi, Windward Passage II, would bring the curtain down on the aluminum age.

It has been a mammoth job getting Maxi Ragamuffin back to racing trim. “She’s been fully stripped and rebuilt from stem to stern,” Eaton says “We took 95 percent of the deck gear off. All the winches were stripped and we found that 50 to 90 percent of each winch had to be rebuilt and there were no spare parts available anymore. Everything had to be custom made in Sydney.”

It hasn’t come cheap. Keith Batt, the CEO of Nant (Whisky) Distilling Company and Maxi Ragamuffin’s owner, thinks there hasn’t been much change out of a million dollars. Buying the boat was the cheap part. But he has no regrets.

“It’s been just incredible, the enthusiasm and passion that everyone involved has brought to this project, which started as a marketing idea,” notes Batt. “I do some sailing and I asked if we could sponsor a boat in the race. When they came back with the cost, I thought we might just as well buy a whole boat. I googled boats for sale and there was Maxi Ragamuffin. I flew up to Queensland straight away.”

For Batt, his attitude to the boat is similar with his approach to whiskey making. “We make our whiskey in traditional ways, in restored stone buildings, built by convicts in the 1820s. We like tradition.

“This boat represents something about Australia. Everywhere she goes people come to see her because they remember her and tell their kids about her.”

And in keeping with the whiskey tradition, Maxi Ragamuffin will carry a very unusual cargo: two barrels of whiskey will mature on the way to Hobart.

“In the past they used to mature whiskey by putting it in barrels as ships’ ballast,” Batt explains. “They discovered that this gives the whiskey lovely colour.”

Of the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Batt says: “We’re going to be trying hard, she is stunning to sail. To see our helmsman, Roger Snell, put her through her paces is amazing. He throws her around like 20 footer. She loves going upwind.

Race website – Tracker – Facebook – Twitter

Background : The 71st edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts December 26 in Sydney Harbor, taking an entry list of 111 boats along the 628 nautical mile course to Hobart that is often described as the most grueling long ocean race in the world.

By Jim Gale, RSHYR media

Tags: Maxi Ragamuffin , Sydney Hobart

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RAGAMUFFIN WINS BRITISH SAIL PRIZE

PLYMOUTH, England, Aug. 12 (UPI)—Ragamuffin, the Australian yacht that won the 605‐mile Fastnet race, was confirmed today as the champion of the 1971 Admiral's Cup sailing series.

Britai however was the winner of the over‐all series, with the United States second.

Ragamuffin, which is owned by Syd Fischer, of Sydney, finished 13th in the channel race and seventh and third in the two inshore races before cruising to a clear victory in the gruelling Fastnet, which ended yesterday.

Ragamuffin, the top yacht in the last series is the first to be champion twice in succession. She had 297 total points, nine more than Belita VII of the Netherlands.

16 Nations Compete

Britain's winning margin over the United States was cut to 43 points in the final placings, subject to declaration—which could take several clays. A record entry of 43 yachts from 16 nations competed in the renewal of the biennial series.

The hosts, who last won in 1965, totaled 825 points to 782 for the United States with Australia's two‐boat team still good enough to take third spot with 719. The Aussies’ fleet was reduced Tuesday when Norman Rydge's Koomooloo lost its rudder in the Irish Sea and had to be towed in.

The British trio all placed in the top 14 in the Fastnet, their last two boats dropping a couple of places from the provisional listings, with Cervantes IV placing secon dbehind Ragamuffin, Argentina was fourth with 680 points. The Netherlands moved into fifth spot, supplanting South Africa.

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Ragamuffin: Cat Breed Profile

Characteristics, History, Care Tips, and Helpful Information for Pet Owners

sergeyskleznev / iStock / Getty Images

• Characteristics
• Breed History

Common Health Problems

Diet and nutrition.

• Further Research

Best known for their large, long bodies and super plush coats, Ragamuffin cats are true lap cats that love to be cuddled by their owners. Often referred to as "puppy-like," Ragamuffin cats are intelligent, friendly and super personable. Plus, many Ragamuffins learn to love new tricks and play games, like fetch. Some even learn to love walking on a leash!

Ragamuffin cats are also highly adaptable, meaning they can thrive in a variety of home types—from apartments, to larger single-family households—and they make excellent companions for a family with younger kids or other pets.

It's true that Ragamuffins are extremely calm, docile cats, but their personable natures mean they can become bored without enough attention and entertainment. If you bring a Ragamuffin cat into your home, you can expect to dedicate several hours per day to play- and cuddle-time.

Breed Overview

Weight: Males typically weigh between 12 and 20 pounds, while females weight between 8 and 15 pounds.

Length: Up to 33 inches long

Coat: Long and silky

Coat Color: White, black, blue, red, lavender, cinnamon, chestnut, platinum, and chocolate

Eye Color: Amber, blue, green, gold, odd-eyed

Life Expectancy: Up to 18 years

Characteristics of the Ragamuffin

History of the ragamuffin.

Like its close cousin, the Ragdoll , Ragamuffin cats have a fairly short history as a distinct breed. After the Ragdoll was first produced by Ann Baker in the 1960s, a group of breeders wanted to boost the variety in their cats' coat colors and patterns and body sizes. Plus, they wanted to add more genetic variation to their litters—a wider gene pool can offer some protection against hereditary or genetic health conditions. Ann Baker strictly controlled the breeding of Ragdolls—and didn't want to add variation to her breed—so these breeders set out to create their own distinctive breed.

These breeders crossed Ragdoll cats with Persians, Himalayans and domestic, long-haired cats to increase the size of their cats, and to create physical attributes that would differentiate Ragamuffins from Ragdolls. Although the name "Ragamuffin" was initially a joke made by one of the original breeders, it stuck when the official breed registry couldn't be changed. Plus, it's an homage to Ragdoll cats, which first inspired them.

Today, Ragamuffins are an official breed recognized by the United Feline Association, the American Cat Fanciers Association, and the Cat Fanciers Federation. It wasn't until 2011 that Ragamuffins were officially recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association.

Ragamuffin Care

Unlike many cats with long, silky coats, Ragamuffins' coats are relatively low-maintenance. Because they're tangle-resistant, you can expect to brush or comb your Ragamuffin once or twice per week to remove any minor tangles or mats, and remove dead hair build-up. What's more, Ragamuffins aren't prone to excessive shedding.

Be sure to check your Ragamuffin's ears every week, and gently remove any dirt or debris with a dampened cloth or cotton ball. If your Ragamuffin's ears are excessively dirty, red, inflamed, or smell bad, make an appointment with your vet immediately. Avoid using cotton swabs, as they can damage the delicate inner-ear structures.

If your Ragamuffin has any discharge around the eyes, remove it with a soft, dampened cloth. Use different parts of the cloth for each eye to avoid potentially spreading infection.

Like any breed of cats, Ragamuffins can develop periodontal disease without proper dental hygiene. If you're not able to brush your cat's teeth daily, aim for at least once per week. Tartar control treats can be given in moderation, but shouldn't be the only method of dental hygiene for your cat.

As previously mentioned, Ragamuffins are extremely playful and love attention from their owners, but can become bored if not properly stimulated. It's important to dedicate time each day to playing with your Ragamuffin. You can keep him or her engaged and entertained with lots of cat toys , games, and even fetch. Because Ragamuffins have such playful personalities, something as simple as a ball can keep her entertained for hours.

Because Ragamuffins also have a fearless personality, it's vital to never let him or her outside.

Although genetic variation offers some protection against inherited health problems, Ragamuffins can be susceptible to certain conditions. Not every Ragamuffin will develop these conditions, but it's important to know the signs should they arise in your cat.

Some health issues that are common in Ragamuffins include:

• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD):  PKD is the development of multiple cysts on a cat's kidneys. It's not immediately life-threatening, but should be treated as early as possible in order to prevent the development of new cysts and to reduce the risk of dangerous bacterial infections.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): This type of heart disease is extremely common in cats, and is characterized by the thickening of the heart muscle. Cats with HCM are typically removed from breeding lines, but there's no guarantee against it.

If you're concerned about these and other health conditions in your Ragamuffin, talk to your veterinarian. They'll be able to offer advice on keeping your cat as healthy as possible, so he or she can live a long, happy life.

Like any cat, it's important to avoid overfeeding your Ragamuffin; they're large cats, but they should not be fat. Your Ragamuffin's dietary needs will depend on his or her age, sex, and activity levels, but generally, he or she should eat a serving of high-quality cat food each day. If you want to add some variation to the diet, you can mix some wet food into meals a few times per week.

If you have questions about how much to feed your Ragamuffin, or feel that he or she is gaining too much weight, talk to your vet about the right diet for your pet.

More Cat Breeds and Further Research

Before bringing any pet into your home, it's important to do your research and make sure your family and schedule can accommodate daily pet care. Ragamuffin cats are fairly low-maintenance, but they do require playtime and attention daily.

If you're interested in breeds similar to the Ragamuffin, check out:

• The  Maine Coon
• The Ragdoll
• The  Persian

More from The Spruce Pets

• American Bobtail: Cat Breed Profile, Characteristics & Care
• Top 10 Most Expensive Cat Breeds
• Ragdoll: Cat Breed Profile, Characteristics & Care
• Exotic Shorthair: Cat Breed Profile, Characteristics & Care
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Video: Scallywag in near miss during Sydney Hobart warm-up

The Ragamuffin 100 racing yacht Scallywag had a near miss earlier this week (December 13) during the warm-up for the Rolex Sydney Hobart regatta.

The 14-mile SOLAS Big Boat Challenge is traditionally used as a shakedown for the main event and it almost turned sour when a maritime patrol boat and a spectator vessel got a little too close to the action, as this dramatic aerial footage shows:

Eyewitness reports claim that Scallywag was inches away from colliding with the two vessels, with her skipper having to thread the 30.48 metre sailing yacht through a highly congested area.

Despite this hair-raising turn of events, Scallywag went on to claim third place in the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, with Wild Oats XI coming home first for the ninth time in her highly decorated career.

David Witt, skipper of Scallywag , later explained the close call to the Sydney Morning Herald : “I wasn't planning on going through the gap — I thought the maritime boat would back up, it's supposed to get out of the way. We spun the roulette wheel and came up with zero. [We were] very, very lucky.”

Recently purchased by Seng Huang Lee, Scallywag is competing at the Australian regatta for the third year running. Having finished third in 2014 and second in the 2015 Sydney Hobart Race , the crew will be hoping to go one better and win the top prize this year. A must-see for anyone taking a superyacht charter in Australia , the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race 2016 gets underway on December 26.

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Racing comeback for sailing yacht MAXI RAGAMUFFIN at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

The outstanding 27-ton bullet-proof aluminium built sailing yacht Maxi Ragamuffin is making her racing comeback at the currently running Audi Hamilton Island Race Week . The racing comeback of superyacht Maxi Ragamuffin follows her 21-year career as a luxury charter yacht .

Maxi Ragamuffin Yacht off Dent Island - Photo credit Andrea Francolini

Luxury yacht Maxi Ragamuffin is a German Frers design built in Mona Vale in Sydney in 1979, the same year when racing as Bumblebee IV for John Kahlbetzer the boat took line honours in the Sydney to Hobart . Under Syd Fischer’s charge another two line honours triumphs would belong to the famous maxi and Ragamuffin moniker, in 1988 and 1990.

Maxi Ragamuffin yacht joined the 93-boat fleet at the inaugural Hamilton Island Race Week in 1984 and at least one part of the boat has been a permanent fixture at the island since 2009. The 30m aluminium flagpole on the flagdeck at Hamilton Island Yacht Club used for starting and finishing races at Race Week is the mast off Bumblebee IV which was lost overboard in Sydney Harbour then salvaged.

The mast was repaired and re-stepped in the boat and eventually replaced some years later by a more modern version. The original was stored in a warehouse in Sydney and forgotten until it came to the new yacht club’s finishing touches, when Commodore of HIYC Iain Murray thought it a fitting addition.

AHIRW 2014 Day 1 Sailing yacht Maxi Ragamuffin - Photo credit Andrea Francolini

Maxi Ragamuffin yacht’s new owner Keith Batt has grand plans for the 80-footer he purchased less than a year ago starting with Race Week August 16 to 23, then the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race in December.

In seven years super yacht Maxi Ragamuffin will head to Europe and the UK to retrace the epic sailing journey of the Nant Estate’s original settler who made the 10,000 mile journey from Cardiff to Van Diemen’s Land in 1821 to set up a whisky distillery.

Batt bought the convict built sandstone mill, last used in 1884, in Tasmania’s Central Highlands in 2004 and is successfully distilling under the Nant name. ”We’ve found French made mill stones the early settlers brought out from Calais in the paddocks at the property,” said Batt, the CEO of Nant Distilling Company.

Maxi Ragamuffin Yacht Owner Keith Batt - Photo credit Andrea Francolini

Some yachts in the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week fleet have power winches, electric furling sails and canting keels. It’s old fashioned grunt on Maxi Ragamuffin yacht with the original cleats and winches and plenty of lugging, grinding and a heart-starting workout at every sail change and hoist for the 17 man crew.

Given its vintage, trying to find parts for the aging deckware is proving challenging. Graham ‘Scooter’ Eaton from AME is overseeing the refurb and he’s had to arrange for replacement parts to be specially milled.

Some of the boat’s original sails dusted off for Race Week haven’t been used since 1993; they were dug out of storage at Airlie Beach. So far the big heavy boat hasn’t had the chance to wind up in the light breezes, or test the strength of the sail cloth in the gusts.

Also in Maxi Ragamuffin yacht’s cruising division 1 is another big boat from a by-gone era – Condor, a two-time line honours winner in the Sydney Hobart race and winner of the famous Fastnet race out of England, and Whitebirds, an aluminium built Kel Steinman design originally launched as Bobsled.

The norm at these regattas is the workers sleep in the boat while the boat owner rents an apartment ashore. Batt is clearly enamoured with his new purchase. He sleeps on his boat and the rest of the crew stay in rented accommodation.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Racing comeback for sailing yacht MAXI RAGAMUFFIN at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week ".

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German Frers

CYGNUS CYGNUS

Hamilton Island

Hobart & Tasmania

Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2014 halfway mark

Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2014 kicks off

Penultimate day of racing at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2014

Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2014: Day 4

Reduced charter rates offered by the beautiful 42m Baglietto superyacht TIMBUKTU in Greece

The 30m luxury motor yacht ANNABEL II offering special rates in Croatia this summer

Feadship launches 92m superyacht PROJECT 1012

Sailing yacht nominees for the 2024 World Superyacht Awards

Life through a lens: superyacht photographer Jainie Cowham tells us about her amazing experiences behind the camera

Planing yachts nominees line up for the World Superyacht Awards

Columbus Yachts launches 43m motor yacht NIGHT FURY II

33m classically styled motor yacht FAR NIENTE launched by Hoek Design

Boat International announce the nominees for the World Superyacht Awards 2024, as we showcase the ‘over 500GT’ category

A closer look at the World Superyacht Award nominees in the category for displacement motor yachts under 499 GT

Benetti Unveils 50m Motor Yacht Dyna R – A Fusion of Luxury and Personalised Elegance

49m sailing yacht ACAPELLA is offering a fabulous June ‘fill the gap’ special offer on charters in Croatia

Mangusta announce the launch of the sixth hull in the MANGUSTA 104 REV series

Ragamuffin 3

Ragamuffin III is a yacht with a colourful history - well known for her involvement in the Sydney to Hobart Race and as a representative in the Pan Am Clipper Cup. Naturally, she is fast, but she also boasts an impressive and spacious luxury saloon and generous deck area.

Join us on Ragamuffin III for a fun-filled day and you can enjoy the thrill of being involved in sailing this streamlined racing yacht, spend time relaxing on deck, explore the wonders of the outer reef from a snorkellers perspective and feast on a delicious Aussie barbeque - casual style - either on or below deck in the comfortable saloon.

What she has raced

• 1977 Admirals Cup
• 1977 Sydney to Hobart
• 1978 Sydney to Hobart
• 1978 Sydney to Noumea
• 1978 Clipper Cup Series Hawaii
• 1979 Sydney to Hobart
• 1981 Sydney to Mooloolaba

Your day includes

• Snorkelling gear
• Morning & Afternoon Tea
• Barbecue Lunch
• An unforgettable sailing experience

All you need to bring is a towel, sunscreen, hat & camera

$135 For a Full Days sailing & snorkelling to Low Isles Reef (plus $5.00pp Compulsory Government Environmental Management, Admin charge to help preserve the beauty of the reef)

Complimentary pickup and return in Port Douglas (excluding Wednesday night) Marina Mirage Departs Daily: 10:00am, Returns: 4:30pm Approx

Wednesday Nights - you can join the local fleet for a fun-filled sailing experience - departs 5:00pm $25 p.p Ask your Tour Desk for more details.

BOOKINGS - Phone: 0415 874 202 or book at your Tour Desk

Email: ragamuffinthree@hotmail.com

Conditions - Cancellation Fee: A minimum of 24 hours notice of cancellation is required otherwise a 100% cancellation fee will be charged.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Brenton Fischer keeps the Fischer and Ragamuffin names alive in the 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart, having entered his legendary grandfather Syd’s TP52, Ragamuffin . He missed the race last year but skippered the yacht in the 2015 and 2016 races. “I’m really looking forward to doing the race again. We’ll be competitive - I’ll pretty much have the same crew as last time, like Clinton Wade-Lehmann. He’s helping me put the boat and crew together,” said the 34-year-old, whose Hobart debut was 2014 on his grandfather’s super maxi, Ragamuffin 100 . Last raced in 2016 for 49th overall, but the previous year were relegated from provisionally 2nd overall to 38th after colliding with Ark32 at the start.

Competitor Details

Official rolex sydney hobart merchandise.

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!