Spirit of Sydney Expeditions

Overview

Spirit of Sydney, an icon of Australian yachting, was originally designed and built for the 1986 BOC single handed around the world race by America’s Cup winning designer Ben Lexcen. Spirit is an ocean greyhound with real sailing ability and thoroughbred performance, and has been sailing the Southern Ocean and plying Antarctic waters every summer since 1994, having made more than 70 trips to various parts of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic. Spirit is a tough heavily constructed 60ft aluminium yacht with 6 watertight compartments and an over built sailing rig ready for the southern ocean.

Spirit of Sydney regularly supports expeditions in all parts of Antarctica with groups such as documentary makers from Discovery Channel's Globetrekker, or scientists from Australian Antarctic Division, Oregon State University Marine mammals Institutniversity of British Columbia, as well as television documentaries, like Animal Planets Steve Irwin The Croc Hunter, Bindi the Jungle girl or HBO Vice and many more. Other expeditions have included, National Geographic photographers, mountaineers, dry suit divers and kayaking expeditions including Andrew McCauley’s epic (900km) sea kayaking expedition in Antarctica.

Spirit has been meticulously maintained and refitted, so that she has evolved on a yearly basis. Spirit was designed and built in an era when good racing performance was tempered by respect for the power of the mighty southern ocean. Consequently she is a strong and powerful yacht with excellent all round sailing ability and her tough aluminium construction and watertight bulkheads have given her a useful second life as an Antarctic Expedition yacht. She is an ocean greyhound with long clean lines and flared bow sections for surfing the big rollers of the southern ocean, offering an exhilarating experience for guests and crew alike.