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NSW State Coroner's Inquest
1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Testimony and Evidence - Coroner's Findings
and Related Links


This information is presented exclusively by Equipped To Survive in hopes that others may learn from the tragic lessons of this experience. For those seriously interested in the subject, nothing replaces first hand accounts, most especially not typical media coverage. The testimony of the participants, survivors and rescuers alike, as well as other evidence gathered during the Coroner's Inquest is full of valuable lessons for anyone who is considering an investment in safety and survival equipment or who may someday have to depend upon such equipment or their own actions in a similar situation to save their lives.
 
If you would prefer to order your own copy of the CD-ROM from Australia, click here for instructions.

Testimony and Evidence
NSW State Coroner's Inquest
1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
               Includes the complete contents of the CD-ROM.
               
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               The above material is presented subject to the disclaimer and copyright
               of the State of New South Wales at the bottom of this page.

Coroner's Findings
NSW State Coroner's Inquest
1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
          535 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF file
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Executive Summary of the Coroner's Findings 
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Sydney Morning Herald Coverage of the Coroner's Inquest
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Sydney Morning Herald Archive of the 1998 Race Coverage
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Books:

Fatal Storm - The Inside Story of the Tragic Sydney-Hobart Race
Rob Mundle, 1999 Rob Mundle, International Marine (div. McGraw-Hill), ISBN:0-07-135698-3, 251 pages

Fatal StormStarting from Sydney Harbor, Australia, on December 26 1998, 115 sail boats headed downwind towards Hobart, Tasmania in the 53rd running of this internationally acclaimed race. Only 44 boats made it to Hobart. Five boats sank, six sailors died, 55 sailors were taken off their yachts, most by helicopter. The weather "bomb" that devistated the fleet in the Bass Strait caught almost all by surprise. Based on 125 interviews with those involved, Mundle does an admirable job painting a colorful and detailed picture of the difficulties faced by the crews in this race and of the heroic rescues that saved dozens who might well have been lost but for their efforts. This is a page turner that holds your attention as you battle the fierce storm alongside the crews and rescuers. As with previous racing disasters, there are lessons to be learned, some all over again. Mundle doesn't analyze what transpired, he just recounts the gripping story of survival. You'll have to draw your own conclusions. The book suffers somewhat from the rush to press, but not unduly, and time has not altered the facts presented.

ETS is an Amazon.com Associate Support Equipped To Survive
Order this book via Amazon.com

(not tax-deductible)
The Proving Ground
G. Bruce Knecht, 2001 G. Bruce Knecht, Little Brown & Co., ISBN:0-316-49955-2, 295 pages

The Proving GroundA gripping narrative of the tragic 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. This book focuses on the crews much more than the rescuers or the rescues, which story was covered better in Fatal Storm, which came out shortly after the event. Knecht had access to the likes of Larry Ellison (Oracle founder and owner of the winning yacht), which adds an entirely different perspective to the telling of this story. The book probes the depths of character of the participants and the whys and wherefores of their decisions--decisions that sometimes proved fatal for the boats or crew, or both. The book benefits from the passage of time since the disaster; particpants were more willing to talk freely for the most part and the facts are clearer as a result of the multiple inquries held. This is a "must read" for anyone who is interested in marine survival, and a darn good read for everyone else.

ETS is an Amazon.com Associate Support Equipped To Survive
Order this book via Amazon.com

(not tax-deductible)
Click here for more books on the subject of True Life Survival.
Click here for books on the subject of Marine Survival.

Additional Marine Survival Information on ETS



This material is republished with the express permission of the State of New South Wales, Australia

State Of New South Wales Disclaimer and Copyright Notice

The State Coroner's Findings and Recommendations and the Brief of Evidence contain information, data, documents, pages and images prepared by NSW State Coroner's Office and NSW Police Service for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales ("the Material"). The Material is protected by Crown Copyright.

While the information contained in the Material has been formulated with all due care, the State of NSW does not warrant or represent that the Material is free from errors or omission. The Sate of NSW further does not warrant or accept any liability in relation to the quality or accuracy of the Material including any material supplied by third parties. The information contained in the Material should be carefully evaluated for its source, accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance for your purposes, and you should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to your particular circumstances.

© New South Wales State Coroner's Office 2001.

This material comprising the State Coroner's Findings and Recommendations and some of the material on the CD ROM is protected by copyright which is vested in the State of New South Wales.

All rights reserved. You may not alter, reproduce, re-transmit, distribute, display or commercialise the material in any way without the prior written permission of the New South Wales State Coroner's Office and the State of New South Wales, except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (as amended). In particular, the user of the Material agrees:


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Publisher and Editor: Doug Ritter
Email: Doug Ritter
URL: http://www.equipped.org/sydney-hobart_inquery_index.htm
First Published: December 20, 2000
Revision: 06 January 7, 2003
 
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