Peter Tardrew and Rod Gunther, long-time sailing friends going way back to their days sailing Sharpies. Together they are preparing their boat Quest, a Nelson Marek 43 for double handed sailing.
Peter, who competed in the race back in 2003 on Wizard with co skipper David Tait from Sandringham says, “there’s nothing bigger than this race for amateur sailors and getting to Osaka is much bigger than anything most non professional sailors will do.”
Quest, a Nelson Marek 43 has classic lines and was runner up in the 1995 Sydney Hobart and was acquired in 2023 by Peter Tardrew and Rod Gunther for the race.
They may refer to themselves as geriatic sailors with some 146 years of experience between them but their goal is simple: to enjoy the journey as close friends, knowing they’ve done everything they can to prepare.
As they approach the start line in 2025, Peter and Rod’s experience gives them a unique perspective. They emphasise the importance of being prepared for almost any weather condition, be adaptable and be as well as you can be.
To just finish, is going to be the biggest achievement.