The AFR Midnight Rambler Metaventure^®

This Metaventure^® is based on the story of the AFR Midnight Rambler, and the challenges its crew encountered in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race.  This 723-mile, deep water sailing race is considered one of the toughest in the world.  Unpredictable weather and seas make each race particularly challenging, however the 1998 race proved to be the most treacherous in the race’s 61-year history.

As the starting fleet of 115 boats sailed south down the coast of Australia, an unexpected “weather bomb” — a massive storm that created 80-foot waves and near 100 mph winds — descended upon the fleet.  Six sailors perished in the maelstrom, and another 42 were saved in what became the largest search and rescue operation in Australia’s history.  While many tried to maneuver around the storm, the AFR Midnight Rambler crew chose to head directly into its path.  After battling mountainous waves and hurricane force winds, the diminutive (35 foot) AFR Midnight Rambler arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, over 88 hours after they set sail from Sydney.

The decision to head into the storm, along with their extraordinary tenacity, optimism, courage, teamwork and leadership, enabled this group of “amateurs” to out-perform the professionals on bigger boats.  The skipper, Ed Psaltis, and his crew of six, were proclaimed overall winners and awarded the coveted Tattersalls Trophy.  This exciting story explores the making of a high-performance team, and the strategies required to successfully navigate change and adversity.

The Syncretics Group
250 West Main Street, Branford, CT 06405
Phone: 203/481-6118 | Fax: 203/481-5531

News | Metaventure | The Edge | Ten Strategies | sitemap