There was no denying the steep seas and winds gusting up to gale force, but early reports suggest that the conditions were not entirely to blame for the dismasting of ABN AMRO ONE during the 62nd edition of the Sydney to Hobart race.
At 0308 (Australian time) on the 27th December, the crew of ABN AMRO One advised the Race Committee that they had dismasted. ABN AMRO One was experiencing 30-35 knots of wind gusting up to 38 knots at the time, making 11 knots of boat speed to the east of the fleet in rough seas.