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Why Inukshuk’s Rob Large wants you to enter the Trans-Tasman Yacht Race

Home 2026 Why Inukshuk’s Rob Large wants you to enter the Trans-Tasman Yacht Race

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For Robert Large, the more challenging the sailing conditions – the better.

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Over the years, the Canadian born, South Australian-based sailor has enjoyed a myriad of offshore adventures and dealt with all sorts of challenging weather conditions. In 2014, Large sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. The sailor, now in his 60s, said he enjoyed the passage but found the weather patterns mundane compared to those he has experienced in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Large attempting to keep dry on board Inukshuk. Pic - Sailing Inukshuk

“I tend to favour cold weather sailing,” Large said. “It’s what makes the Rolex Sydney Hobart so interesting in that no two Sydney Hobarts are the same.”

He has raced his Northshore 38 *Inukshuk three times in the Double Handed Division of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (2021 - retired, 2022 and 2024) and has entered the upcoming 80th edition of the race.

*Inukshuk refers to a structure of rough stones stacked in the form of a human figure - traditionally used by Inuit people as a landmark that symbolises safety, hope and friendship.

A new adventure

In February 2026, Large will compete on board Inukshuk in the Double Handed Division of the inaugural Trans-Tasman Yacht Race, a 1270 nautical mile race across the Tasman Sea, from Sydney to Auckland. The race, organised by the CYCA with finish partner Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, is another cold weather classic set to push the competitors to their limits.

“The Tasman Sea rewards those who are prepared,” Large said.

The Tasman Sea. Pic - Sailing Inukshuk

Large will have the upper hand over many of his competitors. He has sailed across the Tasman Sea four times. Two of these crossings were double handed passages on other yachts, and the last two were solo sails on board Inukshuk. The Trans-Tasman will be the first time the yacht will race across the Tasman Sea.

Large’s Tasman Sea passages have been action packed. He has had to contend with auto pilot issues on board a catamaran, freezing snowy conditions, and one crossing with gales almost every night.

Rob Large (front) with former co-skipper Cameron Boogaerdt. Pic – Sailing 

Inukshuk

For fair weather sailors, one of the highlights of the sport is a twilight sail on the harbour accompanied by a cold beverage. But Large is happy to forego the comfortable option for a solo sail in rough seas. The feeling of isolation does not bother him. Two years ago, he even started out on a solo circumnavigation of the globe but was forced to abandon the attempt early on due to less-than-ideal weather conditions and technical issues.

Large described his last solo Tasman Sea crossing, where he experienced everything from zero to 45 knots and enormous swells, as a “lovely sail”.

“The seas didn’t bother me,” Large said. “I was under control, and Inukshuk was moving pleasantly along. It was a wonderfully intense feeling of pleasant solitude and just being there.”

Double handed warrior

Large has recently partnered up with Andrew Ebbott for the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart and 2026 Trans-Tasman.

Inukshuk sailing in South Australia. Pic - CYCSA

Sailing across the Tasman Sea is a mammoth task with several crew on board, let alone tackling it with only two crew. Large predicted, weather dependent, that the passage will take nine days.

Some might consider Large a little too ambitious for taking on the Tasman Sea double handed. At 38 feet long, Inukshuk is one of the smallest yachts in the fleet. Large and his fellow sailor will not sight land for hundreds of miles and they will be vulnerable to the sometimes ferocious conditions from the Southern Ocean.

But that doesn’t concern Large. He thrives on double handed sailing.

A stunning sunset on board Inukshuk. Pic - Sailing Inukshuk

“Everything you do matters,” Large said. “It [double handed sailing] allows you to really enjoy every moment with much more intensity. Finishing a race double handed, it means much more to me because I feel I've done my part.”

The allure of New Zealand

Large is excited to sail around the northern tip of New Zealand’s North Island, past the Bay of Islands, to the finish line at Waitematā Harbour, Auckland. According to the Bay of Islands website, this area is a “subtropical micro-region known for its stunning beauty and history”.

When Large sailed around the South Island a couple of years ago, he found the snow-tipped mountain tops “spectacular”. He appreciates the country’s “beautiful and striking geography” and looks forward to exploring the North Island in 2026.

Large exploring New Zealand. Pic - Sailing Inukshuk

And if time permits, he hasn’t ruled out competing in the Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. The solo yacht race starts on 30 May and follows a course from the Bay of Islands to Southport Yacht Club, Queensland.

Large tucking into some fish 'n' chips in New Zealand. Pic - Sailing Inukshuk

Join Inukshuk in the race of a lifetime

Large’s message to sailors who are still debating the pros and cons of entering the Trans-Tasman Yacht Race is to bite the bullet and do it.

Inukshuk heading offshore. Pic - Andrea Francolini/ROLEX

“You have to decide if you love that feeling of remoteness and just being out there, far from shore – there’s few experiences like it,” Large said. “It gives you a chance to see things that you otherwise wouldn’t see.”

Enter the Trans-Tasman Yacht Race today.

Enter the Southern Cross Series today.