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Anger ... The skipper of Wild Thing is furious at the boat's booting from the race. Source: DANIEL FORSTER / AAP
The skipper of one of the favourites for the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Wild Thing, is furious at the decision to kick the boat out of the race due to a failure to submit some race documents.
The decision was made three hours before the start of the race after the race committee had not received some documentation.
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The lack of documentation relates to modifications made to the yacht.
Wild Thing skipper Grant Wharington said he felt blindsided by the decision.
"We are absolutely devastated to be told at the 11th hour that we are unable to race to Hobart,'' Wharington said.
"Would you believe we have been offered to sail down the course and we can go on into the radio skeds and leave the tracker on (and not compete for line honours) which is an insult.
"We're a bit stuck for words as to why it happened, the situation, we provided the documentation - I've got it in my hand.
"We were given approval on Wednesday that we were able to go and then subsequently (it was) withdrawn, so we're obviously devastated.''
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia commodore Howard Piggott delivered the news while Wharington had his phone switched off, the skipper giving his crew a pre-race briefing at the time.
"As everybody turned their phones back on just before 11 o'clock, hundreds of messages from everybody saying 'it's all over the press, we've been knocked out' - and we were absolutely dumbfounded,'' Wharington said.
Piggott said the boat's owners had failed to provide the necessary statements that Wild Thing was designed and built in accordance with the American Bureau of Shipping guide.
"The race committee has worked with the owner of the boat Grant Wharington to allow him up to three hours prior to the start of race to provide the documentation required,'' Piggott said.
"However, this has not been forthcoming - the race committee has no option but to not accept the entry of Wild Thing.''
Wild Thing had undergone a number of changes and been lengthened to the permitted maximum of 100 foot.
Piggott said the race committee's decision was final.
"We made every effort I assure you, we want to see boats racing,'' Piggott said.
"However it's out of our hands, we must comply with the notice of race and ensure that our safety standards are maintained.''
He said Wild Thing would be marked as a non-starter and a message would be sent to Wharington that he should not interfere with the race.
"He will be in the vicinity but he will be spoken to by the authorities not to permit him into the race area," Piggott said.
"Every effort has been made to give him notice.''
Most betting agencies had Wild Thing as third favourite for the race after Wild Oats XI and Ragamuffin Loyal.
Wild Thing had not raced since being modified.
Wharington has had a sometimes strained relationship with the bluewater classic.
In 2004 Wharington and his crew were forced to pull the pin on the race due to a keel problems and in 2009 the skipper had to race the clock to replace a mast broken during the yacht's delivery from Melbourne to Sydney.
Two years ago Wild Thing, the 2003 line honours winner, was involved in a collision with a media boat.
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