Sydney 38

Faster Forward is a Sydney 38 owned and skippered by Matt Fahey, proudly representing the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (RYCV). The Sydney 38 is a well‑regarded Australian‑designed and built racing yacht that has become a popular choice in both one‑design and coastal/offshore racing programmes.

Designed by Murray, Burns & Dovell and constructed by Sydney Yachts, the Sydney 38 was created as a competitive racer with solid all‑round performance characteristics. At approximately 11.74 m (38 ft) overall with a beam of 3.75 m and a draft of about 2.65 m, the design combines a relatively light displacement with a powerful sail plan to deliver lively performance across a range of conditions.

The hull and deck are built using fibreglass/foam sandwich construction, and the deep fin keel design delivers stiffness and righting moment that support confident sailing upwind while retaining strong balance downwind. Rigging features a fractional sloop setup with swept‑back spreaders and a straightforward sailplan that suits both one‑design fleet racing and longer coastal legs.

One of the defining features of the Sydney 38 class is its active racing presence in Australia. The design has been campaigned extensively along the east coast and in offshore events, appealing to sailors who enjoy tactical inshore racing as well as more demanding coastal courses. Notably, Faster Forward has achieved significant success — including a handicap win in the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s Melbourne to Hobart Westcoaster Yacht Race, where she outpaced much larger yachts through smart sailing decisions and strong light‑air performance.

The class rules aim to encourage competitive fairness and skilled crew work, with controlled sail inventories and a focus on owner/driver participation in one‑design fleets. This balance of design excellence and active racing community has helped the Sydney 38 remain a respected and widely campaigned yacht in Australian sailing circles.