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Wild Thing failed to make skipper Grant Wharington’s heart sing again when the supermaxi’s Sydney-Hobart history continued to be anything but groovy on Tuesday.
The 2003 line honours winner was on its way back to Sydney after retiring before midday with sail damage.
Wild Thing had been third before running into trouble south of Green Cape in a campaign Wharington had admitted was lacking cash.
The skipper had been hoping for a major change of luck but it wasn’t to be.
In 2004, Wild Thing capsized with the crew forced to abandon ship, losing its rig and canting keel.
It took line honours placings in 2005, 2006 and 2008 before being forced to pull out shortly after the start in 2009.
Last year, the boat overcame a collision with a media vessel to finish fifth.
It even copped it in the Brisbane floods, needing its stern repaired when it was hit by a loose pontoon in January.
An earlier version of Wild Thing skippered by Wharington was forced to retire in 2001 after being hit by a twister.
Lighter and with a new black paint-job, she had finished third in the Big Boat Challenge sprint around Sydney Harbour earlier this month.
“Grant Wharington’s admitted that he’s on a fairly low budget campaign,” Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Garry Linacre said.
“He’s put together some sails in a valiant attempt to get the boat down here this year.
“He would have been hoping very, very much for winds that had a northerly effect in them.
“Unfortunately a day of full windward work is disappointing for him.
“It seems that the sails that he’s chosen to bring haven’t been able to make it with his short-handed crew.”
Wild Thing was one of five boats to have retired from the race by Tuesday evening, leaving the fleet at 83.
A crew member’s dislocated shoulder forced Duende to pull into Bermagui on the NSW south coast.
The 52-foot yacht had Tony Cable, taking part in a record 46th Sydney-Hobart, on board.
Accenture Yeah Baby (gear failure) and Ffreefire (mainsail) joined Celestial (gooseneck) in returning to shore.