Peter Webster is no stranger to the perils of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

The experienced north Queensland skipper of more than 40 years has tackled the 628 nautical mile journey from Sydney Harbour to the River Derwent three times already.

He said he was determined to do it “outside the box” this year on the cheapest budget possible with a bunch of mates.

“We thought it would be a great idea to put together a low-cost campaign and challenge some of these multimillion-dollar programs,” Webster said.

Two men stand and smile on the deck of a yacht.

Peter Webster (left) and Leon Thomas will be competing in the Sydney to Hobart on a shoestring budget. (ABC North Queensland: Rachael Merritt)

Webster and his crew of seven will join the 113 yachts preparing to set sail in the 78th edition of Australia’s most famous yacht race on Boxing Day in a boat he bought for the relatively humble sum of $25,000.

“I’ve been brought up with the concept that fundamentally sailing should be fun,” he said.

“It’s about choosing the people you have around you … and we choose to sail together.”

Complete rebuild

The 11-metre Farr 1104, named Son of a Son, was built 35 years ago.

Webster said he knew it had good bones when he bought it almost a decade ago.

Sailing master Leon Thomas said the crew had worked tirelessly over the past year in Townsville to get the yacht race ready.

“Basically, the team has rebuilt the boat from keel up,” Thomas said.

Man stands on ladder in front of boat.

Leon Thomas says it took a year to completely rebuild Son of a Son.(Supplied: Peter Webster)

“This is the Mount Everest of sailing … it’s hard and the conditions are very tough.”

Thomas said it had cost them about $150,000 to replace the fibreglass hull, rigging and sails.

But he said that was a fraction of the eye-watering costs of some of their competitors.

Boat suspended above water in marina.

The team spent $150,000 to ensure the boat could compete in rough seas.(Supplied: Peter Webster)

“We’re very much at the other end of the spectrum, we’re doing it with a bunch of friends and doing it off our own bat,” he said.

“The cost of our boat would be worth a lot less than some of the sails put on the bigger glamorous campaigns.”

‘Personal’ cause

The crew will have an important message emblazoned on its sails on the open sea.

They have partnered with Black Dog Ride to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention, launching their own chapter for the sailing community called Son of a Son Sailing.

The funds they raise will be used to roll out mental health training to sailing instructors and coaches at clubs across the country.

“It is personal for me and for the team, nearly all of us have got family members or individual issues ourselves … no one’s perfect,” Webster said.

“Being able to be ourselves and destigmatise some of the issues associated with mental health is something that’s really dear to all of us.”

Thomson said Line Honours in the 5th Division would most likely be out of the team’s grasp.

Boat on the water at sunrise.

The crew is fundraising to help pay for mental health training.(Supplied: Peter Webster)

But he said he hoped the campaign would turn some heads.

“At the end of the day, it’s about mateship and getting to the start and to the finish line,” he said.

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