A favourable weather forecast has set up this year's Sydney To Hobart to be the fastest of all time, although the smaller boats are likely to encounter harsher conditions on their final approach to Tasmania.
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The fleet of 89 yachts will be greeted by a north-easterly of about 15-20 knots when they turn out of Sydney, with gusts steadily increasing into the evening before a dry southerly change hits the south-east coast of Australia.
That southerly was initially forecast to be up to 25 knots, although the Bureau Of Meteorology is suggesting it'll likely be much lighter than first thought.
It is also expected to only impact the waters closer to the coast, potentially giving the fleet an option to sail well off shore and avoid its influence entirely.
By the time the super maxis arrive at Tasmania's east coast on Wednesday morning, they'll likely be under the steam of another north-easterly in the range of 15-20 knots.
The forecast becomes unpredictable beyond that with a trough forming in north-west Australia linked to Cyclone Yvette likely to affect the weather, but heavy rain and low visibility could potentially hit the remainder of the fleet still en route to Hobart.
Things look much tamer than last year when a rapid southerly change on the first night surprised the fleet, and forced Wild Oats XI to retire with a torn mainsail.
Despite the more favourable forecast this time around, Paul Clitheroe, owner and skipper of defending overall champion Balance, said the fleet was still in for a rough ride.
"I don't like sailing into huge southerlies outside Sydney, I fear for my life, my crew's life, and my fellow competitors and those who look to keep us safe at sea," Clitheroe said.
"We are going to get some gear damage and so on, I don't know what's going to happen."
Clitheroe's yacht is one of 10 52-footers in the race, and the TP52s are widely tipped to perform very well once more.
Australian Sailing president and Ichi Ban owner Matt Allen has opted to skipper his JV52 as opposed to his 60 footer, given the favourable weather conditions.
He and Clitheroe are up against stiff international competition this year in one of the most multi-cultural Sydney To Hobart's ever contested.
There are entries from America, Sweden, Hong Kong, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia and for the first time a yacht from Korea will compete.
Sonic Skipper Kwangmin Rho said his team has spent eight years getting ready for the race, and they've enlisted the help of Sydney To Hobart veteran Phil Eadie as navigator.
"I go to Korea every year, I do martial arts training over there so I know a little bit of Korean but I don't know in, out or up, down yet," Eadie said last week.
"They're good guys. A couple of them speak English, some don't and they're pretty quiet.
"They don't talk a lot it's a bit of a pride thing, whereas Australians abuse each other the whole time."
