Sailing: Sydney to Hobart more than just another yacht race

Boats head out into the ocean during the start of the annual race from Sydney to Hobart. Photo / AP

Sails will decorate the sparkling blue seas of the Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, as 103 yachts set out on the 1170-kilometre course of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

What started in 1945 has a nine-vessel affair has grown immensely and, now in its 73rd year, is one of the highlights of the ocean racing calendar.

The vessels set out from Sydney Harbour into the Tasman Sea before heading down the south East coast of mainland Australia. The yachts then head through Bass Strait, which separates Tasmania from mainland Australia, before sailing down the east coast of Tasmania, into Storm Bay and along Derwent River before reaching Hobart.

There are a number of divisions in the race which are dependent on factors such as the size of the boat and any performance modifications made to it.

There are two winners each year – the first yacht across the line take line honours, and the best team on handicap.

It's a grueling, prolonged slog out on the water. The fastest recorded time was posted in 2016 by New South Wales yacht Perpetual LOYAL, which crossed the line in 1 day 13 hours 31 minutes 20 seconds.

Along the way, crews will be tested by weather conditions that can change without warning in a race that truly tests those who undertake it.

Adverse conditions have wreaked havoc on the race in the past including the 1998 race during which six sailors lost their lives and five vessels were locked away in Davy Jones' Locker.

But it's not just the weather conditions that will test the sailors. A variety of water channels also pose problems for the competitors. Get to the Derwent River at the wrong time of day and you could be struggling to make ground for hours.

In its 72 years to date, the full fleet has completed the race just twice, as over 1000 of the 5509 campaigns have ended prematurely.

For that reason, it's been dubbed one of the toughest ocean races on the planet.