A long-range weather briefing on Monday indicated the 117 yachts will begin racing in light easterly winds on Sydney Harbour but should prepare for conditions to get livelier quickly.
"As the boats move out of the heads and start making their way down south, they'll encounter wind speeds of around 20 to 30 knots," said NSW Bureau of Meteorology's Andrew Treloar.
"It is likely we will have a strong wind warning."
Later in the race, however, the super-maxis are likely to be most affected by a lull as the lead boats reach Bass Strait, when winds could drop below five knots for around an hour.
Despite contesting its first big race, Comanche, the high-tech new super maxi owned by American Jim Clark and his Australian wife Kristy Hinze-Clark, is being well-backed to be first to Hobart, denying Wild Oats X1 a record eighth line honours victory.
"We have taken four times more money for Comanche compared to Wild Oats XI," said Sportingbet's Andrew Brown, after Wild Oats' odds eased from $1.80 to $1.90, Comanche's shortened from $3.25 to $2.25, with a gap back to fellow super maxis Ragamuffin 100 ($8) and Perpetual Loyal ($10).
"If the cash continues to come for Comanche like it has been she will be sailing through the Heads on Boxing Day as the favourite."
Comanche navigator Stan Honey welcomed the forecast stiff winds early in the race but was wary of the light air expected for Saturday night.
"Those conditions would be conditions we expect Wild Oats to do very well in," said Honey.
Wild Oats XI navigator Juan Vila described the forecast as "challenging", with the trickier conditions coming after passing the NSW coast.
"We're looking at strong southerlies along the coast - that's probably a time to keep the boat in one piece," he said.
Perpetual Loyal navigator Tom Addis was hoping experience would allow their boat to match it with Comanche and co.
"I guess our strong suits are fairly similar to Stan and Comanche but they're a newer boat and theoretically better.
"But we're a good, strong boat and we have rounded more marks than Comanche and that'll help on the first night.
"We're going to have to try and hang on to some of these newer designs but it is a pretty impressive piece of gear on Comanche.
"We'll do our best and the upwind will be good for us.
"The boats are so different that it comes down to weather really."
