Sydney to Hobart yacht race middle to small boats in for a pounding, including Jess Watson

The Sydney to Hobart fleet are heading into torubled waters in the second half of the race but that doesn’t phase round the world sailor Jessica Watson.

Jessica Watson and her crewmates ahead of the Sydney to Hobart start. Picture: Justine Lloyd.

She set sail in light winds, farewelled by a huge spectator flotilla but Jessica Watson knows she’s in for a big bash in Bass Strait in the 78th Sydney to Hobart - and she’s OK with that.

Watson, who famously sailed round the world as a teenager, and her crewmates on the 32-footer Azzurro are in for a tough and torrid time the closer they get to Hobart but she’s taking it all in her stride.

“You don’t enter this race thinking you’re not going to get hit by a southerly,’’ Watson said before heading out for Tuesday’s start of the 628nm race on Sydney Harbour.

“We take it seriously but it’s cool knowing this is a boat ready to handle the tough conditions.’’

While the boat breaking - and stomach churning - conditions forecast for the Bass Strait crossing of the majority of the fleet will faze some, Watson hopes she at least has her sea sickness under control.

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Jessica Watson is competing in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race this year, to raise stroke awareness.

“I haven’t got sea sick since I went round the world,’’ said Watson, doing the race for her love of the sport and in tribute to her late partner Cam Dale.

“I’m hoping it has cured me for life.’’

Others won’t be so lucky.

Sea sickness is so debilitating for some they will be unable to raise their heads out of their bunks.

For others it can be treated with different herbs or medications, making the rough and tough upwind sailing on the cards slightly more bearable.

In the past one Sydney to Hobart skipper who suffered the malady was so ill he apparently promised the yacht to his crew if they could get him off in a hurry. They said no, he went down below and they sailed on.

URM, Alive and Wild Thing 100 at the start. Picture: Andy Cheung/Getty Images

While the majority will cope a bashing, the fleet frontrunners could well escape almost all the upwind sailing on the current forecast and be in Hobart in under two days.

But Watson isn’t envious.

“There’s always an impatience to get there but I haven’t been to sea in so long I’m just going to enjoy it all.’’ she said.

“The smaller boats are really more my speed. My comfort zone is in the little boat.’’

Last night the entire fleet was enjoying an early romp down the NSW coast after a hectic start.

The French yacht Teasing Machine.

But by late Wednesday many will run smack into a southerly,

Winds of around 30 knots and three metres seas will make the going tough for all but the most fleet footed of the race.

And according to the forecasters the strong upwind sailing could be the norm for a few days.

This will make the going particularly tough for the 18 two-handed crews in the 103 starting fleet.

Unlike full crewed yachts they will have to do the bulk of the work themselves will little time for rest and recovery.

Originally published as Sydney to Hobart yacht race middle to small boats in for a pounding, including Jess Watson