The Rolex Sydney Hobart will start this year under spinnaker in a moderate southerly breeze. As the yachts turn out to sea the spinnakers will be shoved down below, and they�ll stay there for most of the race, judging by the weather briefing given to skippers this morning by the Bureau of Meteorology�s Rob Webb.

Yesterday�s hopes of a north easterly breeze well out to sea appear to have evaporated: �those going east for a nor�easter might have to go a long way,� Web remarked.

Instead the fleet will spend this afternoon bashing into a 20 to 25 knot southerly, possibly easing around to the south east as the trough off NSW moves further offshore tonight.

Tomorrow the leading yachts are expected to encounter light winds in Bass Strait while the bulk of the fleet is still contending with a light south to south-easter along the NSW coast.

Monday afternoon�s forecast is for a moderate 20 to 25 knot westerly in Bass Strait, but these westerlies mean the fleet

Source: YACHTe.com.au