A lack of wind, too much wind, and the odd whale or two are expected to be among the biggest challenges facing skippers in a solo yacht race across the Tasman Sea.
The Trans Tasman Yacht Race. Photo: Supplied / Solo Tasman Yacht Challenge 2018 / Facebook
The small fleet lined up in New Plymouth for the start this afternoon of the 2018 solo trans-Tasman challenge from Taranaki to Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
The event was formed in the late 1960s, with the first race attracting five entries.
This year, it features some of its earliest competitors including Malcolm Dickson who first tackled the race 40 years ago.
Malcolm Dickson Photo: Supplied
Mr Dickson, a boat builder formerly of Nelson, is sailing Sarau, the last boat he designed and built before selling his business and sailing off on global adventures with his wife Joan.
The couple returned to a base in New Zealand several years ago, and Mr Dickson has since done several solo voyages in preparation.
A yacht he built in the 1980s, Zenith, will line up beside him sailed by his son Hamish.
"He built both of these yachts and it will be a great challenge racing against him," Hamish said in a statement.
The pair have sailed thousands of ocean miles together, including the passage from Tasmania to South America.
"My Dad and I have also done multiple short handed races together but have never raced against each other which will certainly be a massive challenge."
Hamish Dickson Photo: Supplied / Solo Tasman Yacht Challenge 2018 / Facebook
The race organising chair Dianne Holdt said Taranaki sailor Graeme Francis, who sailed in the race 32 years ago will be on the start line for the race. He hit a whale in 1986 sailing Red Shift.
Australian sailor and returned serviceman Kevin Le Poidevin, who raced in the last event four years ago, is back for more this time around.
He had his first ocean voyage as a three year-old when his parents migrated to Australia. Since the age of 22 he has helped some people to race their boats and helped others "off" their boats in his role as skipper of one of the Southport Air Sea Rescue (now Volunteer Marine Rescue) vessels.
During the 2014 race he raised funds for his charity Soldier On, and will carry that challenge into the 2018 event. Mr Le Poidevin said Soldier On enhances Australia's capability to care for its physically and psychologically wounded.
"I am acutely aware of the service our members provide in the Defence of Australia. I want to give something back to those returned servicemen and women who have retained the physical and mental scars of their service life."
Ms Holdt said this year's skippers can expect all sorts of conditions, including "good hard windy days with sloppy seas". She said while they were worried about the potential for hitting a submerged shipping container, or a whale, they were more concerned about a lack of wind at the start.
The history of the 2500 kilometre race includes cyclones, shipwrecks, dismastings, and the abandonment of one yacht, but no lives have been lost in the race which passes close to some navigation challenges including Lord Howe Island and the Elizabeth and Middleton reefs.
The record for the fastest crossing is held by Ian Johnston, who sailed a trimaran across in just over six days. The smallest yacht to compete was the 5.3 metre Swirly World in Perpetuity sailed by musician and writer Andrew Fagan.
The slowest race so far was Roger Taylor who took 35 days to reach Mooloolaba in 1974.
