Yachting: Sailors warned of bad weather for Sydney to Hobart race

SYDNEY - The Sydney to Hobart yacht fleet has been warned to expect difficult conditions, including galeforce winds and heavy seas on the annual trek down Australia's east coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the race will start on Sunday in fairly good conditions with 10 to 15 knot southeasterly winds in the morning but conditions will deteriorate rapidly the next day.

The bureau said the fleet of 117 could expect strengthening north to northwesterly winds getting up to 45 knots in the evening.

Conditions are expected to be even heavier on Tuesday with the wind rising up to 60 knots in hail squalls.

However, forecasters said they did not expect conditions would be as bad those which devastated the 1998 race, when six sailors died, dozens were rescued and five boats sank.

This year's fleet is the biggest in 10 years.

Numbers had been down in the past five years after stringent new rules and expensive safety measures were imposed in the wake of the 1998 race.

Defending line honours captain Grant Wharington said he was very happy with the forecast and believed it would favour his boat Skandia.

- AAP