The crew aboard South Korean boat Sonic embarked on their first Sydney to Hobart terrified of what lay ahead.
On Thursday the 16-metre craft bobbed gently into the southern capital, fears allayed.
"They were frightened because everyone says the Hobart (race) has big waves, more than 10-metre high waves, and winds are going to be 50 knots but somehow this year it was very calm," skipper Kwangmin Rho - the only crew member with one previous race under his belt - told AAP.
Sonic is the first South Korean boat in the 72-year history of the race, with the crew of 14 mostly from Seoul and Busan.
"All the Asian sailing regattas are in shore, so we don't have much experience of this kind of open water," Rho said.
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"Last year China and Korea made a big off-shore regatta and that was kind of the first off-shore race so most of my crew didn't have much experience."
Sonic finished 24th in line honours.
"What the crew is saying is maybe God gave them a present, a practice introduction so that we can prepare more for next year," the skipper said.
