Perpetual LOYAL skipper Anthony Bell knows from bitter experience how weather can influence the outcome of the race for line honours in the Sydney to Hobart.
He only has to rewind 12 months, not that the memories have ever been expelled from his mind in the intervening time.
Bell, who took line honours in 2011 with his previous super maxi, Investec LOYAL, looked likely to double his tally in 2013, when Perpetual LOYAL pulled out a big lead over Wild Oats XI on the first night.
He said he still has nightmares about what happened over the following hours.
"We clocked up almost 20 miles ahead of them last year and then hit that terrible glass-out (no wind) in the middle of Bass Strait," Bell told AAP.
"That memory will live with me for the rest of my life.
"Normally the best part of a 20 mile (lead) is enough to win two Sydney to Hobarts, so that means anything can happen to a leading boat."
Bell recognises his boat's prospects of heading the fleet home will again likely depend on how it performs in the lighter airs that could well hit the fleet on Saturday morning, within 24 hours of the start.
He is hoping for at least four to eight knots of breeze rather than the zero to four, which effectively parked his yacht last year and wrecked her campaign.
Bell knows Perpetual LOYAL must stay in touch with the four other super maxis heading into the transition into light air following a night of strong southerlies, if he is to have a chance of winning the JH Illingworth trophy for line honours.
"Sometimes you win these races when you are coming second and third a lot more than when you get your nose in front," Bell said.
As usual, Bell's crew is comprised of top notch professional sailors and a sprinkling of celebrities.
Among the latter this year are chef Guillaume Brahimi, former world boxing champion Danny Green, former Wallaby Phil Waugh and surfer Sally Fitzgibbons.
"They (the celebrities) are looking pretty good," Bell said."
"The things that they add to us is just that positivity around the boat.
"The crew absolutely love working with them.
"Young Sally Fitzgibbons is an absolute star.
"She just gives us so much in morale and positive mental attitude that I think we are really going to need, particularly if we've got to keep the boat going in tough conditions."
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