A small but select fleet will contest Tuesday's Big Boat Challenge, with two of the four Sydney to Hobart supermaxis not racing.
The fleet of four, which includes supermaxis Wild Oats XI and Black Jack, is the smallest in the history of the race which started back in 1994.
Of the other supermaxis entered for the Hobart race, LDV Comanche is still waiting for some of her crew to arrive from overseas, while InfoTrack is in preparation mode for the big race later this month.
Rounding out Tuesday's fleet are the 80-foot Beau Geste owned by Hong Kong businessman Karl Kwok and the 66-foot Wild Oats X, a stablemate of Wild Oats XI, which is also owned by the Oatley family.
The race starting on Sydney Harbour has been dominated in recent years by Wild Oats XI.
Black Jack skipper Mark Bradford understands why some owners may be reluctant to line up for the race just two weeks out from the Sydney to Hobart.
"There's a lot of decisions to be made here," Bradford told AAP.
"The risk management of these projects is a real factor and certainly sailing in the Big Boat race does add a fair bit of risk to your project so close to Christmas.
"But it also gives you an opportunity to start the boat.
"We've now done in the last month three starts against Wild Oats XI, we've got one more on Tuesday.
"That's four starts we've done against each other and these other guys (LDV Comanche and InfoTrack) haven't done any starts.
"Starting, getting out of the heads and being clean heading south is a pretty big part of the race, more from a safety standpoint for us.
"But I understand why other boats don't want to do it, because you have a collision or a problem, or a breakage at this point, it could potentially put you out of the (Hobart) race."
Some supermaxis, including InfoTrack (racing as Perpetual LOYAL) have had damage issues in previous Big Boat Challenges.
The race raises funds in support of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Trusts, which was established following the loss of six lives in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart.
