WILD Oats XI skipper Mark Richards admits he is flabbergasted the "skinny little pencil'' he steered to the first of seven Sydney to Hobart line honours wins in 2005 is now faster than ever as she prepares to rewrite history.
And in an ominous warning to her supermaxi rivals, Richards on Thursday declared his crew, dubbed the "red army'' in reference to their numbers and shirt colour, were just days from completing their best ever preparation for the race south.
"It really does still surprise me this boat is so competitive given her age but she was really just so advanced,'' Richards said of the slim-lined Bob Oatley-owned yacht still regarded as one of the world's best and well campaigned supermaxis.
"It really is unheard of for a boat 10 years old to be so competitive. It just goes to show how good she was when she was built.''
Renowned for her annual technological upgrades to keep her in line with modern trends, this year the Wild Oats team has opted to stay with a proven formula.
Wild Oats XI sails back towards the Sydney Heads during a heavy swell on a training day. Source: News Corp Australia
The crew have reversed an earlier decision to extend a hydrofoil wing which protruded from the yacht to give it lift when racing downwind, because it was interfering with her upwind performance with the boat back in the water on Friday after her latest tinkle.
In the past, Wild Oats' annual plastic surgery has included extending her from 98 foot to the maximum length of 100 allowed to race the Sydney to Hobart and the additions of various canard, rudder and foiling appendages which have resulted in the crew referring to the yacht as the Swiss Army knife.
Richards said the 2014 lead-up was one of Wild Oats' best ever, with only minor glitches interfering with their onwater training.
"It's been incident free, which has been great,'' said Richards, who was at the helm when Wild Oats hit 33 knots on a training run on the weekend.
"And she is undeniably faster than ever before.
Below deck, no creature comforts for the crew. Source: News Corp Australia
"She has a new sail inventory which is far superior to anything in the past.
"It is going quicker from every angle of sail than ever before.''
Since her launch, Wild Oats has set two race records — including the current mark of one day, 18 hours, 23min, 12 seconds for the 628nm race — won the coveted overall honours twice and owns seven line honours trophies.
But the Sydney yacht faces potentially her most formidable battle to retain the mantle of line honours winner this year, with at least three other yachts capable of ending her bid to become the first eight-time winner of the bluewater classic.
The American newcomer Comanche has been built to win races and set records but her performance, like fellow Australian heavyweight Perpetual Loyal, will be largely dependent on the weather from the Boxing Day start.
Mark Richards at the helm of Wild Oats XI during the Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour. Source: News Corp Australia
The Australian supermaxi Ragamuffin is expected to excel in similar conditions to Wild Oats but she is sight unseen by her rivals in the lead-up to the race.
"She, Ragamuffin, really is a mystery but good luck to them.'' Richards said.
"The more the merrier as fast as we are concerned.''
Richards said Wild Oats and her crew will put in two more big training days on Saturday and Sunday to complete her pre-Hobart preparations.
"Then it's all about the weather, which we can't control,'' he said.
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