Lexus of Tasmania Maria Island Race Preview

Joe De Kock's Dehler 44 KD4, winner of last year's Lexus of Tasmania Maria Island Race © Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania

The 77th Lexus of Tasmania Maria Island Race starts from Castray Esplanade at 19:00 on Friday evening, hosted by The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.

A quality fleet will set off on the 180-mile race with the help of a brisk westerly air stream, likely to prevail for much of the race. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting westerly winds in the 20 to 30 knot range for the SE corner of the State.

Last year's winner, Joe De Kock's Dehler 44 KD4, is once again a favourite to take out the race. KD4, sailed largely by crew from NSW is representing the Derwent Sailing Squadron in this year's race.

Keen not to let KD4 have it all her own way is John Lawrie's Mills 41 Tenacity. Tenacity is preparing for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and Lawrie will be looking to extract the best from the silver-hulled flyer.

An unknown quantity, but likely to be quick in hard reaching and running is the lovely-looking X-Yachts X43 Scaramouche, skippered by Tony Williams out of Bellerive. Very much a cruiser racer but should look after crew well on the round-Maria racetrack.

The John Alexander-skippered Joubert Modified 42 Tilting at Windmills is back for another crack at the Maria, and while she is a traditional timber yacht, should not be discounted as she is well-sailed and in fighting trim in preparation for the Rolex Sydney Hobart.

At the smaller end of the scale there's the perennial competitor Stewart Geeves' Young 88 Footloose; Prion, a Mount Gay 30 skippered by Sandy Bay Sailing Club Commodore Jory Linscott and Jean-Pierre Ravanat's Hip-Nautic a Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 better know for short-handed sailing, but this year is sailing fully-crewed.

Richard Grant is venturing to Maria two-handed in Cromarty Magellan, sailing with his daughter Megan Grant. The well-performed Knoop 39 will be well-set up by the meticulous Richard and we look forward with interest to their result.

First finishers might be expected late on Saturday evening.