The crew of Wild Oats XI have all but given up on a new Sydney to Hobart race record after overnight winds slowed the super-maxi's charge towards the finish.

The Mark Richards-skippered yacht rounded Tasman Island around 3.30am (AEDT) on Friday with an estimated arrival time at Constitution Dock of around 8.30.

That puts the five-time winner about 50 minutes outside the record of one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds it set in 2005.

Westerlies of 10-15 knots on Thursday night replaced the strong northerlies that had powered the five-time line honours winner to a position hours ahead of record pace.

By 6am Friday, it was 18 nautical miles from home travelling at a speed of 11.6 knots, 46 nm ahead of Ragamuffin Loyal with third maxi Lahana a further 50nm back.

NSW yacht Jazz led the handicap standings ahead of Calm and Secret Men's Business.

Two boats retired on Thursday, the first casualties of the race, leaving 74 of the fleet still competing.

Last year's handicap runner-up Living Doll pulled out with a broken rudder and was expected in Eden, NSW, around midday.

Victorian boat Primitive Cool quit with a damaged mainsail and was also heading to Eden.

Meanwhile, Ragamuffin's time could be affected by an international jury hearing after the 2011 line honours victor jumped the start in Sydney.

The crew will front the jury at 4pm in Hobart.