Duncan Hine-skippered 66-footer yacht Alive has claimed overall honours in the Sydney to Hobart for the second time.

The Tasmania-based yacht crossed the finish line on Thursday as clubhouse leader on handicap time, was officially declared winner of the Tattersall Cup on Saturday.

It was the sleek racer’s second victory in the iconic event, having taken overall honours in 2018 and almost clinching back-to-back titles the following year, when it finished fourth.

It was fourth past-the-post in a time of two days, two hours, 19 minutes and four seconds.

“You can be lucky and you can just as easily be unlucky. I think we had some luck,” Hine said not long after arriving in Hobart.nne

More than 50 yachts were still at sea at 10am (AEDT) on Saturday after a flurry of arrivals overnight.

The fleet battled squally conditions as well as a storm on the first night of the race on Boxing Day.

A gale wind warning is in place for waters off Tasmania’s lower east and southeast coast where the majority of remaining competitors are placed.

Gunshot, a 52-footer skippered by NSW’s David Walsh, was towed by police on Friday night after earlier retiring due to mainsail damage.

Police to the rescue

The crew of 10 was heading to Cape Barren Island off the northeast coast of Tasmania when they asked for a tow because they could only sail at one knot.

The yacht was safely anchored off Flinders Island on Saturday morning awaiting more favourable weather.

Helsel 3 diverted to Port Arthur in southern Tasmania to assess damage and subsequently pulled the pin.

There have been 17 retirements from the 103-strong starting fleet, with crews reporting broken equipment and seasickness.

Two-handed yacht Sylph VI, including skipper Bob Williams and his cat Oli, is bringing up the tail of the fleet and is not expected to arrive until the new year.

Supermaxi LawConnect claimed line honours on Thursday morning by just 51 seconds in the second closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history.

-with AAP