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The Sydney to Hobart resembled a game of two halves for Sydney Swans legend Jude Bolton.
The retired AFL star completed his first bluewater classic on board Perpetual LOYAL, finishing second behind line honours winner Wild Oats XI.
The race began in such benign conditions Bolton dispensed with the seasickness tablets.
But that all changed on Saturday when the remodelled supermaxi clocked more than 35 knots on the run home.
“To be perfectly honest, the first part of it was fairly easy,” Bolton said.
“It was really calm conditions, you get to sleep on the boat.
“It just turned (on Saturday) and it was full-on.
“It was very intense.”
LOYAL skipper Anthony Bell had hoped to play catch-up when the favourable stronger winds arrived.
But they proved too little too late and the boat finished more than three hours behind Oats.
Bolton, part of the sail crew on LOYAL, said he revelled in the final day’s wild ride.
“We had it up at almost 45 knots just off the coast of Tassie here and (there was) water coming over the top of the bow here,” he said.
“We were just getting sprayed. It was great fun.”
Bolton was one of a host of celebrities aboard LOYAL, including solo sailor Jessica Watson, TV presenters Larry Emdur and Karl Stefanovic, former Wallaby Phil Waugh and chef Guillaume Brahimi.