Nicorette and Brindabella close in on Alfa Romeo

FAVOURABLE winds carried New Zealand maxi Alfa Romeo ahead for a second night in the 58th Sydney to Hobart yacht race but her commanding lead was narrowed by shrewd tactics at the business end of the race.

Five trailing maxis were in the hunt with Britain's Canon Leopard, Sean Langman's Grundig and Australian Scandia Wild Thing all following Alfa Romeo's easterly line.

But Swedish maxi Nicorette and 1997 line honours winner Brindabella chose a different tactical route, taking the most direct line towards the finish at Hobart, and were lying second and third in the early evening.

"It has become a real tactical dual as to whether you'd go straight down the rhumb line (most direct route) or you go wide," Peter Campbell from Sydney's Cruising Yacht Club said. At least 15 yachts have entered Bass Strait, which separates the Australian mainland from Tasmania site of the race finish.

In the race for overall handicap honours, Fitness First Sting was leading Ragamuffin and Pippin.

Race organisers said the leaders are expected to cross the line late this afternoon.

Conditions on Australia's east coast were vastly improved yesterday from the blinding rain that greeted the 57 starters a day earlier.

Ensuing chaos saw two damaged yachts eliminated and two crew plucked from the choppy waters.

One crewman's leg was caught in a spinnaker sheet and he was dragged for about 50 metres when Trumpcard from Queensland collided with Sydney-based Loki.

Later, a mainsheet jammed on French entrant Peugeot Racing and she collided with Australia's Valheru, knocking a crewman overboard.

Valheru and Trumpcard limped back to Sydney and have each lodged protests against Peugeot Racing and Loki for forcing them out of the race.