In perilous conditions through Bass Strait, the event's most experienced crew ran aground, several boats were damaged, three withdrew and organisers suspended racing until winds dropped.

Wind gusts as high as 67 knots (124km/h) were reported as the fleet of 12 hit violent electrical storms midway through the first leg.

Organisers praised the commonsense of crews for ensuring all competitors in the 24th running of the event remained safe.

``There were a lot of sensible decisions made,'' race committee member Terry Travers said.

``We knew a low was forming and it was going to be a significant front but the forecast did not indicate that magnitude.

``Potentially people were exposed to dangerous conditions but the preparations inherent in the race and the safety conditions imposed goes a long way to mitigating that along with some very prudent seamanship.''

The event's celebrity entrant, Jessica Watson, said she found conditions even less favourable than during her record-breaking solo around-the-world venture.

``It's a whole nother ball game when you've got a coastline full of rocks nearby,'' Watson said.

``Give me an open ocean and much higher waves any day.

``It wasn't quite what I expected. One thunderstorm is one thing but one after another and then the wind coming in makes it fairly hair-raising coming in to dock.''

Watson's skipper Bruce Arms added: ``It was pretty tough out there but the crew worked really hard together.

``When you get 50 knot winds it does make things interesting.''

Veteran Sidmouth sailor Nick Edmunds, who has contested every Three Peaks Race, could not prevent his monohull Haphazard being blown on to a beach within sight of Lady Barron, while both the UK Peaks Challenger team and Whistler opted to pull out and head straight down the East Coast rather than risk trying to make the Flinders port.

The Haphazard team was confident in refloating and re-entering the race, utilising last night's high tide.

Several boats sustained sail damage including Advantedge whose mainsail was taken out by a 60-knot gust.

Mr Travers said organisers made the decision to suspend racing until winds dropped below gale force.

``There have been times in previous races where conditions were probably comparable to that but only on other parts of the course,'' he said.

``That would have been the worst weather for any first leg.

``It is a basic principal under race protocol that we don't send boats out in gale force conditions so we suspend it until the winds drop.''