Wild Oats XI is charging inexorably towards second straight line honours in the Sydney to Hobart after a day of carnage in which most of its major rivals were either wiped out or hobbling.

Just after 8pm on Wednesday, the defending line and handicap honours winner was 22 nautical miles ahead of fellow maxi Skandia which has been slowed after losing its front rudder six-and-a-half hours earlier.

With Skandia slowing down appreciably, third placed Ichi Ban has closed to within 11 miles of the Victorian maxi, but Yendys in fourth is another 60 miles astern.

Wild Oats XI, which is travelling around five knots faster than Skandia, isn't expected in Hobart until late on Thursday.

At least Skandia is still racing, unlike nine other yachts including fellow maxi Maximus and Dutch 70-footer ABN AMRO, both of which were dismasted off the NSW far south coast in a wild and potentially pivotal half hour just after 3am.

Six yachtsmen were taken to hospital as boats had to contend with wave sets of up to six metres and winds nudging 40 knots.

Three members of Maximus were winched off the then race leader by helicopter with serious injuries and two others were taken off by police launch after the New Zealand maxi's mast broke off and sent the rig crashing down on the deck.

New Zealander Glenn Attrill has lower back injuries and was the only one of the three injured Maximus crewmen airlifted to Moruya Hospital to remain overnight, while David Mundy was released despite a broken leg, cracked pelvis and rib injuries.

George Hendy suffered head and rib injuries, Ian Trevelan has head injuries and Martin Hannan was suffering concussion, shoulder and back injuries.

Adding insult to injury, Maximus withdrew just 22 minutes after its turn at the front of the fleet.

ABN AMRO had overtaken long time race leader Wild Oats XI between one and 2am and was five nautical miles in front of it when it became dismasted in winds of about 30 knots.

"No-one has been injured, but the boys are obviously really disappointed - we were going well so that makes it even more disappointing," ABN AMRO's New Zealand born skipper Mike Sanderson said.

While conditions were expected to moderate, Wild Oats XI navigator Adrienne Cahalan reported it was still tough going in Bass Strait late on Wednesday.

"It's very rough seas and winds up to 25 to 30 knots at times," Cahalan said.

Despite the damage to boats and bodies, Commodore Geoff Lavis from race organiser the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, said conditions were nowhere near as bad as the tragic 1998 race in which six yachtsmen died and five boats sunk.

There was heartbreak for the crew of 1968 overall race winner Ray White Koomooloo which was leading the race on handicap until it became holed and was sinking off the NSW south coast after it fell off a backless wave in lumpy seas and around 22 knots of south-westerly breeze.

Other retirees were Sailors With Disabilities (rudder), Mr Kite (rigging), Endorfin, Chutzpah and Salona (all steering).

The crew aboard Skandia was alerted to the loss of its canard when it heard a loud bang and saw it floating away on the windward side of the boat, though captain Grant Wharington wasn't sure if the boat had struck something.

"Although this is not fatal to our race, our performance will really suffer from this injury." Wharington said.

"We will need to sail lower and slower, basically we won't be able to sail right at the target anymore - the boat just goes sideways - and we won't be able to power her up."

"You will certainly see some separation between us and Wild Oat now.

"I guess given the carnage of last night we should be grateful."

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