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SHE'S a mother of two by day but Karen Meyer is hoping to become a sailing ground-breaker post Christmas as the first female bowman on a Sydney to Hobart line honours winner.
Incredibly, only four women have been part of line honours-winning crews since 1945 - American Dawn Riley in 1998 aboard Sayonara, navigator Adrienne Cahalan winning aboard both Nicorette and Wild Oats, Nicky Souter also aboard the record-breaker Wild Oats for her maiden win in 2005 and Layne Beachley on Investec Loyal two years ago.
But none of those women were ever on the bow.
This year, skipper Grant Wharington has hand selected three women in his crew, with Meyer and Sophie Ciszek, taking time out from the all-female crew preparing for the next round-the-world race, sharing the duties on the bow.
"It would be the coolest thing in the world if Wild Thing won this year,'' Meyer said.
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"Sophie is my mentor on the bow, so to be sailing with her is great and I have learned everything I know from Grant, so to know he has such faith in me is incredible.''
Last year Wharington had six women in his Hobart crew - a record number on a line honours contender - before an issue with paperwork left him shorebound while the fleet set sail.
"I was shattered, we all were,'' Meyer said. "It's probably why I am so excited about racing this year.''
Meyer and Ciszek will do opposite watches during the race but both will be on call for one of the most dangerous jobs on the boat if needed - being hauled up the 120-foot high mast on the supermaxi while at sea.
"If there is an issue with any equipment we are the ones who have to go up the mast,'' Meyer said.
"It can be pretty scary. You have to be very careful with safety. I do all my own connections and then get someone to check them.
Karen Meyer descends down the rigging on Wild Thing ahead of the Sydney to Hobart. Source: News Limited
"Once up there the movement is quite extreme. It's seven times what it is one deck so you get flung around a bit.''
Meyer is hoping her sailing record, which includes never being beaten in any race she has done on Wild Thing, will bring the 100-footer good luck this year.
"That would probably be too good to be true but you never know,'' she said.
A number of women will work as bowmen aboard yachts, including the 40-footers Aerial (Jenny Andrew) and Breakthrough (Katherine Halpin).
The fleet for the race still stands at 94 - one of the biggest in recent years.
It also boasts seven former overall winners and five 100-footers which will lead the fleet south when the canon fires at 1pm on Boxing Day.
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