High-tech American supermaxi Comanche will be back to contest the Sydney to Hobart yacht race – just not next year.

On debut Comanche was beaten to the finish line on Sunday by eight-times winner Wild Oats XI by 49 minutes, the new blue water classic contender posting an official time of two days, two hours, 52 minutes and 40 seconds.

Skipper Ken Read said after the race that Comanche will recontest the 628-nautical mile challenge in 2016, transport turnaround times for the boat likely preventing a back-to-back entry in 2015.

Read was happy with the boat, which made a strong start in Sydney to take an early lead.

“We knew we had a good boat right off the starting line,” he said.

“That was pretty cool, the way the boat just sailed away on that windy reach.”

But unpredictable conditions in Bass Strait proved the downfall for Comanche which slowed in light winds on Saturday morning to be overtaken by Wild Oats XI.

“Unfortunately we’ve always known we would have that one blemish in really light air and that became a dominant feature in the race,” Read said.

After trailing the leader by more than 40 nautical miles at times Comanche closed the gap on Sunday morning to come within 10 nautical miles.

“We were just waiting for them to make a mistake but it’s no shock that dude (Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards) doesn’t make mistakes.”

Co-owned by American billionaire Jim Clark and his Australian wife Kristy Hinze-Clark, Read was glad the former supermodel decided against joining the crew for this race.

“This boat was fully airborne a couple of times and we came out of it really well – jarring stuff,” Read said.

“I’m glad Kristy decided not to use this race as her first … because she would never go sailing again.”

COMANCHE AT A GLANCE

* 100-foot supermaxi

* Launched: October, 2014

* Skipper: Ken Read

* Owners: Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze-Clark

* Second in line honours on debut in Sydney to Hobart 2014