Bay to Bay Trailable Yacht Race

The Bay to Bay Trailable Yacht Race is Queensland's largest trailable yacht race — a two-day passage from Tin Can Bay to Hervey Bay through the Great Sandy Strait, past the World Heritage-listed K'gari, run by the Hervey Bay Sailing Club each May. One of the three largest trailable passage races in Australia, it is the Fraser Coast's great sailing event and a bucket-list weekend for trailer-sailer crews.

What it is

The Bay to Bay is a race for trailable yachts — the small, towable boats you launch at a ramp — across both monohull and multihull divisions. Its scale sets it apart: it is Queensland's largest trailable yacht race, drawing big fleets to the Fraser Coast each year. The trailable format is the key to its accessibility — crews tow their boats to Tin Can Bay, rig on the ramp, and race a genuine multi-day passage, which is a rare and special thing in a small boat.

The course

The race runs from Tin Can Bay through the Tin Can Bay Inlet and the Great Sandy Strait into Hervey Bay, threading past the Great Sandy National Park and K'gari (Fraser Island). The course is around 87 kilometres, judged too long for a single day, so it is split into two stages with an overnight stop at Garry's Anchorage, between K'gari and Stewart Island. Sailing through the strait, between island and mainland in a World Heritage setting, gives the race much of its character.

History

The Bay to Bay was conceived by members of the Hervey Bay Sailing Club on 18 April 1980. The organisers expected a modest turnout for the first running in May 1981 — and were overwhelmed when 114 boats arrived for the start, far beyond the 30 they had anticipated. Rockhampton sailor Rob McWatters took line honours that year in a Seawind 24 catamaran. From that runaway first event the race has grown into a Queensland institution, held on the first weekend in May each year.

How to enter and follow

Entries and event information are published by the Hervey Bay Sailing Club. Crews towing a trailable yacht to the Fraser Coast should read the Notice of Race, check the safety requirements for the two-day passage and overnight stop, and enter before the deadline. If you are new to this style of boat, our guide to getting into sailing in Australia and the sailing terms glossary are good starting points. In Victoria, the Marlay Point Overnight Race is its great counterpart (see the related races below).