Surf to City Yacht Race

The Surf to City is one of the most distinctive races on the Queensland calendar — a yacht race from the Gold Coast to Brisbane that runs two separate fleets at once, an offshore fleet around Cape Moreton and an inshore fleet up through the bay. Organised by the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club, it is both a great race in its own right and a favoured stepping stone to the state's marquee ocean race.

What it is

The Surf to City links the Gold Coast and Brisbane in a way no other Australian race quite does. It fields an offshore fleet and an inshore fleet over the same general journey, and welcomes both monohulls and multihulls in their respective divisions — making it one of only a handful of races in the country to do so. That dual structure, explained below, is the heart of its character, and a neat illustration of the difference between offshore and inshore racing.

The two courses

• Inshore fleet — follows the main channel from Southport up to Brisbane, threading past the islands in the southern part of Moreton Bay. It is the more sheltered, navigationally intricate route.
• Offshore fleet — starts off the Southport Seaway, heads out and north around Cape Moreton, then enters Moreton Bay and finishes off Shorncliffe. It is the longer, open-water option.

Running both means crews can choose the challenge that suits their boat and experience, all within the one event — part of the wider south-east Queensland scene covered in our guide to sailing in Brisbane and Moreton Bay.

Organisers and the B2G connection

The race is hosted by the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club, assisted by the Multihull Yacht Club of Queensland and the Southport Yacht Club. QCYC is the same club behind the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race and the Bribie Cup, and the Surf to City is promoted as one of the best ways to qualify for the Brisbane to Gladstone — making it a popular lead-up for crews preparing for that Easter classic.

How to enter and follow

Entries and event information are published by the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club. Crews should read the Notice of Race for their chosen fleet and division, confirm the relevant safety requirements, and enter before the deadline. As ever, the first boat home is not necessarily the winner — see line honours versus handicap — and the sailing terms glossary covers the language of the race documents.