Types of Boats
Dinghies & Small Catamarans - 8ft - 14ft Recommended Age: 8 - 55
Dinghies and small catamarans are raced in classes by one or two crew only. Dinghy sailing is the best introduction to sailing for children. The boats can be stored at a club or launched from a trailer.
Skiffs - 12ft - 18ft Recommended Age: 16 - 30
Hanging out over the water on a trapeze is what makes this the fastest and most exhilarating sailing for those who don't mind getting wet. The ultimate is to crew on one of the highly sponsored 18 footers or a 49er, an Olympic Class skiff. Both boats originate from Australia and are trailable.
Trailable Yachts - 16ft - 30ft Recommended Age: Any
As the keel on these yachts lifts up or folds to one side they can be put on a trailer. When travelling to Australia's many shallow coastal lakes they can be used as a caravan at night, but on arrival, they are competitive racers or comfortable cruisers. The Marley Point race for trailable yachts in the Gippsland Lakes in March is Australia's largest yacht race with approximately 400 starters.
Keel Yachts - 20ft up Recommended Age: Any
Most yachts with keels stay in the water at a marina or on a mooring except when slipped for hull maintenance. Competitive racing yachts are lifted by crane out of the water, placed in a cradle and washed down to keep the hull clean and the boat competitive.
Multihulls - 20ft up Recommended Age: Any
Large multihulls stay in the water at a marina or on a mooring except when slipped for hull maintenance. They are popular cruising yachts as they have lots of space and do not heel over as much as a monohull. However, the racing multihulls fly a hull and they are fast, holding all the world sailing records.
Sailing Schools
Australian sailing schools offer courses devised to cover all aspects of sailing from cruising to racing. Courses encourage a high standard of boat handling, navigation and seamanship and range from an introduction to sailing to commercial qualifications for skippers and instructors. In some areas accommodation packages on shore or on board may be arranged.
Three training schemes, based in three countries, are accrediting Australian sailing schools to teach their curriculum.
School Holiday Sailing Camps
Some sailing schools offer school holiday sailing camps conducted in the morning or afternoon. All day and residential schools include other activities. Minimum age varies per school but most will not take children under 8 years. Email Boating OZ giving the ages of the children and we will find the school closest to you.
Yacht Racing
The range of yacht racing in Australia is fantastic. You can travel the east coast of Australia from August to December, racing yachts.
Racing charter yachts are now available - your own boat or share with others.
Crew can pay for positions on training yachts sailing in twilight and coastal races.
Yacht clubs hold races most weekends in classes (one design of boat only) or in divisions (all classes, but divided into groups depending on their speed). When boats of different designs (classes) race against each other they are handicapped accordingly.
Usually, a weekly race is run during winter and summer and points are allocated for each race. The point score winner is announced at the end of the season.
If you want to race but do not know someone with a boat, put notices on the board at your nearest club, talk to the people in the sailing office and ask at the bar. Someone may have a casual crew vacancy or they may be looking for permanent crew. Permanent crew are only taken on after a couple of weeks trial. Personality is often more important than sailing ability.
A Competent Crew Certificate obtained from a sailing school will be an advantage when finding a crew position
For the inexperienced, it is easier to become a crew member on the more relaxed Wednesday afternoon or twilight races when spinnakers are not used. If you have been punctual, available for every race in the series, and have helped with maintenance when asked, you may be invited to crew in the more serious weekend races.
Ocean racing yachts have regular crews unless the skipper is a 'Captain Bligh'. (Refer to Mutiny on the Bounty 1789.) However, with the extended racing program in Queensland even good skippers may need extra crew for some legs.
Deliveries - Yachts are delivered up and down the coast when sold and when owners want to holiday in an another area. After ocean races delivery crews bring the yachts home. Sailing Schools offer offshore sail training to gain sea miles while delivering boats or ask around the clubs prior to the start of a race or after the boats have finished. Make sure you choose a boat with experienced crew if you want to learn something and return home safely.
This is a great opportunity to learn about navigation, seamanship and to find out if you will enjoy ocean racing. Experience, clear thinking and a good personality are the tickets to crewing on an ocean racer.
Corporate Racing
Racing in yachts reinforces business principles. You must look ahead, anticipate change, be punctual and reliable, communicate well, work as a team and solve problems quickly.
Corporate racing is recommended to companies wishing to give their staff and/or clients an unusual experience in problem solving, teamwork and healthy competition with lots of fun and excitement. No experience is necessary.
'Volvo 60' maxis or identical high-performance 'Sydney 38s' or Beneteau yachts of various sizes are available to the corporate world to match race, that is, compete in identical boats. The two or more teams of company executives become equal as crew members, under an experienced skipper and crew provided with the boats. Sailing dinghies are also available.
Corporate racing charters are available in Sydney and the Whitsundays for groups of 10 to 200 or more. Full event management is available from some companies including incentive programs, conferences, catering etc.
Race Management
Race Management is the running of regattas and races. Boats, equipment and manpower are required. Yacht clubs have start and chase boats, a team of racing officials, and equipment such as flags and starting guns. Usually this very important job is carried out by older and less agile volunteers with no training except experience.
As a volunteer you may be required to record boats crossing the line, call out finish times, fire the gun or help the yeoman with flag signals. If you have a boat licence you may drive the start boat or one of the rescue boats.
Another level of race management is the protest panel. Protests from regular club races are heard by a panel of experienced racers from the club who know the racing rules but who did not participate in the race in question. After much rule book reading and protest hearing these club members may become International Judges. They are required to hear protests in major races.
