Sailing is a popular sport and recreational activity in Australia with its varied coastline and often warm climate. Australian Sailing is the peak body in charge of sailing as recognised by the

International Sailing Federation International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

In 2017-18 there were over 80,000 registered sailors and over 16,000 events held across the country.

Clubs

Sailing Clubs are common in Australia. Large cities have significant numbers of clubs catering to boats from off the beach dinghys to serious ocean racing. Sydney for example, has over 40 sailing clubs. Most moderate sized towns with sailable water nearby have a sailing club. Many clubs hold weekly races, annual championships and annual races.

Sailing Associations

Australia has a large number associations ranging from one design class associations, which sail boats bound by strict rules to open associations for development and broad communities of boats. Associations are generally at a national level with state based subsidiaries, although some associations are state based where they represent classes or communities that are only found in one state. In 2019, Sailing Australia affiliated ### class and other associations, although not all class associations are affiliated. Associations often hold annual state and national championships.

Major Events

The

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual event hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales, on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately . The race is run in ...

is the premier blue water Australian race, starting on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day every year. The race attracts a wide variety of boats from supermaxi yachts to small private boats. The race was first held in 1945. The

Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race Commonly known as the Westcoaster, the Melbourne to Hobart Ocean Yacht Race also known as M2H commences from Port Phillip, Victoria and concludes in Hobart, Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map ...

starts on 27 January in Port Phillip Bay. Racers trace a course down the rugged west coast of Tasmania and along the south coast to Hobart. Hamilton Island Race Week held in the

Whitsunday Islands The Whitsunday Islands are 74 continental islands of various sizes off the central coast of Queensland, Australia, north of Brisbane. The northernmost of the islands are off the coast by the town of Bowen, while the southernmost islands are of ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

in August is Australia's largest offshore regatta attracting over 250 boats.

Historical racing events

Australia hosted the

1956 Olympics 1956 Olympics refers to both: *The 1956 Winter Olympics, which were held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy *The 1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport even ...

in Melbourne and the

2000 Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug language, Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport ...

in Sydney including the respective sailing events. In 1983, Australia sailing in Australia II defeated the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...

in the

America's Cup The America's Cup, informally known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded in the sport of sailing. It is the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one ...

, ending their 132-year stranglehold on the cup. This is considered one of the greatest moments in Australian sports history. The following America's Cup was held in 1987 in Perth with Australia losing the cup.

Sailing around the states

Australian Capital Territory

Competitive sailing is based around

Lake Burley Griffin Lake Burley Griffin is an artificial lake in the centre of Canberra, the capital of Australia. It was completed in 1963 after the Molonglo River, which ran between the city centre and Parliamentary Triangle, was dammed. It is named after W ...

in Canberra.

New South Wales

Sydney is a mecca for sailing with Sydney Harbour,

Botany Bay Botany Bay ( Dharawal: ''Kamay''), an open ocean The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refe ...

and Pittwater providing abundant sheltered water for sailing races for boats from small dinghys to large keel boats. Australia Day regatta is held on the 26th of January every year. It is the world's oldest continuously held regatta, first held in 1837. Sailing was popular in Sydney from as early as 1900.

Joshua Slocum Joshua Slocum (February 20, 1844 – on or shortly after November 14, 1909) was the first person to sail single-handedly around the world. He was a Nova Scotian-born, naturalised American seaman and adventurer, and a noted writer. In 1900 he wr ...

commented in his account of his first around the world voyage that sailing was a popular sport.

Queensland

Sailing on

Moreton Bay Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are ...

offer excellent cruising.

Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race The Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race is held annually, starting on Good Friday. The premier blue water classic begins from Shorncliffe in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, and finishes in Gladstone Harbour. Yachts compete for the Courier Ma ...

Bay to Bay yacht race A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a narr ...

South Australia

There are a number of off the beach sailing clubs along Adelaide's metropolitan coastline on the Eastern side of the

Gulf St Vincent Gulf St Vincent, sometimes referred to as St Vincent Gulf, St Vincent's Gulf or Gulf of St Vincent, is the eastern of two large inlets of water on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, the other being the larger Sp ...

with other clubs at major towns along the coast. Major yacht clubs are located in Marinas around Port Adelaide. The

Lake Eyre Lake Eyre ( ), officially known as Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is an endorheic lake in east-central Far North South Australia, some north of Adelaide. The shallow lake is the depocentre of the vast endorheic Lake Eyre basin, and contains ...

Yacht Club is notable as it sits on a dry lake, which is only infrequently filled. In 2010, it held a regatta for the first time in over 20 years. South Australia offers excellent cursing grounds within the Spencer's Gulf and St Vincent's Gulf with numerous islands, and the coats of the

Eyre Eyre may refer to: Name *Eyre (given name) *Eyre (surname) Places Australia National *Eyre Highway, a highway connecting South Australia and Western Australia South Australia * Eyre Peninsula (disambiguation) *Eyre, South Australia, a suburb * ...

, Yorke and Fleurieu peninsulas as well as the coast of

Kangaroo Island Kangaroo Island, also known as Karta Pintingga (literally 'Island of the Dead' in the language of the Kaurna people), is Australia's third-largest island, after Tasmania and Melville Island. It lies in the state of South Australia, southw ...

Tasmania

Sailing in Tasmania focuses on the sheltered waters of the Derwent River around Hobart as well as in Launceston. The

Royal Hobart Regatta The Royal Hobart Regatta is a series of aquatic competitions and displays held annually in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and is Tasmania's oldest sporting event. The regatta began in 1838. The event runs for three days and incorporates a public ...

is held on the Derwent River annually in February. It was first held in 1838 and involves a wide range of water sports including sailing. The

Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race The Launceston to Hobart yacht race is a 285 nautical mile race, commencing at Beauty Point on the Tamar River, with competitors sailing out of the Tamar River, east along the northern coast of Tasmania (eastern Bass Strait), through Banks Strait ...

is held annually beginning on 27 December.

Northern Territory

Darwin has two yacht clubs, the Darwin Sailing Club and the Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association. The Darwin Ambon Yacht Race is held in August annually.

Victoria

In Victoria, sailing is centred on

Port Phillip Bay Port Phillip (Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, narrow channel known as The Rip, and is completel ...

and

Western Port Bay Western Port, ( Boonwurrung: ''Warn Marin'') commonly but unofficially known as Western Port Bay, is a large tidal bay in southern Victoria, Australia, opening into Bass Strait. It is the second largest bay in the state. Geographically, it i ...

. Sail Melbourne is an annual sailing Regatta run by Yachting Victoria at various yacht clubs around Port Phillip Bay. Sail Melbourne is a Grade 1 International Sailing Federation event and the is the largest off the beach regatta in the Southern Hemisphere.

Western Australia

Sailing centred on the Swan River in

Perth Perth is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the Australian states and territories of Australia, state of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth most populous city in Aust ...

. The Fremantle to Bali yacht race and rally is a 2500 km yacht race starting in May.

References

{{reflist

External links

Australian Sailing
the peak body for Sailing in Australia
Australian Sailing Team