It was a wet start today for one of Australia’s oldest yacht races, the Gladstone Ports Corporation 75th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race which set sail at 11am on friday from Moreton Bay.
Challenging conditions lie ahead for the 46 yachts which lined up on the start line with crews facing northerly wind conditions and a potential storm cell and the first yachts expected to cross the finish line on Easter Sunday morning.
2022 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race winner, Celestial currently leads the fleet seven nautical miles ahead of Maritimo 11 and Ocean Crusaders J-Bird III.
Indigo II led the fleet across the start line with Celestial, Kerisma and Active Again closely on their tail at estimated speeds of seven knots.
Tonight around 400 sailors contesting the race face the possibility of battling potential thunderstorms and strong winds of around 30 knots as they climb up the coast on their 308 nautical mile race to Gladstone.
Wet weather gear is likely to be on for the entire race.
The fleet was to be 47 yachts with one pre-race withdrawal (Italian Job) and then another retirement after the race start making the race fleet now 45 yachts. Night Nurse retired around Moreton Island with a torn main sail.
Queensland Cruising Yacht Club (QCYC) Commodore, Ian Gidlow said the 75th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race fleet is now well and truly on their way to Gladstone in another milestone in Australian sailing history.
“It was a surprisingly lively race start to the 75th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race given the unfavourable weather predictions but instead we saw some breeze kick in to send the fleet on their way,” Mr Gidlow said.
“About eight or so nautical miles into the race, spinnakers were up and the fleet looked like it was making good progress as they made their way out of Moreton Bay,” he said.
This year’s fleet includes some of Australia’s best known ocean racing yachts along with a recently imported European yacht, the first ever electric yacht entry, and one yacht competing in their 30th B2G.
Yachts entered in the 75th B2G heading to the Brisbane start line in Moreton Bay have come from as far afield as the Netherlands, Sydney, Townsville, the Whitsundays, Gladstone, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.
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