The Annual Hervey Bay Boat Club Bay to Bay Trailable Yacht Race, hosted by the Hervey Bay Sailing Club, is one of Australia’s most recognised and much-loved trailable yacht passage races.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Great Sandy Strait, K’gari, Tin Can Bay Inlet and Hervey Bay, the Bay to Bay offers competitors a unique mix of competitive sailing, coastal adventure and fleet camaraderie.

Covering approximately 90km over two days, the race is open to eligible monohull and multihull trailable yachts. The course takes the fleet from north of Snapper Creek in Tin Can Inlet, through Wide Bay Harbour and the Great Sandy Strait, before finishing east of the Urangan Boat Harbour in Hervey Bay.

With an overnight stop at Garry’s Anchorage, between K’gari and Stewart Island, the event is more than just a race. It is a true Queensland sailing experience, combining changing conditions, navigation, seamanship and the social spirit that has made the Bay to Bay such a highlight on the sailing calendar.

The Bay to Bay is recognised as Queensland’s largest trailable yacht race and one of the three largest trailable yacht passage races in Australia.

Who Can Enter

The race is open to eligible trailable yachts, sports boats and multihulls that meet the relevant class, rating and safety requirements.

• Trailable Yachts — standard or open, Class (C) or One of A Kind (OAK), meeting the Australian Sailing Class Based Handicap Rating System definitions.
• Sports Boats — standard or open, Class (C) or One of A Kind (OAK), meeting the Australian Sailing Class Based Handicap Rating System definitions.
• Multihull Boats — meeting the relevant MYCQ and OMR requirements.

Race Category and Safety

The Bay to Bay is a Category 5 race, with limited rescue availability during daylight hours. All competitors must ensure their boats, crew and equipment are properly prepared for the conditions and the remote nature of the course.

All boats must be:

1. Strongly built, watertight, properly rigged and fully seaworthy.
2. Crewed by a minimum of two people, with at least one person aged 18 years or older.
3. Greater than 4.8m in length.
4. For monohulls, transportable by road without a special permit and launchable from the same trailer.
5. For monohulls, ballasted and designed to resist capsize.
6. Rigged and sailed according to the details declared on the entry form.
7. Compliant with all relevant marine safety, pollution and environmental requirements.
8. Covered by suitable legal liability insurance of at least AU$10,000,000.

A True Passage Race Experience

The Bay to Bay course travels through a largely remote and sparsely populated coastal area. There are no facilities for toileting, waste disposal, sleeping, refreshments, food, fuel, chandlery or boat repairs at Garry’s Anchorage.

Competitors are expected to be fully self-sufficient and prepared with adequate food, water, fuel and provisions for the journey, including the possibility of changing or extreme weather conditions.

For sailors, the Bay to Bay is a rare opportunity to test their boat, crew and navigation skills while enjoying one of Queensland’s most spectacular sailing routes. For many, it is not just another race — it is a must-do event and a standout weekend of sailing, scenery and friendship.