An introduction to Racing at QCYC

Our location is the perfect vantage point for any person living on the north side of the Brisbane River to begin and develop their journey in the sport of Sailing.

QCYC organises and hosts a number of significant yacht events including the Gladstone Ports Corporation Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, the Gladstone Ports Corporation Surf to City Yacht Race, the Bribie Cup and the Vintage Yacht Regatta.

In addition to these signature events, the Club has a full calendar of winter and summer sailing.  The Gladstone Ports Corporation Winter Series is keenly contested and provides many idyllic days of balmy sailing on beautiful Moreton Bay.  In short, it’s the optimal choice for the active and enthusiastic sailor who thrives on year-round competition.

Opening day on the first Saturday in September sees a fleet of club boats on parade. A hugely enjoyable social occasion, it heralds the start of another highly anticipated season of racing. From then on, it’s full on racing!

The first race of the sailing year is the historic Bribie Cup, held in September each year. This is a day race open to monohull and multihull yachts that starts off Shorncliffe and finishes in the Bribie Passage.

Summer racing concentrates around the InterClub Series. This is made up of eight races split into two groups of four races. The first Spring group of four races are contested before Christmas whilst the second Summer group are raced after the New Year. Course lengths are around 25-30 nautical miles.

Among the other racing to be enjoyed are the Life Members’ Race and a four-race Night Series.

The beauty of sailing is that any boat can be competitive regardless of age or size thanks to a system of handicapping. All entrants are allotted a PHRF (Performance Handicap Rating Factor) based on known performances of the boat, or similar boats, hull design and sail plan against which their performances are measured.

The Club celebrates everyone’s sailing achievements with an annual end of season presentation. For an active club with such a rich sailing history, it will be no surprise to learn there are some prestigious and highly-prized trophies on offer.

Since 1964, the Gold Cup has been awarded to the best performing Queensland Cruising Yacht Club yacht over the year-long Sailing Season. To win this prestigious award, skippers must excel over a diverse collection of events and series which start shortly after Opening Day in September and culminate in May.

The Gladstone Ports Corporation Winter Series at Queensland Cruising Yacht Club is a standalone series commencing in June and finishing in late July each year. During the series there is a mix of short course races and passage races using marks around the bay plus a category for SAGS sailors.

The series includes the Winter Bell challenge, a Club event held between the Sandgate Yacht Club and Queensland Cruising Yacht Club and the Otter Rock Plate competed for with Moreton Bay Boat Club.  An array of Marina berth stays at the Gladstone Marina are offered as prizes in the Gladstone Ports Corporation Winter Series.

To learn more use the links in this section.