Record fleet set sail at WinterBash

Published 12:00pm 13 August 2022

Words by Nick Crockford

The seventh annual WinterBash off the beach regatta at Woody Point, Brisbane attracted its largest ever fleet.

Humpybong Yacht Club President Ryan McLaughlin said sailors from Tasmania to Sydney had nominated for the event, on July 30-31, with a total of 86 boats in all divisions.

“We had an amazing number of F16, F18, A class, Nacra, Taipan, C2, Tornado, Hobie and Wetas and a good dinghy fleet of Lasers, 125’s,Impulse, 505 and other classes," Mr McLaughlin said.

Weather was mixed with fair conditions on day one and overcast skies on day two.

'Spectacular'

Nevertheless, the sight of boats crowding the start and then heading south in their divisions including juniors towards the first mark amongst the intermittent showers was the most spectacular sight seen in Bramble Bay this year.

The top level of competition on the water was shown in the three races with four division starts sending the multihulls away first followed by the dinghy classes.

The Marathon, held in partly cloudy and sunny conditions on Sunday, took the sailors from Woody Point south to Shorncliffe then all the way north to Newport and back to the Woody Point finish.

Winds were steady in the beginning, decreasing in the early afternoon which returned many craft across various intervals.