Sails set for blue water classic

For the first time in 60 years, all entries for Good Friday’s Brisbane to Gladstone (B2G) Yacht Race will be on the same start line.

Multihull and monohull entries have, for more than six decades, had separate starts off Shorncliffe Jetty in the annual 308 nautical mile race.

But Queensland Cruising Yacht Club (QCYC), which runs the event, has combined them this year, says Commodore David Hamilton.

Forty-two boats have entered the 76^th B2G which will be started at 11am this year by Professor Graeme Nimmo, who is QCYC joint patron with Dr Jeannet Young.

The fleet will sail close to the Redcliffe foreshore before turning south of Bribie towards Moreton Island, go past Tangalooma and then heading north to the Sunshine Coast and Gladstone.

Weather conditions are (at the time of writing) expected to see a 15-20 knot south-easterly breeze with a 70 per cent chance of rain.

Mr Hamilton said the leading boats are expected to reach Gladstone in about 24 hours, with the smaller boats taking 30-40 hours.

Among the multihull entries is Noire, a new 70ft yacht skippered by Allan Larkin and Tri-ballistic, a trimaran skippered by Ian Holten.

They will be up against the Celestial, see feature picture, from the Cruising Yacht Club of Sydney and skippered by Sam Haynes, which was the overall Sydney to Hobart race winner in 2022.

Other monohulls to follow include Wild Thing 100, from the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Manly, and Alive from the Derwent Sailing Squadron in Tasmania.

Based at Shorncliffe, the QCYC entries are Amaya II, skippered by Matthew Kingsley; Blizzard, skippered by Nev Watts and Spetsig, skippered by Peter Kerr.

Niamh Larkin and Michael Andrews, from Moreton Bay Boat Club at Scarborough, have entered Jenesis again.

The oldest boat in this year’s B2G is Birdie, which was built in 1962 for the Trans-Pacific Ocean Race of 1963.

Birdie is skippered by Warren Venaglia, based at Mooloolaba Yacht Club and will be sailing its first B2G under new owners.

Channel 9’s Today show will be doing live crosses to the B2G on Friday morning and Kayo Sports is broadcasting the start live and free.

The Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race website will host live streaming and yacht tracking of the race.