Around Australia Yacht Race - Fourth entry in, QLD dominates entries

by Ian Thomson on 19 Jan 2017 With the fourth entry for the Around Australia Yacht Race having been received, it seems that Queensland is dominating this event. Often you will see that NSW yachts dominate most major offshore races is Australia, however it seems that Queenslanders are the ones that want to sail around our great country more than anyone else.

Dave Moran’s Graceful Lady has joined the Pit Stop monohull fleet. Based out of Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club in Brisbane, that now means three different Queensland clubs are now represented. Kerumba will represent the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Ocean Gem will represent Southport Yacht Club and the only entry from NSW is Top Gun from Royal Motor Yacht Squadron in Broken Bay.

With just over six months to the start there is still plenty of time to enter. When you consider Conrad Coleman put together a Vendee Globe attempt in about three months and that is around the world, getting ready in six months to sail around Australia would seem quite easy.

Dave, owner of Graceful Lady, is keen to see Australia and has entered the race as more of a competitive cruise. He has hopes to visit some of Australia’s great tourist destinations as he tours the country with a crew based on friends. It will be a great little challenge between two similar vessels when the two Dave’s and their Beneteau’s hit the start line on August 5th.

If you want to join this epic event, talk to the team at Ocean Crusaders as we have experience in this sort of trip, having done it solo in 2010. It’s a great journey and something that very few people can say they have done. And who knows you might just end up with your name on a trophy next to the great Sir Peter Blake, winner of the inaugural event 29 year ago.

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