Please select your home edition
Edition
ABS2026_Sail World_1456x180-5 TOP

Whitsundays Season of Sailing - Get your sea legs on

by Heidi Walton on 10 Jul 2014
Airlie Beach Race Week Whitsunday Sailing Club
Australia’s aquatic playground is gearing up for its annual ‘Sailing Season’, where sails and spinnakers dominate the horizon by day, and champagne corks and good times dominate by night.



The Whitsundays Season of Sailing kicks off with Vision Surveys Airlie Beach Race Week (8-15 August 2014) and the Great Whitsunday Fun Race (16 August), followed by the region’s premier event, Audi Hamilton Island Race Week (19 -27 August 2014), showcasing some of Australia’s finest racing yachts. The season continues with the famous Shag Islet Rendezvous (28-31 August). Thousands of competitors and spectators flock to the Whitsundays each year to celebrate the events and Australia’s premier sailing grounds.



Airlie Beach Race Week is renowned as Australia’s ‘Tropical Shirt Regatta’ for its laid-back atmosphere, tropical climate and relaxed social events throughout the week.

So get your sea legs on and join this year’s 25th Vision Surveys Airlie Beach Race Week fun! And don’t stress if you can’t bring your own boat – there are many options to be a part of it all – here are our Top three:

1. Jump on a crewed maxi-yacht
Join a professional crew and jump on board the Prosail maxi yachts Condor and Hammer for a race in the Cruising Spinnaker Division. You can be an experienced sailor or someone who has never been sailing before – of course it’s all about the fun factor!
2. Kick back and sign up for a spectator charter
Follow all the Race Week action from your own yacht and immerse yourself in the event’s entertainment. Whitsunday Rent A Yacht and Sunsail offer cruising charters for spectating.
3. Join in the off-water entertainment
Take a dip in the Airlie Beach Lagoon, indulge in a leisurely lunch and follow the Race Week action from dry land as the fleet is criss-crossing Pioneer Bay in front of Airlie Beach. Sailing Season also coincides with whale season, so the spectating could really get exciting!

For more information on sailing holidays in the Whitsundays, visit website.



Palm Beach Motor YachtsABS2026_Sail World_1456x180-5 BOTTOMRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTER

Related Articles

Shows, Spectating and Season Highlights
The Dinghy Show, Sydney SailGP and upcoming JJ Giltinan Trophy make for a packed schedule It feels like my feet didn't hit the ground at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show. The event, held on the penultimate weekend of February in Farnborough, traditionally fires the starting signal for the UK season, and was as busy as I ever remember it.
Posted on 3 Mar
2026 Rolex China Sea Race starts Wednesday
This year's lineup features entries from all over the world The anticipation is palpable at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) as crews prepare to compete in the renowned 2026 Rolex China Sea Race.
Posted on 3 Mar
Sailing Zingaro explains use of PredictWind - 1
First of a four part series in which James Everson explains his practical use of PredictWind Sailing Zingaro's James Everson gives a clear, practical introduction using PredictWind to show what modern weather tools can do for sailors, mixing technology with practical seamanship and planning, to help you have a safe and enjoyable passage.
Posted on 3 Mar
Sam Goodchild and Henri-Lloyd Ocean PRO
His rise in the IMOCA class has made him one of the most highly respected stars of offshore sailing Sam Goodchild has spent nearly as much time sailing as he has ashore in the past few years. His rise in the IMOCA class has made him one of the most highly respected stars of offshore sailing.
Posted on 3 Mar
Vaikobi 18ft Skiff Racing
A personal partnership with Australia's 18s When the 27-boat fleet lines up for Race 1 of the JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Worlds, one of the leading teams in the regatta will be Vaikobi, skippered by Kirk Mitchel, with Andrew Stephenson on the sheet and Daniel Barnett in the bow.
Posted on 3 Mar
99th Bacardi Cup Day 1
77 Stars power across Biscayne Bay on the Opening Day The 99th Bacardi Cup opened Monday with champagne sailing and a close finish that set the tone for the week ahead. On a 15 to 17 knot champagne day, 77 Star teams charged off the line on Biscayne Bay for the first of six scheduled races.
Posted on 3 Mar
Doyle Sails RNI: Update from Leg 2
The 26 boat fleet are on the tough and longer 476-nautical-mile passage from Mangonui to Waikawa Leg 2 of the Doyle Sails Two Handed Round North Island Race restarted from Mongonui, at 0900hrs on Monday and is headed for the second stopover in Waikawa, at the top of the South Island.
Posted on 3 Mar
Superyacht Challenge Antigua Ready to Set Sail
An exceptional fleet is set for four days of spirited racing The 15th edition of the Superyacht Challenge Antigua returns to Nelson's Dockyard, bringing together an exceptional fleet for four days of spirited racing in Antigua with laid-back parties in one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world.
Posted on 2 Mar
A Q&A on the Thistle Midwinters East Championship
A Q&A with Tommy Glenn and Suzie Domagala on the 2026 Thistle Midwinters East Championship Some sailboat designs just look right, and in ways that sometimes portend future trends in yacht design. Such is the case with the Thistle, a 17-foot centerboard dinghy that was designed by Gorden “Sandy” Douglass in 1945.
Posted on 2 Mar
2026 Rolex Middle Sea Race Registration Open
One of offshore sailing's most celebrated challenges The Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) is pleased to confirm that the Notice of Race for the 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race is now available online, with entries officially open for one of offshore sailing's most celebrated challenges.
Posted on 2 Mar