A spectacular start to the GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race 2026
by Southport Yacht Club 30 Jul 00:42 PDT
30 July 2026
GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race 2026 start © Salty Dingo
The third GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race has been blessed with another signature spinnaker start! Lined up with beachfront skyline of Surfer's Paradise, the fleet of 25 yachts set off in 15 knots of southerly breeze, a one metre sea state and a good dose of quintessential Gold Coast winter sunshine.
It was a clean start with cannon fire at 11am on the dot. The fleet punched the line spread fairly evenly between Wild Oats X taking an eastern offshore line closer to the start boat, whilst Wild Thing 100 took the western inshore tact closer to the skyline.
Kites unfurled powering up the fleet, until Stacey Jackson's crew on Indigo II suffered rudder damage and a ripped spinnaker just 21 minutes into the race. They have retired and returned safely to port back into the Gold Coast.
The fleet heads north in a consistent breeze for the rest of the day, and a stronger swell and breeze building behind the fleet later tonight.
Track the fleet at pro.yb.tl/gc2m2026