LATEST NEWS
CLUB RACING
Latest Division Coverage:
GC SAILS TWO HANDED YACHT RACE
The GC Sails Two Handed Race on Saturday 7th March saw 17 entries scoop in solid sailing conditions ahead of the heavy rain, with a course that sent the fleet from Hollywell down to the Seaway cardinal, up the Broadwater east channel to the mouth of the Coomera River, back down the west channel to the Ted Elkes beacon before a finish at Hollywell. Congratulations to the following podium winners!
Full Results, video and photos are available via the event page.
DINGHY TROPHY MARATHON
The 2026 Dinghy Marathon over the weekend saw 20 entries across the Junior and Senior fleets battle it out in very wet conditions. The senior course set sailors from Hollywell down to the Elkes beacon, up the east channel to the Sovereign Mark, down the west channel to A mark near Elkes, up to Ephraim mark, down to A mark again before a finish at Hollywell. The Juniors stayed on the west channel in case of a shortened course call due to the weather conditions.
Congratulations to the following division winners!
SENIOR DIVISION:
1st: Evie Mcguire – RIPPLE
2nd: Matthew Sinnamon – SLIPPERY TOO
3rd: Addison Greenwood – TANLINES
JUNIOR DIVISION:
1st: Owen Davies – AXOLOTL
2nd: Flynn Hammel – OCEAN SPIRIT
3rd: Jack McGuire – HIJACKED
Full Results, photos and videos are available via the event page.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SAILING SPECIAL EVENTS
After a double special event inshore weekend, we have another bumper weekend coming up this time offshore! Saturday kicks off with the Julian Rocks Yacht Race to Cape Byron and back with 12 keelboat entries, and an almost sold out fleet of 40 Laser dinghies for the ILCA Metro Championships across both Saturday and Sunday! Entries are capped by our aquatic permits so make sure you don’t miss out! See event details below for further information.
Later this month,we have an expanded Ladies Day event ‘Sail our Way‘, with special guest coaching and prizes thanks to generous support from Australian Sailing, the SYC Associates and Pacific Fair Shopping Centre. Full details below!
Southport Yacht Club holds annual and biennial special racing events across our 5 divisions, with Perpetual Trophies dating back many decades! Special Events feature our dedicated media team, offering footage of all the on-water action to watch on the day after racing as well as to download and share on your socials. These events are open to both SYC members and racers from other yacht clubs, keeping the competition fresh and welcoming sailors to our Gold Coast waterways. Check out what’s coming up here:
JULIAN ROCKS YACHT RACE
Our final Offshore special event race of the season, Julian Rocks is on next month 14th March! Julian Rocks is Race 2 of the new combined club Queensland Offshore Sailing Championships, and Race 4 of our own Coral Sea Pointscore Series. Entries are now open here. Don’t miss it!
SAIL OUR WAY – LADIES DAY!
Earn some fantastic prizes and enjoy a great day out on the Gold Coast Broadwater at our inclusive on-water coaching and sailing skills seminar, empowering female youth and adult sailors. This special event is dedicated to giving you opportunities to develop your sailing skills on dinghies and keelboats, help build confidence and explore sailing in a supportive environment. Hosted at Southport Yacht Club’s venue at Hollywell, your day includes boat allocation, coaching and catered grazing platters following the day’s events at our fully licensed waterfront bar.
Event Includes:
- Coaching
- Racing
- Skills seminar
- Nibbles and presentation
Entry via the event page here:
- $40 entry per boat for over 18s – Boat owner registrations due by 7th March
- No Boat? Register to join a crew at no cost!
GCCM GOLD COAST MACKAY YACHT RACE
ENTRIES are now officially open to Southport Yacht Clubs’ flagship event, the 3rd 520nm GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race! This year’s event starts on Thursday 30th July, with our welcome party on Tuesday 28th July in conjunction with the finish of the 40th anniversary of the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.
With over 21 eoi’s and entries so far, including over half of last year’s fleet, 2026 is already seeing brand new names enter, including ‘VIXEN RACING’ from New Zealand!
Indulge yourself for 2 minutes with this promotional film kicking off official entries for 2026. You may even see a few familiar faces!
For all the details visit www.goldcoastmackay.com, and click the picture to view the Launch Film:
NAVIGATION AND CRUISING EVENTS
Maritimo 9 Day Bribie Island Cruise 9th- 17th March 2026
Maritimo 15 Day Clarence River Cruise 31st March to 14th April 2026
Casual ‘Round Crab Island Trophy – 28th February 2026
OFFSHORE AND TWILIGHT SKIPPERS AND CREW MEETING:
Tuesday 24th March in the Compass Room at Main Beach.
If any Skippers (only) have items they would like to add to the agenda, please email offshore division rep Barry Berg at barry.wildstyle@gmail.com, and Mark Sanders mark@excellaundrys.com.au (the new twilight rep) for anything twilight related. Agenda submissions closing date is the 20th March.
ACADEMY NEWS
ON THE LAKE AT OXENFORD
– by Ashlea Kernahan
Our sailors had an exciting weekend for their 4th session, taking on some strong winds and rising to the challenge beautifully. The rain held off throughout the day, raincoats definitely weren’t needed and conditions made for a fantastic high-wind learning experience.
We were incredibly impressed with both our Kids and Teens sailors during their first real high-wind sailing day this term. They showed confidence, control, and resilience on the water, truly sailing like pros. It’s moments like these that really highlight how far they’ve come in just a few short weeks.
We’re now looking ahead to Week 5 of 7, and the excitement is building as our End of Term Celebration approaches. This term’s celebration will be Pirate themed, complete with best dressed prizes and a BBQ for everyone to enjoy. One of the most special parts of the day is when parents get to witness their children’s progress firsthand , with Kids sailors skippering and taking their parents out on the Hobie catamarans, and Teens leading the way in the RS Quests. It’s always an exciting day for families and instructors alike.
Our March Adult Learn to Sail course also kicked off with some lovely breeze for their first session. We were impressed with how quickly participants absorbed the fundamentals and translated that knowledge into confident sailing. We’re looking forward to building on their skills even further this weekend.
SAILOR OF THE WEEK:
This week’s Sailor of the Week is Jack Reid. Jack has been a frequent School Holiday sailor with us, and this term he joined our Teens Learn to Sail course for the first time.
He has been a fantastic addition to the group, bringing great energy and enthusiasm to every session. Jack often lends a hand to our instructors when needed, showing maturity and leadership beyond his years. His experience from previous School Holiday programs has clearly translated into strong teen sailing skills, and we’re excited to see his continued progress throughout the rest of the term. Well done, Jack!
UPCOMING ACADEMY PROGRAM:
School Holiday Sailing – April
Dates: April 7th – 17th
Session Types:
Half Day – $65
Full Day – $95
Book here: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/southportyachtclub/items/575498/calendar/2026/04/?full-items=yes
Adult Learn to Sail – April
Location: Hollywell Sailing Squadron
Dates: Saturdays – April 11, 18 & May 2
Book Here: https://www.oxenfordwatersportscentre.com.au/events/335068
Better Sailing – Intermediate
Location: Hollywell Sailing Squadron
Dates: Sundays – April 12, 19, 26
Book Here: https://www.oxenfordwatersportscentre.com.au/events/336402
Better Sailing Hollywell Wrap Up
Thirteen of our Adult Learn to Sail sailors from Oxenford stepped up to join our new Better Sailing Intermediate course at Hollywell Sailing Squadron. During the program, they gained valuable racing experience by participating in our club racing events, including the iconic Cock of the Broadwater.
The event was a roaring success, with strong performances across the fleet and incredible enthusiasm from our sailors. The demand for another course was immediate, and we’re excited to see this pathway continue to grow.
We’re looking forward to our next Better Sailing course kicking off in April.
Better Sailing – Intermediate
Hollywell Sailing Squadron
Sundays – April 12, 19, 26
https://www.oxenfordwatersportscentre.com.au/events/336402
Check out the Better Sailing program footage from January!
SUMMER ON THE LAKE – EVENT WRAP UP
Summer on the Lake was another outstanding success, with over 760 participants joining us at the Oxenford Watersports Centre for our annual Discover Sailing Day.
Families enjoyed a full day of free sailing, free SUP and family-friendly fun, creating a vibrant atmosphere on and off the water. It was fantastic to see so many people on the water experiencing sailing and enjoying a great day at the Club.
