Photo: Supplied.
FROM CLEVELAND YACHT CLUB
The Cleveland Yacht Club has a strong history and a bright future. Established in 1904, the club has enjoyed regular Sunday sailing for members and guests and recently hosted the annual Peel Island Marathon sailing race for the 52nd time. This event, held on Sunday, 7 May, attracted participants from Hervey Bay to Tweed Heads.
Around 150 people fed, rigged, launched, sailed, looked after, and cheered on 42 sailboats (74 competitors) across 10 classes, from large yachts, dinghies and catamarans, to windsurfers.
The racers launched from the club’s ramp at Cleveland Point and circumnavigated Teerk Roo Ra (Peel Island or “the place of many shells”), with the first boat home in around two hours. At stake was a bounty of nearly $6,000 of prizes generously donated by local sponsors and supporters, including Boating & RV, Redland City Marina, Sunstate Watersports, The Lighthouse Restaurant, Manders Sails and many others. The event also rounded out the QLD NACRA Traveller Series of racing for high-performance catamarans. It was gazetted as a major sailing event for the QLD Formula 18 Association and SEQ Hobie sailing.
Light wind conditions on the day saw the ‘marathon’ course shortened to allow all competitors to return safely to shore. A huge team of volunteers supported the event, with eight safety boats on the water.
The use of yardstick handicapping allows the results of different types of boats to be levelled, making sailing an enjoyable and highly accessible sport for all ages and crew combinations. Out on the bay for the 52nd Boating and RV Peel Island Marathon were competitors in their 70s and children as young as 12, with some sailors using the event as a warm-up before heading off overseas to represent Australia, while one pair of ladies blasted out both the miles and the music as they enjoyed perfect conditions.
Cleveland Yacht Club is a not-for-profit club with a welcoming, family-friendly vibe. The team is enjoying a short break before the winter sailing series starts on 4 June. Members will celebrate their recently completed 2022-23 sailing series at their presentation night on Saturday, 10 June.
Racing usually takes place each Sunday during the summer season (September to April) and every second Sunday during winter. A learn-to-sail program is offered during the warmer months, with suitable dinghies/catamarans available for hire for anyone interested in discovering the sport without the up-front costs of purchasing a boat. There are also plenty of volunteering opportunities. Visitors and spectators are also welcome. It’s a great way to experience the beautiful Moreton Bay.
Visit the club’s website for more information: www.cyc.asn.au.
