The Course
The Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race starts 500 metres offshore from Shorncliffe Pier, Sandgate then heads past the Redcliffe foreshores, across to Tangalooma, up Brisbane’s north west commercial shipping channel to Caloundra, then around Point Cartwright following the Sunshine Coast past Rainbow Beach, up the Fraser Coast with a port turn at Breaksea Spit Light and a port rounding of Lady Elliot Island into cross the Gladstone Pacific Nickel Finish Line at Gladstone Harbour. The weary crews usually arrive between Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning depending on wind, weather and tides.
Steeped in history
The Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race has been an annual event since 1949. 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the Race. Only seven yachts competed in the first race and position reporting was carried out by homing pigeons. Yachts issued with birds had to release two pigeons each day. Competitors weren’t required to carry ‘two-way radio telephones’ until 1957.
Since the first race in 1949 the trophy awarded to the overall race winner, with corrected handicaps, has been called The Courier-Mail Cup.
Many don’t know that the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race has weathered worse storms than the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. In 1972 Cyclone Emily caused havoc as winds reached up to 96 knots. There were no casualties but only five of the 25 race starters finished the race that year.
Early winners and record holders
Sea Prince (J Bourne) won the first Courier-Mail Cup in 1949 and Doug Perrins was the first Line Honours 
winner on the bow of Hoana in an elapsed time of 47hrs 08min 25sec - a record not beaten until 1955.
Yachts have since completed the race in less than half thetime - Skandia (Grant Wharington) holds the record with a 2004 course time of 20hrs 24mins 50secs and an average speed of 15.09 knots.
Saltash II (Ian and Bill Wright) has won the most Courier-Mail Cups - in 1986, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005. She also holds the fastest Corrected Handicap with a 1993 course time of 21hrs 15mins 54secs and an average speed of 14.48 knots.
Skipper Jack Rooklyn has won the most Line Honours titles with Apollo in 1973,1974,1978,1979, Ballyhoo in 1975 and Maxi Apollo in1982, 1983 and 1984.
A world record was set for a point to point race over 300 nautical miles by Bobsled (Kerry Spencer) in 1993 who clocked speeds of up to 29.7 knots and completed the race with an average speed of 14.1 knots in a time of 21hrs 59mins 43secs.