The Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race is steeped in history and tradition with the first Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race held during Easter 1949. The first race saw seven vessels start, two of which carried radios while Brisbane’s Homing Pigeon Club supplied pigeons to the others for position reporting. Each yacht issued with birds was to release two each day.
The course of the first race took the fleet from Woody Point jetty along the Redcliffe Peninsula, leaving the Western Banks to starboard, around Skirmish Point and then via the NW Channel to the Breaksea Spit lightship. Boats then proceeded via the Jenny Lind buoy up to the finish line.
The first person to finish the race was Doug Perrins on the bow of Hoana. Having sailed through strong winds and heavy seas, Hoana finished with an elapsed time of 47hrs 08min 25sec, a very creditable time which stood until 1955.
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