It was with great regret that we had to cancel “The Goolwa to Meningie Sailing Classic 2007”. As we have watched the waters recede in our beautiful The event was not run in
2008. With a dam across “The Narrows” so that water could be pumped from With
some little rain for the 2008-2009 season, and the
frantic stop-gap pumping from With
some normal rainfall in 2009, Unfortunately the non-action of many governments over
many years has destroyed one more thing – “The longest point to point
freshwater sailboat race in the Southern Hemisphere”. We live in hope that one day this can be rectified.
We’ll keep you informed!!! Nomination Form (Designed
to be printed in A4 landscape format) Notice
of Race (Designed to be printed in
A4 portrait format) Sailing
Instructions (Designed
to be printed in A4 portrait format)
Back
to Information Page Nomination form (PDF
version)
Nomination form (designed to be printed in A4 landscape)
2003 results Photo Gallery Notice of Race (PDF version)
2004 results Notice of Race (designed to be printed in A4 portrait)
Sailing Instructions (PDF version)
Click for map
Sailing Instructions (designed to be printed in A4 portrait)
The Goolwa to Meningie
Sailing Classic.
The first Goolwa to Meningie race
was held in 1964. The late David Turner, and the late Darrell Crouch set off
from Goolwa on their Yvonne catamarans, along with
others from The Victor Harbor Yacht Club and the Meningie Aquatics Club
intending to race to Meningie. Some boats did not reach the finish line until
after
The race was run by a joint committee of the Victor Harbor Yacht Club and the Meningie Sailing Club until 1986. The race was used as an exercise by the Victor Harbor Sea Rescue Squadron. Since 1987 the race has been run by the Meningie Sailing Club.
The race has 5 divisions with trophies for line honours and handicap winners in each division. Though restricted to boats of a minimum length of 4.2.metres and sailed by a minimum of two experienced sailors, single-handed entries may be accepted if evidence of suitable experience is provided to the Club.
Divisions are as follows:-
Division 1 – start time 8.00am / Trailable Yachts, Y.S.A. rating 0.675 or less.
Division 2 – start time 8.00am / Trailable Yachts, Y.S.A. rating greater than 0.675.
Division 3 – start time 9.00am / Monohulls over 4.2 metres in length.
Division 4 – start time
Division 5 – start time
The race is over a course of about 64 kilometres, from Goolwa through The Narrows to Meningie, and is the longest point-to-point fresh water sailboat race in the Southern Hemisphere.
The winner of the first race was Darrell Crouch. His son Trevor and grandson Michael have sailed Mosquito’s in the Goolwa to Meningie, making at one time three generations in the race.
The race has a time limit requirement to finish at the
Meningie Sailing Club rooms by
Sailing on Lakes Albert & Alexandrina, & The Coorong
(You are advised that, of course, due to the lack of water in these RAMSAR listed wetlands, sailing is all but impossible.
The narrative below applies to a gentler time, when things were in much better shape!)
This area is one of the best sailing areas in the world.
Though shallow in parts, there is more and better water to sail on than the Gippsland lakes. There are many places to anchor in total
shelter, mostly out of sight of civilization. Even the exposed shores have
pockets in the reeds that make safe havens. Local knowledge is required to find
some of the channels but except for the eastern side of the Coorong and some
rocks (shown on the chart) the bottom is soft mud and no harm comes from
grounding.
There is a misconception that
Provisions are available at Meningie, Narrung,
Clayton,
As a get away from it all place the Coorong and Lakes has few equals. Meningie Sailing Club.