2016 King Island Race

Join us for our first ORCV Ocean Race in 2016 - the famous Melbourne to King Island Race.

To be conducted over the Labour Day long weekend in March (March 11-12), this Category 2 race will see the fleet head off from Queenscliff, out through the heads and across Bass Strait to the finish at Grassy Harbour, King Island, Tasmania.

While the 114 nautical mile hit out across the Paddock is one of the shorter ORCV ocean races, it’s not without challenges, with wind and tidal influences keeping everyone on their toes until the very end. After a record breaking win by Primitive Cool in 2014, in just 9 hours, 50 minutes & 21 seconds, the pace has well and truly been set.

The ORCV has got dispensation from Yachting Victoria to allow yachts to compete in the King Island race, substituting HF with a satellite phone. So all you sailors out there without a HF let us know if you are interested in competing as we have many volunteers who will help you get to Category 2. We should be able to arrange that you can hire or borrow some of the more expensive items that you need to reach Cat 2. So get in touch with us via email, Facebook or call the office and we will get all sorted.

For all the boats and crews that completed the very successful ORCV Beyond the Bay programs in 2014 and 2015, the King Island race presents a fantastic opportunity to put those new found ocean skills into practice. As for the more seasoned ocean going boats and crews who know this race well, the ORCV looks forward to welcoming you all back for the legendary hospitality of the King Island Boat Club. This race has it all - socialising, having fun, competition and great sailing. And, don’t even kid yourself that you’ll stop at one steak sandwich, oh, and did we mention the take home cheese bags from the King Island dairy and the famous King Island beef packs? You know you want to..

Don't forget King Island sailors - King Island no has two world famous golf courses, so you might want to stay after the race for a game!

Melbourne to King Island Notice of Race has now been published. Entries will be open soon - watch this space!

The Notice of Race is available here.

2020 King Island Early Bird Closes 19th Feb The 48th ORCV Melbourne to King Island Yacht Race is just over 3 weeks away on the Victorian March long weekend. 114nm and you will arrive in Grassy where our wonderful hosts from the King Island Boat Club serve up a feast of local products. Everyone can stay as the Grassy Harbour is deep with good mooring and tender services. Come try the great hospitality.  Early Bird Entry rate closes this weekend 19th February.  Do you have your entry in yet?   Learn more or enter the race here                             

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The magic that happens – the race fairies you never really see I love the King Island race, having done it many times on my own and on friends boats.  Gee it’s a lot of work to get the boat to a start line isn’t it ?  Provisioning, fuel, safety gear, audits, repairs, compliance paperwork, crew details.  How good is it to start a race and better still to finish one.  Arriving at King Island you pick up a mooring, get picked up by the inflatable, head to the bar for a drink, grab a steak then stand around the fire chatting till all hours and listen to the band.  You hang around for [ ... ]

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King Island - fantastic destination for a yacht race is now open to yachts without HF marine radio. Top things to do when visiting King Island

King Island - fantastic destination for an ocean yacht race is now open to yachts without HF marine radio.  Top things to do when visiting King Island. ONLINE ENTRY The ORCV is always keen to explore the latest technologies and has been a long campaigner for reducing barriers to ocean racing and sailing.  For the 2018 Melbourne to King Island Category 2 ocean race, the ORCV have again received approval from Australian Sailing for yachts to use satellite phone and VHF with DSC in lieu of HF marine radio.  Cost savings will be several thousand dollars for any yachts new to sailing to this w [ ... ]

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