Prepare Your Yacht for Category 2 & 3
Have you sailed in ORCV's Winter Series races, or Cock of the Bay, and thought about joining some of our offshore races?
If you've contemplated joining sailors who venture out past the Heads in various ORCV Ocean Races over the warmer months to Apollo Bay, King Island and even further to Devonport or Hobart later in the year? Perhaps you dream of competing in the Melbourne to Osaka race.
If the only thing holding you back is the uncertainty of what you need to know to get your boat and crew offshore ready, or the additional things to consider as a skipper, consider attending our “Prepare your yacht for Cat 2&3" training course.
The following is a list off the key areas covered in this course:
- Safety Equipment and compliance
- Rigging and Sail Preparation
- Systems and maintenance upgrades
- Electrical, Instruments and Navigation requirements
- Crew requirements and provisioning
- Preparation plan
- Cost examples
By the end of the course, you will:
- Have the required knowledge to prepare your yacht ready for a Cat 3 or 2 safety Audit
- Have the required knowledge to prepare your yacht for its first offshore race
- Understand the high maintenance standards required for your yacht to safely race offshore
Participant Requirements:
- Ideally you are a boat owner/skipper/boat manager who has sailed in Category 5 races and are interested in progressing to Cat 2 or 3 races.
- For skippers / boat owners / boat managers – have a Cat 5 boat that can become a Cat 2 or 3 boat
2026 Cost
$180 per person non-member (plus 50c booking fee)
$150 per person ORCV Member (plus 50c booking fee)
Note – All participants who complete the course will be provided with free race entry to one Cat 3 race in the 2026/2027 racing season.
2026 Presenters
Paul Roberts, ORCV Vice Commodore
Justin Brenan, ORCV Sail Committee
2026 Course Dates
| Date | Event | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 22 July 2026 at 7:00pm | Prepare Your Yacht for Category 2 & 3, Session 1 | Melbourne City Marina Lounge, Docklands | |
| Wednesday 29 July 2026 at 7:00pm | Prepare Your Yacht for Category 2 & 3, Session 2 | Melbourne City Marina Lounge, Docklands |
The 2026 course is in progress and booking are closed.
2027 Course Dates
The dates and location for the 2027 course have not yet been confirmed.
Please use the Waitlist button below to add your name to the waitlist to receive a notification when the 2027 Prepare Your Yacht for Category 2 & 3 course is open for bookings.
More Information
For any queries, please contact the ORCV Office on
