Prepare and execute a 1,000+ NM route using charts, pilot books, tidal data, and weather analysis.
CategoryMile Builders
Sail the entire length of Australia’s east coast on this professionally structured offshore training passage from Sydney to Hamilton Island—ideal for sailors seeking to build offshore mileage and progress toward their RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence.
Covering more than 1,000 nautical miles over 10–14 days, this is one of the longest organised training voyages in Australian waters. It offers a dynamic combination of long coastal legs, full offshore passages, overnight sailing, and navigation challenges through diverse sea states and climates.
Departing Sydney’s temperate waters, you’ll make landfall at key ports such as Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour, Bundaberg, Rosslyn Bay, and Mackay before arriving in the tropical Whitsundays. Every leg exceeds 60NM, enabling multiple RYA-qualifying passages while developing leadership, navigation, and seamanship skills in authentic offshore conditions.
This introductory course is tailored for those new to sail cruising. Over two days or broken up into smaller sessions, participants will learn the basics of steering a yacht, handling sails, working with ropes, and maintaining onboard safety.
The RYA Start Yachting certificate can be used to count towards an RYA Competent Crew certificate.
The student need only finish three more days or two weekends of the Competent Crew course to be issued the RYA Competent Crew Certificate.
The journey begins at Lavender Bay, Sydney, where the crew gathers for safety briefings, yacht orientation, and final provisioning. After clearing Sydney Heads, the yacht settles into a 24-hour offshore watch system, typically divided into two or three rotating teams responsible for helming, navigation, lookout, and onboard operations.
First Leg – Sydney to Port Stephens
A familiar coastal run to ease the crew into offshore routines, practising pilotage, coastal navigation, and real-time passage execution. Overnighting may be at anchor or in the marina, followed by a debrief and planning session.
Second Leg – Port Stephens to Coffs Harbour
An extended offshore stretch of ~160NM, requiring at least one full night at sea. This leg provides concentrated training in night helming, radar navigation, continuous watchkeeping, and fatigue management. Landfall is usually timed for daylight to allow safe entry.
Subsequent Legs North
The yacht continues with 150–200NM passages to Bundaberg, Mooloolaba, or Rosslyn Bay (Yeppoon), depending on weather and routing. Conditions shift toward tropical patterns, bringing sun squalls, currents, and coastal bar entrances into play.
Final Leg – Approaching the Whitsundays
The most intricate segment, involving reef navigation, inter-island pilotage, and narrow channel entries. Visual navigation, GPS overlays, and detailed chart plotting are essential. Arrival into Hamilton Island Marina is timed with daylight and tide for a safe, satisfying conclusion.
Each stopover includes structured layovers for rest, resupply, navigational review, and leadership role rotation—ensuring all crew experience passage planning, decision-making, and command responsibilities in live offshore settings.
Prepare and execute a 1,000+ NM route using charts, pilot books, tidal data, and weather analysis.
Build confidence helming and navigating in darkness and reduced visibility.
Use radar, AIS, GPS, and traditional chartwork to maintain accurate positioning.
Plan realistic routes, manage fuel, and identify contingency landfalls.
Lead watches or act as supervised skipper to hone decision-making skills.
Execute safe entries into reef-fringed anchorages and island passages.
Balance rest, hydration, and morale under sustained offshore operations.
Operate marine radios and manage port entry/exit protocols.
Conduct MOB recovery, engine checks, and onboard safety drills.
Log multiple 60NM+ overnight passages toward Yachtmaster requirements.
This Sydney to Hamilton Island Offshore Training Passage delivers one of the most complete offshore sailing experiences available in Australia. Spanning 1,000–1,100NM, it offers a rare opportunity to sail the entire east coast while building the skills, knowledge, and confidence essential for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore progression.
The voyage is led by an experienced offshore skipper or RYA instructor and includes multiple qualifying passages over 60NM with overnight sailing. Participants rotate through helm, trimmer, navigator, watch leader, and galley roles, while engaging in daily briefings, safety drills, weather routing, and logkeeping.
The route offers diverse challenges—open-ocean swells, busy shipping lanes, bar crossings, river inlets, and complex reef systems. Stopovers in ports such as Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour, Bundaberg, Rosslyn Bay, and Mackay allow for structured training reviews, skill consolidation, and incremental leadership responsibility.
Life on board is immersive and collaborative, with shared berths, hot-bunking during night passages, and all meals prepared on crew rotation. Every day blends hands-on seamanship with real-world offshore decision-making.
Whether your goal is qualification preparation, professional advancement, or a genuine bluewater adventure, this passage provides an educationally rich, physically challenging, and personally rewarding milestone in your sailing career.
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While no formal qualifications are required we suggest a minimum of intermediate sailing experience. You will need to take part in sailing the boat as a team so hands on experience is required.
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