The 57th edition of the Marlay Point Overnight Yacht Race will start this Saturday night at Marlay Point.
For many people the race is an institution, where people continue to participate every year, with families having competed across multi-generations.
This year’s event is open to all mono-hull, multi-hull and sports trailable yachts, and entries are well over 100, with organisers hoping to attract as many as 140.
Participants travel from interstate each year to take part with sailors aged in their 80s among the eager servants of the race.
Marlay Point is the only overnight race for trailer sailors in Australia and is on the must do bucket list for many.
The race originated with the Lake Wellington Yacht Club (LWYC) and in more recent years has been hosted by the combined efforts of the Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) and Lake Wellington Yacht Club (LWYC).
The race originally began at Marlay Point and traversed the Gippsland Lakes to Metung but in this century the finishing point has been Paynesville.
Since the race began in 1969 about 4000 yachts have participated, with more than 11,000 sailors have sailed in the event.
It is one of the few races that are started using flares, which are are fired into the sky at sunset on Saturday evening.
The current course takes sailors across the broad lakes and through narrow straits, all under the cover of darkness, adding to its challenge, excitement and intrigue.
For many boats, especially those with multi-generations of family aboard for 12-24 hours, the race is an ideal bonding experience.
The finish time for each class of yacht is always weather and wind dependent, boats expected to begin arriving into Paynesville from dawn on Sunday morning.
As yachts sail past Montague Point and into Paynesville, it is quite a sight, spinnakers encouraged, as these colourful sails add to the colour and spectacle of the race.
