Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

12 April 2024


2024 Prelude
Race Start: Saturday 20 April 2024 at 0000 UTC
(1000 AEST Melbourne time).

Sailonline.org is pleased to once again team up with the organising authority of the Melbourne Osaka Cup Double-Handed Yacht Race 2025 to introduce a 2024 'Prelude' of the real race. With Sailonline's almost real time weather downloads from NOAA, this is intended to give prospective entrants in the real race next year a great opportunity to test their weather navigation skills. The 'Prelude' is timed to run at a similar time of the year as the real race so weather patterns may be similar.

The Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race is a 5,500 nautical mile 2 handed yacht race - one of the longest two handed yacht races in the world and the only one running from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere. It encounters multiple weather systems and seasons as it crosses the Pacific ocean. The course takes the competitors into Bass Strait, up the east coast of Australia into the southeast tradewinds then through the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone – the Pacific Ocean Doldrums) on the equator. It then heads into the northeast tradewinds to the finish in the port of Osaka.

The race, first held in 1987 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Osaka, is held approx. every four years to celebrate the City of Melbourne and the City of Osaka sister city relationship.

The 2025 event coincides with major events in both Melbourne and Osaka. 2025 will be the centenary of the visit of the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet to Melbourne in 1925 and it is anticipated that a substantial fleet will return to acknowledge the continuing close ties between Australia and the USA. The fleet may be in Port Phillip at the time of the Melbourne Osaka Cup start, so you never know who or what vessel may turn up to be the start boat. Also in 2025, the eyes of the world will be on Osaka as Melbourne’s sister city hosts World Expo 2025. The Expo 2025 site will be on Yumashima Island in Osaka Bay adjacent to the Osaka Hokko Yacht Club and the finish line will be nearby,

The Melbourne Osaka Double Handed Yacht Race Ltd, is the Organising Authority for the event, with the co-operation of the:

Ocean Racing Club of Victoria – on-water race management

Sandringham Yacht Club – host Club in Melbourne

Osaka Hokko Yacht Club – host Club in Osaka.

For the virtual M2O Prelude, Sailonline will be using the polar of a Beneteau First 40 yacht, a popular design sailed in waters all over the world. This virtual design has been chosen as it is representative of the majority of the yachts entered so far.

The Sailonline race opens for registration and practice on Saturday, 13 April 2024 at 0000 UTC (1000 AEST) to enable everyone, especially newcomers, to learn the ropes in time for the start.

Comments are closed.

Comments have been closed for this post.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m

Current Races:

Lake Victoria TIMED Race 2026

This month’s TIMED race takes us inland to Lake Victoria in the heart of Africa. Starting at Rosebery Channel in Uganda sail the AC72v2 on a 196nm course around Bugala Island on the way to the finish line in Tanzania’s Speke Gulf. This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #2018
INFOby brainaid.de
AC72v2 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ1 - TRCH - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
28 March at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Mar 15th 12:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

SSANZ Round North Island Race 2026 - Leg 4

The final challenge awaits in Leg Four of the Round North Island Series! From Napier, the fleet sets off on a 354 nautical mile run back to Auckland, completing the full circumnavigation where the journey began. Fatigue may be setting in, but this last leg could decide the overall standings. Sailing the fast and responsive Sun Fast 3600, our skippers will need sharp tactics and steady focus to finish the series strong and claim victory!

The start time for this race may change at short notice to align with the real race. The confirmed start date and time will be announced via an in-race “L” flag message — Please monitor race communications closely.
Race #2014
INFO by brainaid.de
Sun Fast 3600 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: RNI - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Mar 12th 22:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

SSANZ Round North Island Race 2026 - Leg 3

Leg Three of our Round North Island Series, in partnership with SSANZ, keeps the pressure on! From Cook Strait, the fleet turns north for a 187 nautical mile passage up the east coast to Napier. It may look like a quick overnighter, but shifting coastal winds and the ever-lively Cook Strait demand sharp focus. In our responsive Sun Fast 3600s, a proven short-handed racer and powerful downwind performer, tactical decisions and precise timing will make all the difference!

The start time for this race may change at short notice to align with the real race. The confirmed start date and time will be announced via an in-race “L” flag message — Please monitor race communications closely.
Race #2013
INFO by brainaid.de
Sun Fast 3600 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: RNI - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Mar 08th 22:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

South China Sea Race 2026


Welcome all to the South China Sea and a virtual chase in Cookson 50’s of the Rolex South China Sea fleet, racing 650nm – as the local red-footed booby flies – from Hong Kong to Subic Bay on the southern tip of The Philippines’ Luzon Island. Chances are it will be a fast downwind ride, so see how you can keep up with the real-life fleet which we hope to be able to follow on our monitors.
Race #2016
INFOby brainaid.de
Cookson 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SUPBUD - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
March 14 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Mar 04th 03:20 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Iceland to the Falklands 2026

Welcome to an all-new route, the first of three Round the 'Old World' of Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. To give each leg of the ROW a bit of length we'll try to hug the coasts as little as possible, so starting in Iceland our first leg of the series, which will also be the final leg of our Quarter 1 Ocean Championships takes us 7200nm to the Falklands, the full length of the Atlantic end to end. To make sure we'll get it done within the month we'll be sailing our Maxi Trimaran.
Race #2010
INFO by brainaid.de
Maxi Trimaran PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ1 - ROW - OCCH - SYC
Race starts: Mar 02nd 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

San Diego to Puerto Vallarta 2026

Welcome to California! Established in 1953 this 1000-mile run from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta on the Mexican Riviera has become a tradition and online as well the tradition strengthens with this the fourth time Sailonline is making the race available to virtual sailors. Let's see how our virtual SC70s perform against the real fleet!
Race #2015
INFO by brainaid.de
Santa Cruz 70 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SUPBUD - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Friday,
March 13 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Feb 28th 20:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member sassy63

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client