Lake Wendouree is a shallow lake (< 1.4m) and therefore the classes of yachts sailed are restricted by the depth of the water.

These classes are sailed at Ballarat Yacht Club;
• Hansa • ILCA • Impulse • Jubilee • Lightweight Sharpie • Opti • Pacers • Sabre • Windsurfer LT 

The club conducts competition with class line honours and both yardstick and individual handicapping to promote fair and even competition. 

ILCA (International Laser Class Association)

The ILCA (Laser) can be sailed comfortably in all wind conditions for any sailor weighing as little as 35kg.
The class was created as a strict one-design dinghy where the true test, when raced, is between sailors and not the boats and equipment.

LIGHTWEIGHT SHARPIE

Australian Lightweight Sharpies are a national one- design class with a long history of evolution. The class is quite unusual in comparison to the majority of other dinghies, due to its distinctive shape, size and complement of crew (three: including skipper, main hand and forward hand on trapeze).

JUBILEE

The Jubilee is a stable, all-weather 18 foot day boat, locally designed and made for Port Phillip Bay. It’s a one-design class which can be crewed by 2-4 people. The first one ever built in 1935, is still sailing and still competitive on the water!

PACER

The Pacer is a 3.8m one design sloop rigged family dinghy, complete with spinnaker. The Pacer is the ideal performance family yacht, for two crew. With a lightweight hull, capable of high planing speed, wide beam and not excessive amount of sail these boats can provide responsive and relatively high performance. It is safe and stable boat and one of the most attractive and affordable yachts on the water.

SABRE

Sabre – one of Australia’s most popular single handed racing dinghies. At 3.7m in length, the Sabre is similar in length to the popular Laser class, although has a little less sail area. It is amazingly light-weight, with a minimum hull weight of just 41kg. The boat is easily launched single-handedly, with most boats using a beach trolley for easy storage, rigging and launching. The boats are easy to sail, and can offer lively performance in planing conditions. They are also a comfortable boat to sail, with their deep cockpits and rounded side tanks. – this is a boat you sit in, not on.

IIMPULSE

The Impulse 4.0m Sports Sailing Dinghy is a restricted one-design class of single handed sport sailing dinghy. The dinghy was originally designed by Arthur Caldwell in Melbourne Australia during the mid-1970s as a home built plywood sports sailing dinghy that could be sailed on his local waters of Port Philip Bay. Because of the Bay's large size and reliable fresh winds, swells of one metre and more are common and provide a challenging environment for the bay's dinghy sailors. With the help of some of those local dinghy sailors, early Impulses were developed into sailing dinghies well suited to Melbourne's local waters. They were also found to plane very well on calmer waters which made them popular at various sailing locations throughout Australia and over the following five decades the Impulse's design has been further refined so that along with a process of fine tuning the class rules, a stable and forgiving yet fast dinghy has evolved.

Windsufer LT

The Windsurfer LT is unique in that everyone from kids to grandparents can all sail one. Together! What an amazing family experience.

For more information about the Windsurfer LT class click the button below

Windsufer Class

OPTIMIST (OPTI)

The Opti, designed for junior sailors, safe and simple enough for an 8-year old, exciting and technical enough for a 15-year old. The Opti is not only the largest dinghy class in the world, it is one of the fastest growing. Over 150,000 kids in over 100 countries cannot be wrong.
The BYC Tackers fleet sail in the Opti.

HANSA

Hansa 2.3 is an ideal training and recreational craft but can be used as a sporty little racer by a single sailor.
With its simple rig and steering, the security of a ballasted centre-board and roller reefing, the Hansa 2.3 is an ideal entry level craft for club participation and racing programs that include sailors from a broad range of ages and abilities.

Hansa 303 is ideal for those sailors who wish to take their sailing more seriously. Compared to the Hansa 2.3, this boat has a taller rig with the addition of a jib so there are two extra control lines to handle.  A heavier centreboard along with the same steering and similar hull characteristics to the smaller 2.3 ensures these boats are also extremely safe and easy to sail.
The Hansa 303 will balance perfectly when sailed single-handed, but is still fun and responsive when sailed by two adults. The 303 is an inexpensive, very versatile, exciting, yet very comfortable boat to sail.

Liberty is a very fast and high pointing compact keelboat. The Liberty is indeed a totally accessible performance craft which anyone can sail, regardless of ability. The high coamings and wide side decks keep the boat dry even at extreme angles of heel whilst the two high aspect rudder blades ensure directional stability.