Sport

Sailfish rule the waves at Inverloch

Celebrating the 70th Anniversary Sail of the Australian Sailfish Bentley Conn won three of four races in a Sailfish at the South Gippsland Yacht Club Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta at Inverloch.

by Bruce Wardley

Published February 19, 2026

Sailfish rule the waves at Inverloch — Brian Carroll son of Jack Carroll the designer and builder of the first two Australian Sailfish yachts racing in the Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta at Inverloch. B52_0726

A SAILFISH skippered by Bentley Conn won three of four races staged over two days in the South Gippsland Yacht Club Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta at Inverloch.

The Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta attracted a large number of spectators and competitors for two days of racing at Inverloch. B70_0726

Celebrating the 70th Anniversary Sail of the Australian Sailfish Conn won both races on the first day of racing with Dan Bentley sailing his Flying Ant into first place on the second day followed by another win by Conn in the last race of the weekend.

Greg Barwick raced a sailfish in the Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta at Inverloch as part of the 70th Anniversary Sail of the Australian Sailfish in 2026. B53_0726

A highlight of the two days of racing was the 70th Anniversary Sail of the Australian Sailfish with Brian Carroll son of Jack Carroll the designer and builder of the first two Australian Sailfish yachts racing his own vintage Sailfish at Inverloch.

Entertainment was provided on the first day of competition by the Wonthaggi Citizens' Band followed a Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta dinner attended by 80 participants.

Traditional wooden dinghies continue to have a strong following with Fireballs, Mirrors, Sabres, Sabots, Sailfish, Shearwater, Herons, McGregor Canoe, Flying Ant, Arctic Tern, double ended Skerry and of course Inverloch’s own locally designed Moth.

Rob and Lisa Hartnett with their much-loved Sabre ‘Some Girl’. B49_0726

Attracting 39 entries across two days the Inverloch Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta is an annual showcase of vintage timber dinghies built and raced between the 1940’s and 1980’s.

2026 Inverloch Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta

Race 1, 1st Place, Bentley Conn, Sailfish

Race 2, 1st Place, Bentley Conn, Sailfish

Race 3, 1st Place, Dan Bentley, Flying Ant

Race 4, 1st Place, Bentley Conn, Sailfish

Ginn Cup

(Overall placings, best of 3)

1st Bentley Conn, Sailfish

2nd Steve Floyd, Sailfish

3rd Craig Ginnivan, Finn

Jack Carrol Memorial Trophy for Sailfish

Bentley Conn