It’s the final day of the Flying Dutchman National Championship — only my third time sailing the boat — and we start the morning tied for first overall against a 3-time Flying Dutchman world champion.

We get perfect 15–20 knots across the Gippsland Lakes, ideal conditions for high-performance dinghy racing. But Race 1 nearly ends our championship run when we suffer a potentially serious gear failure. With only minutes between races, we scramble to repair the boat and stay in contention for the national title.

This episode covers the decisive final races of the 2026 Australian Flying Dutchman Championship — including mark relocations, tactical decisions, and some pretty clumsy boat handling as sheets wrap themselves around everything from cameras to my helmet.

Expect real onboard race footage, trapeze sailing, spinnaker hoists and drops, and full-pressure championship racing — not highlight reels, the actual races as they happened.

If you’re into Flying Dutchman sailing, dinghy racing, performance sailboats, trapeze dinghies, and regatta footage, you’re in the right place.

#FlyingDutchman
#FlyingDutchmanSailing
#SailingNationals
#DinghySailing
#HeavyWeatherSailing
#PerformanceSailing
#HighWindSailing
#TrapezeSailing
#AustralianSailing
#SailboatRacing
#MetungYachtClub
#GippslandLakes

Ronstan Deck Hardware — https://www.ronstan.com/au/

Norfyx Halyard Reels — https://norfyxtechnology.com/products

Damic Design Deckgrip — https://www.damicdesign.com/deckgrip

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