While the welcome went off with plenty of sparks, the breeze on the morning for the first day of racing at Hamilton Island Race Week 2024 was lack-lustre. The 164 boats split into twelve divisions headed out for the scheduled 1130 start across the Dent Passage and Eastern Passage starting areas, and were met by a glass out.

After the lengthy postponement, a beautiful easterly filled across the Whitsundays, and when most had all but given up, racing got underway at 1335 for the Rating Series divisions, and Hamilton Island Blue, from Eastern Passage.

The remainder of the Hamilton Island divisions, the Trailable Yachts, and the Multihulls, got underway in Dent Passage from 1355 as the breeze built in the channel.