At first glance, Hamilton Island Race Week may seem like world-class racing on clear blue waters, but amid the monohulls and multihulls competing for victory there's also champagne, oysters, pearls and watches. After all, this is Australia's largest offshore keelboat regatta, drawing an extra 3000 people each year to the Whitsundays. It's only natural they should want some carousing with their sailing.

With luxury brands sponsoring key events – lunch with Piper-Heidsieck; dinner with Paspaley, to name a few – Race Week has become so much more than the small sailing event it began as back in 1984. This year more than 230 yachts have registered for day racing – slightly more than last year and a few less than in 2016, when a record fleet of 250 sailed the picturesque course.