Down Under Pirates rule the high seas at Mindil Beach’s 51st Beer Can Regatta
Sand, grit, determination and a lot of VBs: This is what it takes to win Darwin’s most iconic and unusual annual boat race. See the gallery of 60+ photos here.
Sand, grit, determination and a lot of VBs: This is what it takes to win Darwin’s most iconic and unusual annual boat race.
Standing proudly with his “motley crew” of the Down Under Pirates, Captain Scotty Hannaford said the winning boat took three weeks to build — but really came together in the last 24 hours.
“Drunk? Yeah we were definitely drunk for three weeks,” he said with a chuckle.
“Last year we competed, but the boat sunk and we’ve come last.
“This year it was good to come home with the goods.”
Captain Hannaford said it was particularly vindicating to beat the Marines, with his glorious Victoria Bitter adorned vessel overtaking the American’s boat — made exclusively of coconut water and energy drink cans.
“We nearly sunk them too, so that was even better,” Captain Hannaford said.
One of the other competitors, the Nine Pack Boat estimated around 1500 cans went into their vessel, with all of their mates saving their tins in the lead up to the big race.
“We’re not sure if it will float, but all our hopes and prayers are on it,” crew member Sara-Jane Talty said.
Beer Can Regatta Chair Connell Brannelly said the iconic event had just turned 51 years old, transforming from a “way to clean up Darwin” into a signature drawcard for locals and tourists alike.
Ms Brannelly said about 10,000 people were expected to walk through the gates for the Mindil Beach event on Sunday.
He said while the original criteria was strictly beer cans, for the past few years they had allowed all manner of “flotation devices” for the renowned final race, ‘the Battle for Mindil’.
IN PICTURES: 2025 Beer Can Regatta
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Originally published as Down Under Pirates rule the high seas at Mindil Beach’s 51st Beer Can Regatta
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