Support Boats

Escort Boat forms
All clubs competing in the Hamilton Island Cup Marathon must complete and submit an Escort Boat Registration Form. If you already have an escort boat organized you must complete this form with the name and size of the boat along with the phone number of the boat's skipper/owner. If you wish to book an escort boat you must also complete this form and submit it.

Click here to complete the escort boat request form

Important Note
Failure to complete this form will mean your team will not be eligible to compete. For more information regarding escort boats contact the Hamilton Island Marine Office on ph: (07) 4946 8353.

Escort Craft Critria
The following criteria are in compliance with Queensland Transport and must be followed. Vessels will be randomly inspected on Monday morning by the Department of Transport and the Queensland Water Police and those not meeting the criteria will be forced to resign as escort craft. 

• Tin dinghies are not suitable escort craft.
• Ski boats are not suitable escort craft.
• Vessels must have a minimum carrying capacity of 5 passengers
• Vessels must be fully fuelled and mechanically sound.
• All operators to be licensed as prescribed in the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulations 1995.
• Must be equipped with all safety gear, including personal flotation devices for all passengers, first aid kit, bailing equipment, flares, mirror, VHF radio, boarding ladder, spare fresh water and oars.
• Vessels must be registered with Queensland Transport and have their registration stickers and numbers correctly displayed.
• All operators must be aware of all Official Race Rules, as prescribed in the Official Program of Events.
• Escort boat drivers must attend the race briefing on Sunday morning.

Please Note: Your escort boat driver is in complete control of his vessel. He has the right to instruct team captains and coaches where he will and will not conduct water changeovers.

Safety, safety, safety always first. We cannot stress to you enough how important it is for EVERY paddler, EVERY coach, EVERY driver and EVERY spectator to be aware of the safety stipulation for this event.

All Race Officials have the power to act and disqualify any crew whose actions, be it in their canoe or escort craft, do not regard the safety of their own crew members or other competing crews, or whose escort craft does not meet the above criteria.

Escort craft must not reverse up to paddlers in the water