The route for the GAAR 2013 is 1505 nm long and starts from Sydney's general aviation airport, Bankstown (YSBK).  This year, the GAAR mixes the fun and leisure of flying with the expensive and grueling sport of offshore yacht racing as it loosely follows the course of the famous "Blue Water Classic", the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.  Setting a course down Sydney Harbour, out through the heads, and out to sea, it then turns south-southwest to follow the coast before turning inland for some respite from the water before heading back to the south coast of New South Wales.  Following the coast around into Victoria, we prepare for the dangerous Bass Strait crossing before picking up the east coast of Tasmania and then finally up the Derwent River to Constitution Dock, the end point for the "Sydney to Hobart".  From Hobart, the course then loosely follows the reverse course for the Melbourne to Hobart, or "West Coaster", the cousin of the Sydney to Hobart.  Initially, heading south and then northwest, again with some inland flying for the adventure, the GAAR then skirts across the top of Tasmania, back across Bass Strait, and up the west coast of Victoria before heading into Port Phillip Bay and finishing at Moorabbin (YMMB), Melbourne's general aviation airport, and another well earned rest.

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney.  The race starts on "Boxing Day", 26th December, and finishes in Hobart, over 630 nm away.  The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and it has grown to become one of the top three offshore yacht races in the world and renowned as the most difficult yacht race in the world, with eleven lives lost (three from the same yacht in the infamous race of 1998) and nine yachts sunk over it's history.  As in aviation, yacht development and design have improved  the winning race times over the years from the 6 days, 14 hours, 22 minutes of the inaugural line honours winner, to the race record set by Wild Oats XI in the 2012 race at 1 day, 18 hours, 23 minutes, 12 seconds.

The Flight Schedule and Reporting Dates for each Flight Leg are detailed in the table below.  PIREPs for each Flight Leg must be received by 2359 hrs UTC on the date indicated.  Any late PIREPs will result in a "Withdrawn" being recorded against the entrant.  PIREPs can be submitted in advance of the required Reporting Date.  All details regarding PIREP submission are under the "PIREPs" link.