AFTER two weeks docked in the party town of Airlie beach the 11 clipper boats left Abell Point Marina this afternoon after two boats UNICEF and Great Britain run into a few technical difficulties.

Clipper support crews turned out in droves to see off the boats and in many cases their loved ones who are due to dock in Qingdao, China in two months on March 15.

The 11 boats put on a show and raced around the bay before they departed for their next destination, after a late start they were on their way.

Three hours after the first nine boats had left the marina Great Britain shortly followed by UNICEF were on their way, the boats were scheduled to leave in three minute intervals but perhaps the last two to leave the moorings didn't get the memo.

Global Communications Officer for the Clipper Race Morgan Kasmarik, had earlier joked "that the crews enjoyed Airlie beach and its night life a little too much,” but the throttle issues the crews' faced were eventually fixed.

Parents of Qingdao crew member Charlotte Dyson; David and Jane Dyson had travelled all the way from Winchester England to send their 32 year old daughter of on the experience of a lifetime.

"She's had four weeks of sailing experience and that's about it really,” Mrs Dyson said.

The couple arrived in Airlie beach last week shortly after their daughter and Mrs Dyson used her adventure as an "excuse to come to Australia for the first time.”

Despite their daughter being an accomplished marketing professional who works for Wilderness Expertise currently their were a few tears shed as they said see you later and good luck to their daughter, who will be greeted by her long-term partner when she arrives in China.

The Clipper race offered once in a lifetime experiences not only for the competitors, but for the supporters and all of those involved in the event as Mr and Mrs Dyson stepped onto the Rhapsody Airlie Beach locals' Steve and Marg Larsson's catamaran "we are just blown away and definitely not expecting this,” Mrs Dyson said.