CROWN Prince Frederik of Denmark is sailing solo on a quick visit to Queensland.

Leaving his Australian wife, Crown Princess Mary, at home in Denmark, Prince Frederik enjoyed a low-key arrival in North Queensland at the weekend to compete in the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week.

More than 200 vessels ranging from 22-100 feet have set sail for the 2017 AUDI Hamilton Island Race Week 2017.

The Cruising and Multihull Cruising divisions have experienced the largest growth for the 34th edition of Australia's loved northern regatta, making up 56% of the entire fleet.

While this is a positive development, it has proved to be a logistical challenge to Hamilton Island marina staff with respect to berthing boats on the newly installed marina arms which replaced the berths damaged by Cyclone Debbie in March.

Sailors from around the country have rallied to support Hamilton Island and the Oatley family following this natural disaster.

With every villa, apartment and resort fully booked a few disappointed boat owners missed out on being among the starter's list.

The fleet

THE Oatley family's supermaxi Wild Oats XI took on a sparring partner in the IRC Racing division at Race Week, and Peter Harburg's recently launched Queensland entry Black Jack gave them plenty of competition.

The pair duelled in the recent Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race and only three and a half minutes separated the two 100-footers after 384 nautical miles with Wild Oats taking the win.

Black Jack is ready to face the opposition again, this time in the Whitsundays in a mixed passage and short course format among a small but potent IRC Racing fleet.

The 66-foot Wild Oats X vessel skippered by Iain Murray will face off against Phillip Turner's RP66 Alive with much to fight for in terms of handicap results with the two supermaxis gunning for line honours.

Murray recently returned from Bermuda where he competed at the 33rd America's Cup.

Plenty of familiar names and debut racers are spread across all divisions.

Matt Brooks' 1932-built timber hulled S&S 52, Dorade is on an extended Down Under tour and Audi Hamilton Island Race Week is high on the owner's list of major southern hemisphere events.

A mighty wrangle is shaping up among the racer/cruiser divisions planing hulled entries, specifically Adrian Walters' black rocket-ship Little Nico and the three NSW Melges 32s.

In the trailable division it will be a similar story with displacement hulls taking on the planing hulls.

Cruising and multihull cruising entries make up more than half the total fleet of 215 and these will be split into smaller divisions so similar size and handicap rated boats will compete on the same patch of water.

Long range weather

DISAPPOINTING light winds shortened the Airlie Beach Race Week which ended on August 17.

Today's forecast is steering towards a similar day to Tuesday before the trade winds make a return to potentially 10-15 knots on Friday and 15-20 knots on Saturday to tidy up the 34th edition of Race Week.

A gala evening and prize giving ceremony will be held on August 26 to honour placegetters.

Courses & race management

THE process of charting a long list of potential courses based on this week's tides began many months ago and has, as always, been rigorous.

Regatta director Denis Thompson and 2IC David Tallis advised that if the wind plays along, the fleet could be sent around some new islands, adding an extra challenge to the navigators' job.

"The high tide is right up there and has made us really think about getting the most out of a day for everyone,” he said.

"It will certainly be a challenge for some and enjoyable for most.”

Thompson and Tallis are two members of a race management team of 24 people who are mostly volunteers.

They will run the racing over six days for the 215 entries and close to 2000 sailors representing every Australian state including the ACT and USA.

There are also other international yachties who flew in from around the world.

Last year's Race Week drew an impressive record-breaking 252 yachts.

The national jury includes chairman Russell Green from New Zealand, fresh from his post as the rules adviser for the winning AC team, Team New Zealand, Philippe Mazard from New Caledonia and Australian judges Lister Hughes and Gary Manuel.