For each class seven races were scheduled from 26 November to 5 December 1956 at Port Phillip Bay.

The start was made in the center of a set of 8 numbered marks that were places in a circle.

Three circular courses were planned for the northern end of Port Phillip Bay, each using the 1936 system with 8 fixed buoy's with the start in the middle of the circle.

At Sandringham for the Finn a course length of approximately 6 nautical miles (11 km) was used.

For the 12 square metres and Star the length was set to about 10 nautical miles (19 km).