The weather gods saved their most benevolent favours for the final day of racing of Week 3 of Sail Port Stephens, comprising the Super Series for large racer/cruiser monohulls and an inaugural division of multihulls. The yacht fleet got cleanly off the line from the Nelson Bay breakwall in a 15 knot north-easterly, which translated…
Early risers for Day 2 of the Super Series at Sail Port Stephens packed an array of wet weather gear in their sailing bags as rainstorms stalked the entrance to the bay just after dawn. But ultimately it was a case of no jacket required as the sun lit up the 25 nautical mile racecourse…
A combination of brilliant autumn sunshine and light north-easterly winds provided a spectacular backdrop for the opening day of Week 3 of Sail Port Stephens, comprising the Super Series for large racer/cruiser monohulls and an enthusiastic contingent of multihulls. The Oatley family’s evergreen Reichel Pugh 66 Wild Oats X led the Super Racer Cruiser Division…
With Acts 1 and 2 of Sail Port Stephens 2026 now successfully tucked in the sail bag, attention turns to the third and final Super Series running May 1-3, featuring the inaugural Cat Stephens regatta for multihulls, a Super Racer Cruiser division and a host of off-the-beach dinghy classes. The yacht and multihull fleets will…
ANZAC Day provided a moving backdrop to Day 2 of the 2026 Sail Port Stephens Performance Series, where remembrance gave way to some of the most memorable racing of the regatta so far. The start was postponed off Nelson Bay, allowing crews to savour the spectacle of an RAAF jet flyover while race official Ted…
With rainbows, sunshine and a breeze built to please, the 2026 Sail Port Stephens Performance Series opened in memorable style yesterday on picture-perfect Port Stephens backdrop. Racing was initially paused for an hour while a pesky westerly gradually relented to an incoming south-easterly that filled in at 10–12 knots and delivered three enthralling races across…
After five days of competitive but fun racing on the spectacular waterway of Port Stephens and its offshore islands, the final results are in and the divisional winners are celebrating. The wind gods bestowed a parting favour on the record fleet, summoning a 15-knot southerly breeze that quickly sent Divisions 1 and 2 to their…
After two days of spectacular racing on the bay of Port Stephens, crews in the record fleet participating in the 2026 Commodores Cup Passage Series were eager to tackle the longer and equally scenic racecourses around the magnificent offshore islands. So there was near unanimous approval when Principal Race Officer Dennis Thompson nominated Course 1, stretching…
Equal parts good strategy, judgement and random good luck. That’s the way one reasonably satisfied tactician summed-up Race 2 of the Pantaenius Australia Commodores Cup Passage Series sailed in brilliant sunshine on a sparkling inshore racecourse. It turned out the best pressure of the day was 9-10 knots at the start and the end of…
A puffy 10-15 knot south-westerly breeze set the scene for a sparkling opening day of the 2026 Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup Passage Series. With 124 boats lining up for the spectacular downwind start off Nelson Bay breakwall, the big fleet was split into four manageable divisions. Division 1’s 28 entries featured an eclectic mix,…