The first half of Sail Port Stephens closed out in the most breeze of the three-day series, puffy southerly winds up to 22 knots on the bay causing spinnakers to flog and some crews to scramble as boats tipped and rounded up in the gusts. Within each of the five divisions making up the Bannisters…
Day two of the Bannisters Port Stephens Commodore’s Cup had an all-sorts flavour – beating sun, sudden heavy rain, bullets of 20 plus knots on the start line to barely any wind, lightning, a rainbow and dark clouds to the south as a southerly change loomed. The second of the three-race series wrapped up before…
A record Bannisters Port Stephens Commodore’s Cup fleet of 100 boats opened their three-day series in light winds on a stunning autumn day at Sail Port Stephens 2019. It was summer revisited for the offshore course that began off the Nelson Bay breakwater at lunchtime and weaved around the islands at the entrance to Port…
It’s 22 nautical miles from Newcastle Harbour to the Port Stephens heads, and today there was a catch – as in, no breeze at the start of the annual Sail Port Stephens feeder race. So instead of the postcard getaway on the harbour, race organisers from the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club had the 43-strong fleet…
As Sail Port Stephens 2019 comes under starters orders, a mammoth 248 entries have been received across classes ranging from sports boats to TP52s – even before counting the junior one-sail and 16-foot skiff fleets that will register on their race day. Allowing for cross-overs for the different series being contested during the week-long regatta,…
Sail Port Stephens 2019 has welcomed aboard Bannisters Port Stephens as a new sponsor for its entrée event, the Commodores Cup, starting April 8. The three passage races that constitute the Commodores Cup take competitors on a scenic loop around postcard-perfect islands and bays, offering a uniquely chilled vibe for an eclectic mix of old…
By popular demand, the Australian Sports Boat Association (ASBA) is returning to Sail Port Stephens for an unprecedented third consecutive year to stage its 2019 national titles. And joining them for the first time is the VX One class for its NSW championship. Plans to run the ASBA nationals at Geelong’s Festival of Sails fell…
Marina berths have become rarer than hen’s teeth in the lead-up to Sail Port Stephens 2019, such is the demand from the keelboat brigade, yet there’s room aplenty for off-the-beach and trailable classes to be part of the action. Separate divisions and courses have been created for trailer sailers, 16-Foot Skiffs and junior dinghies, all…
With online entries and the Notice of Race now up and running for the 12th annual Sail Port Stephens regatta, an unforgettable sailing holiday experience awaits for everything from IRC, Super 12 and Farr 40 yachts to cruising boats, trailer sailers, 16-Foot skiffs and junior dinghies. Dates for 2019 are 8-14 April, which falls outside…
That’s all she wrote for Sail Port Stephens 2018. After six days of sublime sunshine and sailing, a wild westerly has put paid to any further racing across all divisions, leaving overnight results standing. The AP flag was hoisted at 9am, with race officer Denis Thompson declaring that the committee would reassess the weather hourly….