Next year’s regatta will be between April 3 and 9, preceding the NSW school holiday break.

The iconic Commodores Cup has been scheduled for the first three days and the NSW IRC Championships and Port Stephens Trophy series on the final three days of the week.

The popular junior one-sail dinghy division will break away from the multihull series to remain in the first week of the holidays (April 11-13).

A raft of other class events and marine conferences are also planned for an ‘endless summer’ of sailing in Port Stephens throughout April, supported by Port Stephens Council and Destination NSW.

Sail Port Stephens regatta director Paul O’Rourke believes the regatta has outgrown its school holiday timing and can serve as a standalone drawcard to Port Stephens.

“We’re expecting a record number of entries to celebrate the 10^th anniversary milestone of Sail Port Stephens and it’s an opportunity for us to plan our biggest ever program of events,” he said.

“With the change of dates, our participants should have more marina berths available and more accommodation options, plus it avoids a clash with other events.”

There has been a renewed surge in interest from sports boat and Super 11 classes, while a multihull division is also set to draw new entries.

The 2016 Sail Port Stephens earned the highest praise for the quality of racing and surrounding social activities, with Nelson Bay adopting an international regatta village atmosphere as more than 1000 people were drawn to the region.

“Sail Port Stephens has always actively embraced families and friends by providing a huge range of off-water entertainment and accommodation options, and none of that will change in 2017,” O’Rourke added.

“It’s just going to be even easier and cheaper to take part.”