Sail Port Stephens is set to have a strong local flavour this year.
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Port Stephens Yacht Club will have its strongest representation in a “long time” when the regatta, entering its 11th year, tolls around between April 9 and 15.
“We’ll have eight boats from Port Stephens in the regatta and about 60 members involved, which is significant,” the Port club’s Commodore, Bill Haskell, said.
“It’s our best representation in a long time.”
The club has supported the annual regatta for the past 11 years. In addition to entering sailors, the club provide staff and crew for regatta support vessels.
This year the club will help with the sports boats, helping to run the races in addition to hosting the sailors at their clubhouse in Soldiers Point for a social function.
For a second year, Nelson Bay sailor and Port Stephens Yacht Club member Ken Peachey has entered his 37 foot Northshore 370 sports yacht, Una Vita, into the regatta.
While he has taken part in a number of regattas as a crew member during the past 10 years, he entered his first regatta in 2017, coming second in the division two performance racing.
This year Peachey, with help from his crew of eight, hopes to go one better.
“It [regatta] is something we look forward to every year,” he said.
“It’s great that it comes to us. Chasing around for other regattas is quite arduous. It’s not just the regatta itself, but the time it takes to get there and back.
“You tend to know your pecking order in the club. This allows you to see how you go against other sailors. A bit of local knowledge helps.”
About 60 yachts have been entered in the performance racing class of the Port Stephens Trophy with yachts hailing from Queensland, Newcastle, Sydney and Lake Macquarie.
Other events that will be contested during Sail Port Stephens include the IRC NSW Championships, sports boat Australian championship, Super 12 NSW championship and the Commodores Cup.
Sail Port Stephens will begin with a feeder race on April 8. About 40 yachts, including Peachey on Una Vita, will take part in the race from Newcastle Harbour to Port Stephens.
A fun ‘Keg Run’ has been added to the regatta calendar for the first time. The event will be held on April 21-22 as part of an extended ‘Season of Sailing’.