NEWCASTLE Cruising Yacht Club is set to run another major regatta, Sail Port Stephens, following the successful SailFest Newcastle from Monday 4 April through to Sunday 10 April.

Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club was founded in 1996 by sailors from Lake Macquarie who wanted to go ocean sailing, with the Club’s marina built in Throsby Basin in Newcastle in 2005 and the Club licensed in 2010.

In 2015, the Club established its Youth Sailing Academy in Newcastle and in 2019 the Club was approached by the Bay Sailing Centre at Soldiers Point, Port Stephens, to take over the Centre.

Since 2019, the Club has established the Australian Certified Sailing Centre at Soldiers Point.

The Centre has six new unsinkable training skiffs and runs a ‘Tackers Program’ for novice and junior sailors.

In February, the Centre ran the State Laser Masters Event on Port Stephens with 120 boats entered.

As part of SailFest, events were held in and around Newcastle Harbour, including the decades old ‘Cock-of-the-Harbour’ in Stockton, which has been run since 1834.

The TP52 Gold Cup was run with yachts including Sydney to Hobart Race multiple handicap winner ‘Ichi Ban’, ‘Smuggler’ with Tea Gardens’ Steve Taylor as navigator and local boat ‘Frantic’ with several Youth Academy graduate crew members, amongst others.

During Sail Port Stephens there will be a number of events and activities, including free ‘Try Sailing’ for kids at d’Albora Marina at Nelson Bay from 12pm on Saturday 9 April.

“200 yachts are now entered for Sail Port Stephens for inshore and offshore racing.

“There will be State Titles for offshore racing for the larger TP52’s and other yachts, State Titles for Taser dinghies at Salamander Bay and Far East 28 National Titles,” Paul O’Rourke, CEO of Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club told News Of The Area.

“This will be the biggest Sail Port Stephens ever with 120 keel boats and 100 beach based boats entered,” Mr O’Rouke said.

Sail Port Stephens will be the largest regatta in NSW and the third largest in Australia.

In 2021, there were 120 yachts in the event with more than 2,000 competitors and supporters and the event generated $2 million for the Port Stephens area.

“This year there should be more than 2,500 competitors and supporters generating more than $3 million for the local area,” Mr O’Rouke said.

 

By Tara CAMPBELL