THERE’S no denying that Port Stephens is a sailors paradise.

Both within the Port, which is bigger than Sydney Harbour, and offshore, where the islands created an idyllic racecourse for yachts competing in the Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup.

The weather held up with a south-east breeze of fifteen knots on the final day of competition, with conditions about as good as yachting gets.

The fleet enjoyed plenty of tight spinnaker reaches with enough upwind work to make it tactically interesting, then a languid run back to the finish line on the Nelson Bay breakwall.

The honours on day three in Division 1 went to leader Exile, a Farr 40 campaigned by Middle Harbour’s Rob Reynolds.

Mako, helmed by Tim Dodds on behalf of an owners syndicate from Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, dropped to third overall as the Port Stephens based Beneteau 51, 51st Project, won the day.

Austmark was third on handicap in the day’s final heat.

Little Nico once again set a hot pace, posting a time of 2 hours 10 minutes to beat the Marten 49 Indigo 2 across the line by a full ten minutes.

The handicappers caught up with Newcastle’s Joe de Kock, who’d clocked consecutive wins aboard his Dehler 44 KD4, but he and his crew still managed a second placing on the day to handsomely win Division 2 overall. Runner-up was Mark Skelton’s Beneteau 40.7 JAB from Cicero, sailed by Mark Hellyer from Royal Prince Alfred.

KD4 was the fastest boat of the division, while Hussy was the surprise package, with Grant Pocklington helming the Sydney 39CR to first place on handicap.

Division 4 also saw the overnight leader hanging on with Derek Sheppard’s Elliott 780, Blacksheep, winning over the Young 88, Young at Heart, and Tana, a Jeanneau 32.

The day’s honours went to Summer Salt from Betty D and Sweeney-Todd.

In the non-spinnaker division, the Making Waves Foundation TP52, Woteva, was too good overall, winning with Newcastle’s Greg Pugh at the helm.

Next was Next, a Sydney 38 Cruiser, from the Beneteau Oceanis 321, Elara.

Port Stephens Yacht Club has been supplying volunteers to assist with the event and held off their regular racing to accommodate the visiting fleet.

The annual event is being hailed a success.

 

By Marian SAMPSON