Matchmaking service available for Sail Port Stephens crew

by Jody O'Brien on 13 Feb 2009
It’s not RSVP, but it’s close...! One of the age old problems with sailing can be not having enough crew available to do all the things you want to do, like compete at Sail Port Stephens in April this year.

To help with this particular issue, a Crew register page is now live on the Sail Port Stephens event website - click here to go straight to the page - http://www.sailportstephens.com.au/crew.asp

And the regatta organising committee is ready, willing and able to play matchmaker wherever possible.

If you’re a skipper or owner looking for crew, it’s simple, just email your details and what you’re looking for to sailportstephens09@gmail.com and they’ll be posted on the website for all to see.

If you’re a yachtie at a loose end, looking for a boat to play on at Sail Port Stephens, the same goes for you – send your details by email, including experience, and any other relevant information, and see where the path leads you.

The regatta has 4 components;

- The Commodores Cup – Monday 20th to Wednesday 22nd April – a cruisey 3 races across 3 days in around Port Stephens and the surrounding islands. Sailed under PHS.

- The Port Stephens Trophy – Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April – a step up in the competitive stakes from the Commodores Cup – sailed under PHS

- The Yachting NSW IRC Championships – Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April – a six race series over 3 days on windward leeward courses offshore from Port Stephens.

- Sportboats – Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April – sailed in the Bay under SMS.

What happens on the water is only half the fun, and socially, there’s a lively family friendly program of events each night that is aimed and priced to be affordable for all budgets – from a basic BBQ buffet to a pseudo crew dinner with all the things that hungry and thirsty sailors need.

And getting to and from venues each night is taken care of as well – with Port Stephens Coaches providing a bus service at a small cost that will pick up at various points around the Bay to drop off at the social venue each evening, and then return at the end of the night to get everyone home safely.

If you’re in Victoria or Queensland and would like to get on a boat for the event, you can fly direct into Newcastle airport from Melbourne Tullarmarine, Brisbane and Gold Coast airports – and if you get your flights booked early enough, you’re likely to get a Jetstar or Virgin fare for less than $150 return.

The airport is approximately 40 minutes from the regatta centre and surrounding accommodation close to the event, and transfers can be easily arranged.

For those coming from Sydney, Port Stephens is around 3 hour drive from Sydney up the F3.

From little things, big things grow, and Sail Port Stephens would not be possible without the support of the foundation partner group of Nelson Bay Diggers, Shoal Bay Resort and Spa, Peppers Anchorage and All Seasons Salamander Shores –as well as the resource contributions of the supporting partner group in SLAM, d’Albora Marina, Yachting NSW and Business Port Stephens, an initiative of Port Stephens Council.