Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo M75

Sail Port Stephens Passage Series Day 4

by Mark Rothfield 28 Apr 2023 07:14 PDT 24-29 April 2023
Race 4 Sail Port Stephens Div 3 leader Trim © Promocean Media

Day 4 at Sail Port Stephens saw crews on the 107 boats enjoy flawless conditions perfectly aligned to the scenic offshore courses set by Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson.

A squeeze at the pin end of the start line in Division 1 resulted in Julian Bell's 51st Project being recalled but slick crew work aboard the big Beneteau 50 put her back among the leaders on the first upwind leg to Cabbage Tree Island.

A tight reach took the fleet to Little Island before bow and mast teams scrambled to get spinnakers set for the quick run to Boondelbah Island and back down for another stint on the breeze back to Cabbage Tree Island. It was then more fast sail changes on the challenging figure-eight course, before an at times exciting kite run back in through the heads and down to the finish off Nelson Bay breakwall.

The solid 20-knot north easterly led to a number of round-ups, but that wasn't a problem for Fourth Dimension IV, a Hanse 575... at 17 metres and 25 tonnes the biggest and heaviest boat in the entire fleet. Now berthed at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Adam Griffin has brought the family cruiser all the way back from Europe via the Caribbean and the Pacific, so knows when Fourth Dimension IV is nicely in the groove.

"We managed to sail the course in good wind, good pressure, and managed to pick some good angles," Griffin said matter-of-factly but it was clear by the post-race celebrations he and his crew were delighted with the result. "We did pretty well considering we only had five on board," he admitted.

Peter and Bryan Grayson's OD 35 Khaleesi notched their first podium of the regatta in second while Craig Douglas and crew aboard the Beneteau first 47.7 Popeye from Middle Harbour Yacht Club also found the stronger conditions to their liking in third place.

In Division 2, Rob Howard's Beneteau 40.7 Schouten Passage sailed the best angles to claim first, with Kite Runner, John Zagame's well-performed Hanse 430e, claiming second ahead of another Hanse, Richard Stock's Etre Jeune, a Hanse 445.

Exiting or entering the daunting 1.2km entrance to Port Stephens presents the biggest sliding door on the course and locals like Steve Liney, who claimed his second win of the series in Division 3, know that only too well.

"Even though the tidal range today wasn't big, going out on the southern side always works well when we do club racing. You can get some nasty wind swells around Yacaaba (the northern headland), so we had a good run and that was really important for us," he recounted. With one race remaining tomorrow, Liney's Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45.2 Bellamy is lying in second in the overall point score behind Animal Farm from the Gosford Sailing Club.

In today's bigger breeze, Matt Doyle's Beneteau Sense 50 La Troisieme Mi Temps and Peter Lewis's Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440 Ca va powered home to second and third respectively on the Division 3 podium.

In Division 4 Trim's third was enough to lift them four points clear of their nearest rivals in the overall standings while, in the Non-Spinnaker Division, James Kearney's venerable 1974 S&S 34 Red William clearly enjoyed the decent breeze to claim first from Great Expectations and Transcendence Credo.

Sail Port Stephens culminates tomorrow with the eventual winners of the coveted Pantaenius Commodores Cup and Port Stephens Trophy named at a special presentation after racing concludes.

Related Articles

The Ocean Cleanup's 30 Cities Program
A look at The Ocean Cleanup and its the 30 Cities Program The cliche goes that one should avoid meeting one's heroes, as there's always a chance that the flesh-and-blood person might not live up to expectations. While I've never met Boyan Slat, I'd gladly take this risk. Posted today at 9:00 pm
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 3
Mother Nature teases the competitors Mother Nature teased the competitors today and made them wait a bit, but she did not disappoint; the sun came out and a big westerly built to 18-20 knots! Posted today at 5:22 pm
The Iconic Admiral's Cup Returns!
Harken UK caught up with the RORC CEO and Admiral's Cup sailors ahead of the event After a long hiatus, this prestigious international yachting regatta makes its grand comeback from 17- 31 July at The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Posted today at 3:30 pm
Excellent Olympic Season Openers for GP Watercraft
Bermudan ILCA sailors enjoy a strong start to the season! The first two Olympic events of 2025 proved a very positive start to the season for GP Watercraft and their Bermudan ILCA sailors: Sebastian Kempe (ILCA 7) and Adriana Penruddocke (ILCA 6) who are both coached by Shaun Priestley of GP Watercraft. Posted today at 11:00 am
A century of human endeavour
The Fastnet Race is regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds For 100 years, the Rolex Fastnet Race has been regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds. It is a place where ambitions and dreams meet harsh reality, where skill, endurance and fortitude are severely tested. Posted today at 10:14 am
Martine Grael in Racing on the Edge
First female driver to win a Fleet Race captured in behind-the-scenes documentary Major milestone moment for SailGP captured in behind-the-scenes documentary series, which reaches 10 million total viewers since launching in 2021. Posted today at 8:45 am
Get ready to celebrate world's best sailing photos
16th edition of the Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award Professional photographers from around the globe are invited to submit their best yacht racing images captured between October 14, 2024, and October 12, 2025. Posted today at 7:15 am
Alli Bell & Restless crew to make Transpac history
On course to be the first woman skipper to win Transpac overall Alli Bell and the crew of her Cal 40 Restless took a winch handle to the notion that winning the Transpacific Yacht Race's top corrected-time prize requires membership in an old-boys club or a mighty war chest. Posted today at 6:28 am
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC Four preview
The pinnacle of grass roots sailing has 97 entries The very largest yachts, including the 100ft Ultim foiling trimarans and 60ft IMOCAs are an essential part of the spectacle of the Fastnet Race, however a critical element in the race's enduring appeal is that this is predominately a grass roots event. Posted on 14 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 2
Classic Long Beach conditions return The weather conditions at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta shifted noticeably today, delivering the classic Long Beach breeze that many expect from this world-class venue. Posted on 14 Jul
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeMaritimo S SeriesAllen Dynamic 40 Footer