The weekend of 7 and 8 March is coming up quickly, so for those who are yet to enter the 2026 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Harbour Regatta, the early entry fee has been extended to 3 March, when entries close, so you have one week if you want to be part of the 21st birthday celebrations – and for those who finish top three, a pool of great prizes awaits.
For the first time, the Etchells Corinthian Championship will be held at the Regatta, with the class sailing both days instead of the usual one. Some will arrive fresh from competing at the Etchells NSW Championship held at Gosford Sailing Club earlier this month.
“We are making the Championship a focus for Corinthian sailors at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. We’re trying to establish this as an ongoing event at the Regatta and encouraging all to enter. It is gaining momentum – there’s a bit of a buzz around it,” said Etchells Sydney Fleet Captain, Michael Stovin-Bradford, who will be competing.
Those zeroing in on the Super 30 division for the Super 30 Cup are warming to the theme. The top two will resume their stoush of last year; David Ingram/Alex Salmon’s Roger That, a Melges 24 and Very Tasty, a Hick 30 entered by Ed Tacey. The latter has a score to settle after starting strongly, posting three bullets on Day 1 last year, but Roger That turned that around on Day 2, usurping her opposition for the title.
David Ingram is ready for another round. “We’ve been racing the Super 30s all season, so we have a good idea who the usual suspects are and hopefully we scared Very Tasty off last year,” he said laughing.
Very Tasty, undaunted, is returning in hopes of toppling the reigning champ.
“We hope the Melges 32 comes (Peter Woodhead with XC3SS is entered), they’re very good and will be hard to beat. They’re definitely a bigger boat in the fleet and we’re the smallest. We have to think more tactically than some of the bigger ones,” Ingram said, adding, ”It’s nice to see when you’re beating bigger boats on the water.”
Ingram ends, “It’s always fun doing the windward/leewards. We go better in light and planing weather. We can’t wait!”
Performance Spinnaker class entries are closing in on 40, with three divisions established already, such is the interest. Everything design-wise from Farr 36 to J boats, Reichel/Pugh, Nelson/Marek, Dufour, Beneteau, Jeanneau and everything in between. There is some Aussie flavour thrown in as well with Hick, King, Joubert and Sydney Yachts designs.
And there are some famous names and Sydney Hobart winners among the Aussie designs. Jim Dunstan, winner of the 1981 Hobart, has entered the yacht that got him there – Zeus II, a Currawong 30 designed by Peter Joubert, and one of the two smallest yachts to win the race.
The other is David Kellett, skipper of Charles Curran’s Sydney 60, Sydney, designed by Sydney Yachts. Coincidentally, as Sailing Master for Bernard Lewis, Kellett took line honours on the maxi Vengeance in 1981, the same year Dunstan won the race overall. In 1987 – and with Lewis again – he went one better, taking the double of line and overall win with Sovereign.
“Jim and I have been friends all of those years – and we’re two old blokes still out there doing it. It shows what a wonderful sport it is,” said Kellett, who over many years continues to contribute to the sport ashore, filling roles such as Vice President of World Sailing, President of Australian Sailing and more, resulting in his receiving an AM in 2002.
Kellett has been at the helm of Sydney for MHYC’s signature event for a few years. He says: “I think the Regatta is a terrific occasion. All credit to Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC), they’ve run it for a long time. It’s great to get a weekend of good races, you get four races in, so it’s a bit different for the crews.”
A Super 40 division is well on the way, with Revolver (Michael Ritchie) and Condor (Ross Hennessy) the top two from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s Pittwater Regatta in February expected to reignite their rivalry. Condor has won the division on Sydney Harbour the past two years. Can Revolver or any others beat him? That remains to be seen.
Serious competition is expected from the Adams 10s again. No Friends (Geoff Charters) and Contentious (Brian Lees) are early contenders.
And then there are all the other classes and divisions that make this the largest keelboat regatta in NSW, including and Australian and two NSW class Championships.
Grand Prizes
As if the competition isn’t enough, there are some fabulous grand prizes to be won. All boats placing first, second and third in any class or division, where six or more entries have been received, are eligible to win, provided they register a representative and attend the Official Presentation on Monday, 9 March.
Final details of the Grand Prizes will be announced in a Notice to Competitors closer to the event, but will include the draw of a Yachting Holidays Sunsail Greek Islands or Croatia Bareboat Charter for boats placing first in eligible divisions, plus a Steadfast Insurance Supercars Bathurst 1000 Track Day with Pit Tour and Starting Grid access for two people for boats placing second.
Yachting Holidays will also be providing Zhik apparel lucky draw for crew prizes (Male and Female) with entry open to all competitors.
The 2026 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Harbour Regatta doesn’t end with the racing, the shoreside fun adds another layer, with a sausage sizzle, drinks and music to dance the night away to on the sands in front of the Club on both evenings following racing.
Entries close at 23.59 hours on Tuesday 3 March 2026 – so you have one week. After ‘Close of Entries’, additional entries shall be made in writing and may only be accepted at the discretion of the Organising Authority, so enter now.
To enter and for Notice of Race, please visit: https://www.shr.mhyc.com.au
Di Pearson/MHYC media
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