On Day 3 of the 2026 Commodores Cup Passage Series, sailors eagerly took on a scenic racecourse stretching 16.5 nautical miles around the offshore islands of Port Stephens. Principal Race Officer Dennis Thompson selected Course 1, enabling competitors to explore these picturesque waters while aiming to close the gap on divisional pointscore leaders.
The first leg saw participants race from Nelson Bay, navigating between Yacaaba and Tomaree headlands towards Cabbage Tree Island in a thrilling spinnaker run, capturing the essence of Sail Port Stephens racing. Those who tried to take a shortcut to the island faced challenges but were eventually rewarded with a filled seabreeze, allowing the fleet to complete several laps around Cabbage Tree, Little, and Boondelbah Islands.
In Division 1, Scott Robertson’s Beneteau 45 *Banter* clinched the PHS first place with clever spinnaker changes, allowing them to gain significant ground in the race. Robertson noted the change from an asymmetric to a symmetric spinnaker as pivotal in their performance. This win positioned *Banter* equal fifth overall in Division 1, trailing *Jambo*, *Shape*, and *Tow Truck*, with *Jambo* holding an eight-point lead.
Division 2 saw Stuart Muirhead’s Beneteau First 35 *Silver Lining* excel by making smart tactical decisions around the islands and optimally choosing their sails. Muirhead revealed that the boat excels when flying its big spinnaker in lighter breezes, and a retractable bowsprit modification has improved its performance on tight legs. Currently, *Silver Lining* is third in Division 2, just behind *King Tide*, while Barry Kelly’s Archambault M34, *Concealed Weapon*, leads the division.
*Midnight Promise* emerged victorious in Division 3, intensifying the competitive landscape as they now share equal first place with *Kelsea Blue*, a C&C 115 from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, amidst a tightly contested leaderboard.
In Division 4, John Veale’s Dehler 32 *Hasta La Vista* secured victory, propelling them into fourth place in the series. Leading the Non-Spinnaker Division is Sandy Hume and his crew aboard *Windfalls*, a Catalina 320, who are enjoying an unexpectedly strong showing following their usual struggles in Sydney. Hume highlighted the advantages of the configuration of their boat and their enjoyment of racing against larger vessels under spinnaker.
Wednesday night marked the Sail Port Stephens social highlight, the Street Party, featuring music from Newcastle band Love That Hat. With a lay day today, sailors are preparing for the resumption of racing on Friday. The final day on Saturday is expected to present a challenging outing, with forecasts predicting strong south-westerly winds gusting to 20 knots.
Sail Port Stephens 2026 is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism agency Destination NSW, Port Stephens Council and subsidiary sponsors.
https://www.sailportstephens.com.au/
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