Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC) welcomes all sailors to the New Year and entry into its 2024 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Harbour Regatta, due to take place from 2-3 March 2024, with another competitive weekend of autumn racing across multiple classes and divisions.
The Notice of Race is now online where you can also enter for the 19th running of the largest keelboat regatta in NSW which was introduced in 2006.
New in 2024 is the inaugural FarEast 28R National Championship. A quality Australia-wide fleet exists in this fun and fast Simonis Voogd One-Design class. Excitement is the key factor. Downwind in big conditions has caused a few heart stopping moments for crews and spectators alike and there is often less than half a bowsprit between finishers in races.
Following a successful first Australian J/99 Class Championships at the Sydney Harbour Regatta in 2023, Jules Hall will return with Disko Trooper to defend their title.
The competitive Sydney 38 One-Design class will again hold its NSW Championship as part of the SHR. Whether the determined team of Peter Byford and David Hudson (Conspiracy) can be beaten remains to be seen. MHYC’s Peter Sorensen (Advanced Philosophy) came close last year. He led into the final day, but Conspiracy accelerated to lift the title.
Performance classes competing last year. Photo: Andrea Francolini, MHYC.
Joining the Sydney 38s for offshore windward-leeward races starting and finishing in the Harbour will be the Super 50 group, with a number of TP52s expected. The Open IRC divisions will race inshore this year.
“We are committed to remaining innovative in our approach to the Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Harbour Regatta. We review it each year. We continue to grow it and promote the strength of the various one-design classes and other designs in general via NSW and National Championships,” said MHYC Commodore Rob Aldis.
The Commodore will take part also, with Daguet 2, a French built Mylius 50 co-owned with Peter Byford from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.
Other one-design classes lining up for MHYC’s signature event include the J/70, J/24, Adams 10, Farr 40 and Etchells. All are ultra-competitive and sailed by some of Australia’s leading lights.
Add to the above the Super 30, Super 40, Performance Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker divisions, Classic Keelboats and Historic 18 foot skiffs – the classes that showcase Sydney Harbour and its famous landmarks in March each year. The Harbour is at its best when it is covered in white sails and colourful spinnakers.
More than 150 yachts are expected to take part in the 19 divisions across seven course areas on the Harbour and offshore.
“We appreciate the large number of competitors who support the event each year and show our Harbour off to its best advantage. We also thank those clubs that support us each year to hold the regatta; a huge undertaking,” Commodore Aldis said.
Those clubs that continue to support the running of the Regatta are: Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Sydney Amateur Sailing Club, Manly Yacht Club, Royal Australian Navy Sailing Association, Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, the Sydney Flying Squadron and their skilled and committed volunteers.
Early entries close at one minute to midnight on Wednesday 21 February, so enter now and take advantage of the Early Entry Fee.
For the Notice of Race and to enter the Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Harbour Regatta, please visit: www.shr.mhyc.com.au
Di Pearson