RPAYC

Sail Expo 2026 Set to Showcase the Best of Sailing On and Off the Water

Media RPAYC — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:24:33 +0000

Sail Expo 2026 will bring together an expanded showcase of yachts, marine brands, equipment and services when it returns to the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC), Newport, on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October.

With cruising and performance yachts, the latest generation of multihulls and an expanded shore-based exhibitor precinct, Sail Expo will offer visitors plenty to see both on and off the water. Sailing clothing, electronics, deck hardware, inﬂatable tenders and other marine products will sit alongside the boats, while food, entertainment and a relaxed waterfront atmosphere make it an event for sailors, families and anyone interested in life on the water.

One of the new-boat highlights will be the Sydney Premiere of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 455, with Performance Boating Sales also displaying the new Sun Odyssey 415 and Sun Odyssey 380. The 455 combines a high-performance hull with twin helms, walkaround side decks and a spacious cockpit, while its interior features increased natural light, improved ventilation and a range of layout options.

Lee Condell from Performance Boating Sales said: “The 455 brings together performance, easy handling and a really impressive amount of space and light. We’re looking forward to giving Sydney sailors their ﬁrst opportunity to step aboard, alongside the new 415 and 380.”

Multihull Central will also bring the Seawind 1160 XL, the latest development of Seawind’s popular 1160 platform, with more space and volume throughout. The new design delivers more headroom and usable living space, greater clearance above the water and a lighter, more efficient hull.
Brent Vaughan from Multihull Central said: “The 1160 XL takes a proven Seawind concept and moves it forward with more space and a fresh approach to the design. It will be great to have people step aboard at Sail Expo.”

Visitors will also be able to compare a wide range of boats from leading international brands, with Lagoon Catamarans, Beneteau, Bavaria and Hanse among the on-water exhibitors. With different sizes, layouts and styles of yacht on display, sailors can step aboard, compare the options and get a better feel for what type of boat might best suit their sailing plans, whether that means weekend cruising, coastal adventures or longer passages.

Shared boating will also feature at Sail Expo, with companies offering alternatives to traditional boat ownership for people who want to spend more time on the water without taking on the full commitment of owning a yacht. Visitors can explore different shared ownership and boating options and ﬁnd out how they can provide access to a boat for weekends, holidays and regular sailing.
The expanded shore-based precinct will bring together businesses catering to sailors and boat owners, including Henri Lloyd, Lejen Marine, North Sails and Yachting Holidays. Marine electronics, deck ﬁttings, inﬂatable tenders, sailing clothing and other equipment will all feature, giving visitors plenty of reasons to explore the shore exhibits between yacht visits.

Sail Expo will also put a spotlight on the future of the sport, with small boat classes including Optimists on display. The junior boats provide a glimpse into the pathways available to young sailors, from taking their ﬁrst steps on the water through to developing the skills and experience that can lead into competitive and cruising sailing.
With yachts to explore, new products to discover and the opportunity to meet people from across the sailing industry, visitors can spend the day moving between the boats and shore exhibits, while enjoying food, entertainment and the waterfront setting at the RPAYC.

Sail Expo 2026 is proudly supported by Pantaenius Sail & Motor Yacht Insurance.

Sail Expo 2026 will be held Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October, 10am–4pm, at the
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Newport. Free parking is available, with complimentary
tender services operating to and from nearby Pittwater wharves.

For more information, exhibitor announcements and updates, visit sailexpo.com.au Ends/…

Media contact:
Andrew Hawkins Mainsheet Media
andrew@mainsheetmedia.com 0422 953 928

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Help us welcome the sailing community to Sail Expo!

Media RPAYC — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:54:34 +0000

Volunteer at RPAYC | 17–18 October 2026

Sail Expo is coming to the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, bringing a weekend of boats, marine displays, live music and family activities to Newport. We’d love your help to make visitors feel welcome and keep the event running smoothly.

Volunteering is a great way to meet fellow members, share your enthusiasm for the club and be part of the weekend. Volunteering for even one session would make a difference.

Where can you help?

Welcome and Visitor Desk: Give visitors a warm welcome and help them find their way.
Membership Desk: Share what makes RPAYC special and help visitors with membership enquiries.
Parking: Help arriving visitors find their way and keep traffic moving.

Choose the sessions that suit you:

Date	Morning	Afternoon
Saturday 17 October	9:45 am–1:00 pm	12:45 pm–4:00 pm
Sunday 18 October	9:45 am–1:00 pm	12:45 pm–4:00 pm

Ready to lend a hand? Use the link below, selecting roles that interest you and sessions you’re available. Alternatively, you can call club reception (9998 3700) and talk to the front desk. Once the roster is complete, we’ll confirm your role and session (or sessions!).

Thank you for giving your time and helping us show visitors the best of RPAYC!

Jervis Tilly-Volunteer Coordinator

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ZHIK Centreboard Summer Series & Club Championships – Round 1

Media RPAYC — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 07:28:40 +0000

ZHIK Centreboard Summer Series & Club Championships – Round 1

Sunday, 13 September

We were thrilled to welcome over 20 boats onto the water for Round 1 of the ZHIK Centreboard Summer Series and Club Championships on Sunday, 13 September.

It was a perfect day for racing, with a consistent north-easterly breeze that continued to build throughout the afternoon, providing competitive racing across all fleets.

It was fantastic to see a mix of new faces and returning regulars out on the water.

Optimist Intermediate

Congratulations to Olivia Dorling (Fish), who won two of the three races and narrowly pipped Sienna Murray (Purple Wave) to take overall honours. Olivia and Sienna finished first and second respectively, with Coa Holland (Naughti Buoy) rounding out the podium in third place.

Optimist Open

In another highly competitive division, Oliver Sun (Better Knot) got off to a strong start, winning the first two races before finishing second in Race 3 to take overall honours.

Bono Svacek (Riptide) sailed consistently throughout the day and finished strongly by taking the win in Race 3, securing second place overall.

Courtney Harrison (Opti McOptiface) put in a solid performance to finish third overall.

Mixed Two-Handed Handicap

The Mixed Two-Handed division saw the two 29ers going toe-to-toe throughout the day.

Freddy Attrill and Willow Murray (Katsu) narrowly took the win in Race 1, before Alana Harrison and Sam Dalton (Indefatigable) responded with victory in Race 2.

In the final race, Katsu returned to the top, taking the win, with Indefatigable finishing second.

Well done to Lara Dorling and crew (Little Ripper), who finished third overall.

Mixed Single-Hander

In the Mixed Single-Hander division, Jan Scholten (The Left Lane), despite receiving a penalty in Race 1, sailed consistently to win Races 1 and 2 and secure the overall win.

It was a close battle for the minor placings, with new RPAYC sailor Ben Edwards (Eel) sailing consistently throughout the day to take second place overall.

Stuart Holdsworth (Full Cream Milk) finished third overall.

Multihulls

It was great to see five multihulls out on the course for Round 1.

Despite completing an extra lap in Race 1, Beau White (Pegasus) managed to finish first overall. Luke Ratcliff and Angus Musgrove finished in second place, with Nick Elliott and Niall Powers rounding out the podium in third.

It was fantastic to see everyone back at the club at the conclusion of racing for prizegiving and the BBQ, celebrating a great day on the water and catching up with fellow sailors.

A huge thank you to all our volunteers who helped ensure a smooth and enjoyable day of sailing. Your support is greatly appreciated.

We look forward to seeing everyone back on the water for Round 2 on Sunday, 27 September!

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Bavaria Oktoberfest Regatta

Media RPAYC — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:47:23 +0000

Bavaria Octoberfest 2026

Hosted by Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club,

SAVE THE DATE – 10 October 2026

Sydney Marine Brokerage is excited to invite Bavaria owners to register their interest for the Bavaria Oktoberfest 2026 at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.
Join us for a relaxed Bavaria owners’ event celebrating sailing, community and a little Oktoberfest fun. The day will include a fun sail race around Lion Island and back, followed by German-inspired food, live music, prize giving and an afternoon with the Bavaria community.
Whether you are planning to race in your Bavaria or come along to enjoy the celebrations as a spectator, we would love to hear from you.

Event Details

Date: Saturday 10 October 2026
Location: Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Newport
Hosted by: Sydney Marine Brokerage, Australian dealers for Bavaria Yachts

Event Highlights

Fun sail race around Lion Island
Bavaria owners’ community event
German food and Oktoberfest-inspired celebrations
Live music
Prizes and giveaways
Best Dressed Crew competition
Saturday night berthing options at RPAYC

SCHEDULE

Welcome
Race Briefing
Start time
Post race

Berthing Enquires

For berthing enquires please contact the RPAYC Marine Series Team at waterfront@rpayc.com.au or 9998 3700

Event Supporters

Find Us

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Podium finish for RPAYC YD team at Australian Women’s Match Racing Championships

Media RPAYC — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:20:36 +0000

Three days of close, tactical racing came to a conclusion at Fremantle Sailing Club on Sunday, wrapping up the 2026 Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship and another strong showcase of women’s sailing on the waters off Fremantle.

Six teams from Western Australia and New South Wales contested the national title in Elliott 7s, with three round robins determining the top four teams to advance to Sunday’s semi-finals and finals. The Championship was hosted by Fremantle Sailing Club in conjunction with Australian Sailing.

Conditions varied across the three days, testing teams in everything from light northerlies and flat water on Friday to a south-westerly on Saturday, followed by another light and challenging day for Sunday’s Finals Series.

The opening day set the tone for a closely fought Championship. After two round robins, Mia Lovelady (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club) and Chelsea Williams (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia) were tied at the top of the standings with seven wins each, with Isabella Holdsworth (Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club) close behind on six.

Tight mark roundings, lead changes and penalties featured throughout the round robin series, with little separating the leading teams.

Saturday saw the third round robin completed, with Williams and Lovelady again finishing level at the top of the standings on 10 wins apiece. Williams held the tie-break after winning two of their three head-to-head matches, while Holdsworth finished third and Fremantle Sailing Club’s Sophie Jackson moved into fourth to secure the final place in the knockout stage.

As the top-ranked skipper, Williams selected Jackson as her semi-final opponent, leaving Lovelady to face Holdsworth in the second semi-final.

Sunday’s Finals Series delivered another competitive day on the water. Williams defeated Jackson 3–1 to progress to the Championship Final, while Lovelady also secured a 3–1 victory over Holdsworth.

That set up a final between the two teams that had been closely matched at the top of the standings throughout the Championship.

Williams and her Cruising Yacht Club of Australia team of Maddy McLeay, Paige Caldecott, Clare Cini and Ali Braden produced a strong final series, defeating Lovelady 3–0 to claim the 2026 Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship title.

In the Petit Final, Holdsworth and Jackson battled through three matches, with Holdsworth taking the series 2–1 to secure third place. Heidi Ferguson (CYCA) defeated Kirstin Norris (South of Perth Yacht Club) 2–0 in the fifth and sixth place sail-off.

RPAYC is exceptionally proud of the RPAYC Women’s YD Team on their podium finish.

The Championship brought together a competitive mix of established and emerging match racers from across Australia, continuing to provide an important national platform for women to compete in high-level match racing.

Principal Race Officer Rob Hubbard, together with Race Committee members Carolyne Bush and Amanda Casebier, umpires and on-water support teams, managed three days of racing across changing conditions.

Fremantle Sailing Club also acknowledged the many volunteers, officials and Club staff who contributed throughout the Championship, both on and off the water, helping to deliver another successful national event in Fremantle.

The 2026 Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship was supported by the City of Fremantle, continuing its support of the Championship across the 2025 and 2026 editions. Mayor Ben Lawver joined the Club for Sunday’s prize giving, celebrating the Championship alongside competitors, officials, volunteers and supporters.

Fremantle Sailing Club also thanked Di Latte Estate and North Sails for their support of the 2026 Championship, alongside Australian Sailing and its SheSails initiative.

Full Championship results and race details are available at:
https://fremantlesailingclub.com.au/awmatchracing2026/

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Skipper and Crew briefing – Season 2026 – 2027

Media RPAYC — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 05:56:18 +0000

Skipper and Crew briefing – Season 2026 – 2027

Saturday, 12th September, will be the skippers’ and crew’s annual briefing, held in Halyards at 9am.
The briefing will discuss the annual race program, emergency procedures and changes to this year’s book. Including the courses. The course sheet this year is PINK.

Following the briefing, North Sails, together with RPA, will be conducting an on-water training day for all boats. The day will consist of a weather briefing and how to prepare your boat for the day’s conditions. Several practice starts will be held from 10:00 am, which will be recorded and reviewed back at the club afterwards. A mini race will also be held on the water with North Sails representatives, who will review yachts in each division.

Racing will finish at 3:30 pm, followed by the fleet review. We welcome all boats at the club to participate and thank North Sails and their team for their assistance.

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