Port Macquarie sailors bound for Northern Territory regatta

Port Macquarie Yacht Club
Race report, 23 August 2026

THAT the Port Macquarie Yacht Club is currently signing up new members is no mystery given the calibre and experience currently within its ranks. With current members including podium finishers in Australian yachting classics, to state regatta managers and officials, new members tend to be quick to learn the ropes.

Accordingly, it was no surprise that relative newbie, Barbara Dworak-Bahan stepped up from her usual crew position to helm Kookaburra 2 in last Sunday’s Long Ocean South event as preparation for skippering her entry in the Northern Territory Women’s Keelboat Regatta.

Indeed, Kookaburra 2 Sailors Fiona McManus and Barbara Dworak-Bahan are both competing in next weekend’s three-day Northern Territory Women’s Keelboat Regatta, albeit in different boats, with each expected to show high up on the result sheets.

Locally, last Sunday with several yachts still being unavailable, six yachts entered the Southerly boomerang course sailed off Port Macquarie in variable winds ranging from 4 to 15 knots.

Teddy Clausen’s Cool Change, Andrew Walmsley’s Enticer, Phil Johns’ Galene, Adrian Du Vernet’s  Kookaburra 2, Kevin Brown’s Razamatazz 2, and Frank Lagudi’s Third Man all gathered at the Bird Rock Start in the light 4 knot breeze.

With light airs starts being notoriously difficult to manage, it was Razamatazz 2, with a beautifully executed timed run that crossed the start line ahead of Enticer, Cool Change, Kookaburra 2, Third Man, while Galene, awaiting offshore audit certification, chose not to contest the start.

Razzamatazz 2, seeing more wind elected to sail the furthest offshore towards the boomerang elbow turning mark, while Enticer, Kookaburra 2, Cool Change, Third Man and Galene sailed the rhumb line, with the rhumb line on this occasion being the better choice.

On this leg Kookaburra 2 was able to overhaul the usually quicker Enticer and take the lead, while Enticer maintained a lead over Razamatazz 2.

Cool Change broke away from Third Man while Galene, in the lighter breezes in this stage of the race, made up ground she had given away at the start.

As the leading yachts arrived at the boomerang elbow a stronger southerly breeze sprang up.

The course change at the elbow saw the yachts now sailing close hauled towards the next mark, underneath Tacking Point.

At the mark, scrambled communication on Kookaburra 2 saw that yacht briefly sailing backwards allowing Enticer to close the gap between them, while Razamatazz 2 solidified her grip on third place.

Cool Change edged away from Third Man on this leg, while Galene – more suited to light conditions – now tailed off the fleet, with that being the mark rounding order.

With the next two legs being back towards Port Macquarie, and, also, downwind, the performance characteristics of the various yachts became apparent. Enticer sailing with reduced crew numbers was unable to hoist her spinnaker, but still made up ground on Kookaburra 2, while mid fleet, Third Man hoisted her bright yellow spinnaker reducing the gap between her and Cool Change.

At race end, after a mark rounding at Bird Rock, then sailing a short windward and return “sausage” leg, the Dworak-Bahan helmed Kookaburra finished two minutes ahead of Enticer, which in turn finished 18 minutes ahead of Razamatazz 2, while managing to hold off the well sailed Cool Change.

With elapsed times in the hands of the Handicapper, Kookaburra 2 with a corrected time of 1 hour 07 mins 10 sec claimed the event, ahead of ocean series leader, Cool Change 1 hour 11 mins 32 secs with Enticer, 1 hour 18 mins 34 sec third.

By Captain SLIPPERY