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WHEN you consider that a leading cruising guide once advised visiting boaties to avoid Newcastle like the proverbial plague, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NCYC) has certainly put the harbour right back on the map.

And things will only keep on getting better now that the club is launching a Centre of Excellence as part of its push to "get Newcastle sailing" and make the sport more affordable and accessible.

It has been a pipedream for years, with space having been allocated around the Wickham-based marina as a make-do measure, but the club is now establishing a game-changing hardstand base for its trailerable and off-the-beach sailing activities.

"For several years, we've enjoyed a positive relationship with Thales and have utilised their hardstand area to base our fleet of Elliott 6 inshore keelboats," CEO Paul O'Rourke says.

"However, with our newfound independence, we'll be able to truly take advantage of the waterfront access by developing the waterfront to provide easy pontoon access to launch the Lasers, as well as a permanent crane facility to launch our Elliott 6 fleet rather than the hire cranes we've been forced to use since launching the fleet in 2019.

"We'll also have a hardstand home for all our powerboats and their trailers, as well as a purpose-built workshop to complement our comprehensive maintenance program while accommodating the newly started Men's Shed team who've been performing weekly maintenance tasks with us."

The struggle for hardstand space has existed since the visiting Etchells class raced in Stockton Bight during Easter 2010, then returned again with a 35-boat fleet in 2011. Even before that, the former Newcastle Yachting began importing the SB3 trailer yachts in 2007, racing them on Thursday afternoons and Sundays.

The desire for a hardstand was strong. The harbour, and even Stockton Bight in the right conditions, offers ideal locations for small keelboat racing. The only remaining hurdle was a home for the boats - for many, a trailer yacht represents an opportunity to own and campaign a small keelboat without the ongoing marina fees, and annual antifoul costs.

The club has acquired a taste for one-design racing. This began in 2011 with the Laser dinghy launching from the Honeysuckle end of the marina. More recently, there has been the acquisition of the Elliott 6 inshore keelboat fleet.

The vision from the club management has always remained the same - an accessible hardstand, and launching area for one design keelboat, and dinghy racing based out of a parcel of unused waterfront hardstand at the Thales (formerly Forgacs) Shipyard at Carrington. That same waterfront hardstand, directly opposite the club, is the site of the new Sailing Centre of Excellence. It's a big undertaking, and it is a big forward step for the future of one design racing at the club.

Great effort has gone into getting the development off the ground. With NSW Government financial assistance, the site will include sail storage containers, hardstand, and fixed crane to launch the fleet of one-design Elliott 6 inshore keelboats.

There's also an artificial grass rigging area, and storage racking for the one-design Laser and dinghy fleets, adjacent to a floating pontoon from which to launch and retrieve the boats.

One-design is a form of racing where all boats are virtually identical and race one another without any handicap calculations. All the boats start at the same time, and the winner is the first to cross the finish line. It becomes a sailing race, rather than a competition of who can afford the biggest or fastest yacht.

For this reason, one-design racing forms a big part of the NCYC's higher performance coaching platform and in-house member-based League competitions.

As we move into spring, you can expect to see and hear more activities happening across the water at the new Centre of Excellence.

With Cannes Yachting Festival just around the corner, Sirena Yachts is set to launch its new 78 as a larger sistership to the 58 that I tested some time ago and was blown away by.

Rather than following the crowd, the 78 has distinctive features that make it an all-rounder, excelling as either an entertainment platform or long-range voyager. Of note is the unique interior, with the option to offer two saloons.

The flybridge is available either in open, semi-enclosed or fully enclosed formats. Each of the latter iterations benefits from super-sized windows that let in light and allow for excellent views. Sirena decided to offer these options as their clients tend to boat in a variety of climates.

There's no main-deck helm station, which opens up space in that area for entertaining. The sheer amount of space the removal of the helm engenders means that all guests aboard the Sirena 78 will have lots of room to relax and socialise.

The centrepiece on the main deck's interior is a massive galley with island bench and full-size appliances. Surrounding it, the furniture can be moved around like in your home, rather than being inbuilt. That means settees and ottomans can be arranged to suit needs on any given day, making the layout ever-changing and customisable.

Down below, a full-beam, amidships master cabin with a private bath and dressing area is dedicated to the owner.

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