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Sailing News for October 22, 2025

Today’s sailing issue is all heart and hustle. The Bermuda Gold Cup opens with high-impact collisions and tight comebacks, while Chris Alexander’s VX One team storms from ninth to first in a flawless finale. In Sydney, Celestial gears up for another Hobart run with a charitable twist, and the World Odyssey Rally fleet sets off on a 35,000-mile adventure. Meanwhile, a blind sailor conquers the Isle of Wight in a rudderless catamaran, and the U.S. SailGP Team invites fans to ask them anything.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

Send The US SailGP Team Your Sailing Questions! (2 min read)
Ever wanted to ask the U.S. SailGP Team what really happens on board at 50 knots? Now’s your chance. They’re inviting fans to send in any sailing questions, from the basics of apparent wind to who actually drives that flying beast. The best ones get answered by the crew themselves. It’s your shot to go straight to the source, no gatekeeping, just pure SailGP insight.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Waarschip 740: The Offshore Boat You Can Build in Your Garage (8 min read)
Meet the Waarschip 740, a plywood pocket rocket that proves you don’t need a shipyard to go offshore. Dutch sailor Willem Bijl built his from a kit in his garage, fitting it out with surgeon-level precision, from gimballed nav lights to a blow-and-suck fuel gauge. The result is a 25-foot cruiser that sails like a dream, shrugs off coastal chop, and makes most plastic boats look soulless. Proof that sawdust and epoxy can still beat fiberglass and flash.

Collisions and Comebacks on Opening Day of Bermuda Gold Cup (7 min read)
The 2025 Bermuda Gold Cup kicked off with chaos as a collision in the first flight set the tone for a wild day in Hamilton Harbour. Ian Williams and Eric Monnin ended the opener tied at the top, while defending champ Johnie Berntsson stumbled early. Over in the Aspen Bermuda Women’s Match Race, Sweden’s Anna Östling, Denmark’s Lea Vogelius, and the USA’s Nicole Breault shared the lead after a tight day of duels. High drama, close calls, and plenty of redemption still to come.

Perfect Day and Perfect Ending at VX One Championship (5 min read)
Chris Alexander and his crew on Counterproductive pulled off a comeback for the ages at the VX One North American Championship in Gulfport. Starting the day in ninth, they ripped off five straight race wins to take the title at Alexander’s home club. The win was his fourth North Americans crown, but this one hit different with family cheering from the water. After an “all or nothing” mindset and a flawless day, Alexander called it simply, “lights out.”

Cruising

World Odyssey 25 Rally Sets Sail from La Grande Motte (5 min read)
The World Odyssey 25 fleet has set off from La Grande Motte, launching Grand Large Yachting’s second global rally. Seven boats began the 35,000-mile adventure toward Tangier and the Canary Islands before the full fleet gathers for the official start. Crews will choose between the tropical Panama route or the rugged Cape Horn passage. After months of training and prep, the sailors are off to chase a three-year dream of bluewater exploration and global community on the open ocean.

Spotlight

How a Blind Sailor Raced This Unique Rudderless Catamaran Around the Isle of Wight (9 min read)
Spanish sailor Dani Pich lost his sight in an accident but never lost his drive to sail. This summer he took on the Isle of Wight solo in a Patí Català, an 18-foot wooden catamaran with no rudder, boom, or daggerboard. Using body weight, sail trim, and a vibrating vest that turned wind data into touch, Pich finished the 13-hour lap by feel alone. It is a mix of old-school craftsmanship and modern tech that proves skill and instinct can steer anyone toward adventure.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Solo sailor Mark Palmquist takes his outrigger canoe for a lively ride in one-meter seas and 15–20 knots of breeze. On the return leg, he hits 6–7 mph surfing broad down the waves, tweaking trim along the way. The sail’s a touch too far forward and the luff a bit loose, but it’s pure joy watching the little rig skip across the chop. A great reminder that small boats and fine-tuning make for big smiles on breezy days.