24 hours of sailing news in 5 minutes.

Sailing News for September 23, 2025

This week brings plenty of drama. Team Germany stunned the fleet with their first SailGP victory on Lake Geneva, while Oyster Bay gears up for a Six Metre Worlds packed with legends and new designs. On Lake Garda, Andrew Mills secured his first OK Dinghy world title against a record fleet, and the Classic Yacht Challenge wrapped with timeless yachts stealing the spotlight. WASZPs lit up Parkstone YC with fast foiling and off-water fun. In Tech & Gear we look at engine mount replacements and a clever electric winch conversion. Big action, big stories, time to dive in.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

“Amazing, shocking, cool!” Germany Snags First SailGP Victory (5 min read)
Team Germany pulled off their first-ever SailGP win on Lake Geneva, and it was a thriller. Skipper Erik Kosegarten-Heil and his stripped-down three-man crew nailed the starts, kept cool in the fickle Alpine breeze, and out-sprinted Australia and Switzerland in a nail-biter of a final. After nearly stalling off the foils mid-race, they found the wind again and blasted to the finish at 50 km/h. The champagne spray afterward? Absolutely deserved.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Classic Yacht Challenge Series 2025 Wraps Up (5 min read)
The 2025 Classic Yacht Challenge Series closed in style at the Indian Harbor Classic Yacht Regatta, capping a season that saw 262 yachts race across New England. Black Watch, a 1938 Sparkman & Stephens, went undefeated in the Vintage class, while Ponyo swept Spirit of Tradition and American Eagle claimed Classic division honors. District awards highlighted everything from centennial R-Boats to Alden yawls. Winners will be toasted at the Herreshoff Museum in October as the fleet looks ahead to another summer of timeless racing in 2026.

Game Time at Six Metre World Championships (4 min read)
Oyster Bay is buzzing as 29 boats from 10 nations line up for the 2025 Six Metre Worlds, split between the Open and Classic fleets. Dennis Conner is back with a radical new design that pushes the rulebook, while King Juan Carlos of Spain unveiled a gleaming new perpetual trophy for the Classics. The forecast promises light, tricky Long Island Sound conditions, so local knowledge and patience will be key. Racing is set for eight races, with five needed to crown a champion.

OK Dinghy World Championship at Circolo Vela Arco – Overall (6 min read)
Lake Garda delivered another classic as 212 sailors from 17 nations battled at the biggest OK Dinghy Worlds ever. Britain’s Andrew Mills sealed his first world title with a string of dominant results, while Nick Craig took silver and Sweden’s Niklas Edler bronze. Matt Howard won the final race, but the points were already in Mills’s pocket. With perfect Garda breezes, pasta-fueled socials, and a record fleet, the class is booming. Next stop: Denmark in 2026, back to the birthplace of the OK.

Tech & Gear

Replacing Your Boat’s Engine Mounts (5 min read)
Engine mounts quietly do the heavy lifting on your boat, soaking up vibration and keeping the engine steady while the prop pushes you forward. But they do not last forever, and marine surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies says you should replace them every 10 years or risk ugly surprises like cracked rubber, broken steel, or a shaky drivetrain. From diesel leaks to ropes around the prop, plenty can ruin a mount. A fresh set can save you costly repairs and even make your boat quieter.

Electrify Your Sheets – SailForce Conversion Kits at Pittwater Sail Expo (4 min read)
Tired arms might be a thing of the past. At the Pittwater Sail Expo, Any Port Marine is showing off SailForce by Ewincher, a clever kit that turns your manual winches into electric ones without ripping them out. The brushless motor packs two speeds for quick hoists or fine trimming, and a built-in tension limiter shuts everything down if a line jams. Powered by its own lightweight 30V lithium battery, it charges from your 12V or 24V system with minimal draw. Short-handed crews, this is a game changer.

Foiling

WASZP GP at Parkstone Yacht Club (5 min read)
The first WASZP GP at Parkstone YC had it all: sunshine, squalls, tricky breeze, and even a lasagna-fueled model land-yacht contest ashore. On the water, Peter Cope and James Crossley traded wins all weekend, with Cope taking the overall title and topping the U21 category. Martin Evans secured third and Master honors, while Merryn Attridge impressed as top Junior. With a Magenta Foiling Clinic and Green Fleet buzzing near the club, the event showed off just how lively WASZP racing can be.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Lake Geneva served up chaos and champagne at the first-ever Swiss SailGP. Germany shocked the fleet by claiming their maiden win, Australia clawed back with a big Sunday performance, and the home team delivered a podium to fire up the crowd. Black flags, photo finishes, and light-air foiling drama made it a weekend where timing was everything. With just two events left, the title fight is boiling down to four teams scrapping for three Grand Final spots.