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Sailing News for December 01, 2025

Emirates GBR captured the SailGP Grand Final in Abu Dhabi with a stunning comeback, sparked by Hannah Mills’ breakthrough in staying calm under pressure and Dylan Fletcher’s razor-sharp driving. Offshore, The Famous Project’s all-female crew blasted out of Brest and straight into Biscay mayhem as they launched their Jules Verne Trophy record attempt aboard Idec Sport. Sydney delivered its own chaos with 40-plus-knot gusts reshaping the SSORC and producing a day of full-send carnage. Sail Melbourne kicked off with classic Port Phillip madness, from squalls to mine-diggers, as Australia’s best returned to form. Cruising brings a warm twist with a DIY insulation refit that transformed a damp Cobra 850 into a cosy liveaboard, while the Nordic boatbuilding scene dominated Europe’s biggest boating awards. Plus: essential ILCA startline tactics in today’s highlight video.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

Mills reveals calm-under-fire breakthrough as Emirates GBR clinch Grand Final victory (5 min read)
Emirates GBR sealed the SailGP Grand Final in Abu Dhabi with a cool-headed comeback, and strategist Hannah Mills says it all clicked the moment she learned to breathe on the grinder and talk calmly under pressure. A shaky first fleet race forced a mental reset, but it paid off when the team started the final dead last and still clawed their way to the trophy. Mills credits Dylan Fletcher’s razor-sharp driving and a season of prep for the win. It still feels unreal, but the champagne’s definitely warranted.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

All-female round the world record attempt sets sail in tough conditions (5 min read)
The Famous Project has officially blasted off from Brest, with Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari and a stacked all-women crew taking on the Jules Verne Trophy aboard the legendary maxi-trimaran Idec Sport. Their start was anything but gentle, straight into 4–5m Biscay seas and a tight weather window that could shut the door at Cape Finisterre. Spirits are high, nerves are real and the goal is massive: beat 40 days, 23 hours around the planet. If they pull this off, it’ll be history-making stuff.

Wind gods in force at Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing (4 min read)
Day 1 of the SSORC delivered full-send conditions, with a 40-knot blast rolling through Sydney Harbour and gusts hitting 44 knots, forcing officials to chop the Seven Islands Race down to something closer to a “one island dash.” Back 2 Black stole the show on its Australian debut, while Ragtime and Disko Trooper thrived in the chaos offshore. In the harbour, boats were flattening, kites stayed in their bags and a few crews wisely called it quits. The fleet got a proper Hobart-style workout, and tomorrow’s finale can’t come soon enough.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

Sail Melbourne delivers classic Port Phillip challenge for Australia’s best (4 min read)
Port Phillip served up its trademark chaos for Sail Melbourne, delivering everything from mine-digging downwinders to glassy lulls as Australia’s top sailors kicked off the summer season. Olympic champ Matt Wearn made a sharp return to the ILCA7 with a confidence-boosting win, while Grae Morris crushed the iQFOiL fleet and young guns Otto Henry and Shaun Connor topped the 49er. Squalls, 90-degree shifts and nine-race schedules kept everyone honest. It was Melbourne at its best: unpredictable, physical and seriously good racing.

Cruising

From damp cushions to cosy home: The simple insulation job that changed life on our boat (5 min read)
Mark and Nicky Green went from shivering in a soggy Cobra 850 to living in a surprisingly snug floating home after tackling a full DIY insulation refit. Think Celotex mosaics, foil bubble wrap, UPVC cladding and a lot of Sikaflex. The project was messy, time-consuming and occasionally ridiculous, but it wiped out their condensation woes and totally transformed life aboard. Water Lily now feels warm, dry and livable enough for the couple to dream about staying afloat for years.

Tech & Gear

The North wins big at Europe’s biggest boating award (5 min read)
Northern Europe absolutely cleaned up at the Best of Boats Award 2025, taking four of the five top prizes and catching the Berlin crowd off guard. Norway, Sweden, and Finland stole the spotlight with standout designs, from the sleek Nordkapp Enduro 830 to the adventure-ready Saxdor 340 GTWA. Even the Bayliner C21 got love as the top beginner pick. It was a night of champagne, last-minute sprinting from airports, and a serious flex from the Nordic boatbuilding scene.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Coach Dan Self breaks down the three start approaches every ILCA sailor needs in their toolbox: the sneaky port-tack slide-in, the late-hook ambush at the boat end and the starboard lead-in for pin-favoured scrums. He layers in clever real-world tricks too, like fake-looking away from your target gap, sitting bow-back to trap windward boats and using your bow to judge the line without panic-parking. With examples from top pros, it’s a goldmine for anyone tired of starting buried in bad air.