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Sailing News for December 09, 2025

URM Group stayed red hot at the Australian Maxi Championship with two IRC wins in a building nor’easter while LawConnect grabbed Line Honours. US Sailing released a new strategic plan focused on growth community engagement and LA28 preparation. ARC+ welcomed its first Grenada finisher as Enjoy The Silence arrived after a fast crossing and Rutland’s WASZP fleet wrapped the year in 25 knot winter blasts.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

URM Group dominates again as passage racing turns on the breeze (4 min read)
Day Three of the Australian Maxi Championship served up a building nor’easter and punchy seas, and URM Group ate it up with back to back IRC wins. The team is on a hot streak after their 2024 dismasting, now stacking three straight victories thanks to sharp laylines and a refreshed rig and sail package. In Line Honours, LawConnect finally broke Master Lock Comanche’s run by winning the start and never letting go. Next up is the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, where a light forecast could turn Sydney Harbour into a tactical minefield.

Youth Sailing/Development

US Sailing Releases 2025–2028 Strategic Plan (6 min read)
US Sailing just rolled out its new strategic plan and it’s all about growing the sport, boosting member value, and sharpening America’s Olympic edge. The roadmap leans on three pillars: run the organization better, engage the community more, and build a world-class talent pipeline. There’s a big push for digital learning, stronger club partnerships, and gearing up for LA28. It’s an ambitious vision, though the stakeholder list is looking pretty East Coast heavy.

Cruising

First ARC+ Yacht Arrives in Grenada (5 min read)
Enjoy The Silence, an Outremer 55, blasted across the Atlantic to become the first ARC+ 2025 boat to reach Grenada, finishing the 2,200 mile leg from Cape Verde in just over 10 days. The crew got a hero’s welcome at Port Louis Marina after pushing hard all the way and topping both legs of the rally. Conditions ranged from fickle light air to solid trade wind breeze, but the cat stayed fast and comfortable throughout. Now it’s time for rum, boat cleaning, and swapping sea stories as the rest of the fleet rolls in.

Tech & Gear

Rigging tension on a fractional-rigged trailer-sailer (3 min read)
If you’re sailing a Pegasus 700 with a hinged mast, the good news is the boat was designed to handle frequent raising and lowering without drama. OneSails’ Wilf Chaplin says to tune it much like any deck-stepped fractional rig: caps tight enough for a touch of prebend, lowers set to control bend under backstay, and a forestay length that gives about 1.5 degrees of rake to start. From there, it’s all about fine-tuning balance so the boat feels happy on the helm.

Foiling

WASZP End of Season Christmas GP at Rutland (5 min read)
Rutland served up classic winter foiling weather with 25 knot blasts, a long-distance tower race, and even some Sunday NASCAR chaos to wrap the WASZP season. Max Rawlinson came out flying with race wins on both days to take the overall title, while Rachael Betschart delivered clutch speed to finish second and top woman. Samson Cross rounded out the podium after a mix of bullets and bruisers. Add in Christmas dinner, frosty spray, and tight battles across the rigs and masters fleets, and it was a properly festive WASZP sendoff.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Colin Denker’s viral video logs his first ocean crossing, a solo run from San Francisco to Honolulu aboard a tiny 28 foot Pearson Triton. It’s raw, thoughtful, and full of the small victories and frayed nerves that come with three weeks alone in the Pacific. His windvane steers while he grabs sleep in short bursts, his iPhone captures the journey, and his sense of humor keeps things upright. It’s a mesmerizing look at real ocean miles on a shoestring boat and a reminder of how big the Pacific really is.