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Sailing News for December 19, 2025

The 2025 SailGP season ends with record speeds and tight title fights as Emirates GBR surge late and Denmark smashes the speed mark. Offshore attention shifts to the Mini Globe Race fleet finishing an epic Indian Ocean leg into Cape Town. Youth Sailing Worlds heat up in Vilamoura with dominant Formula Kite starts, while cruising stories explore slow expedition sailing and practical deck repair advice.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

2025 Season Data Dive: Key Facts And Figures (6 min read)
The 2025 SailGP season went right down to the wire, with three teams still in it at the Abu Dhabi Grand Final before Emirates GBR sealed the deal. Their title was built on a monster second half, while early-season pace-setters Los Gallos faded just enough. Germany quietly became the team no one wanted to race, grabbing their first-ever win and Most Improved honors. And yes, the boats got even faster, with Denmark smashing the SailGP speed record at a ridiculous 103.93 km/h.

Five expert tips for the perfect start: Dylan Fletcher’s guide to time, distance, and risk (8 min read)
Olympic gold medalist and SailGP ace Dylan Fletcher breaks down why starts still win races, whether you’re foiling at 30 knots or fighting for a keelboat lane. It all comes back to time and distance, knowing your risk tolerance, and starting with a clear outcome in mind. From avoiding the pin-end knife fight to pulling a sneaky “Dead Bird” move near the committee boat, these tips are sharp, practical, and battle tested. If you’ve ever blown a start and never recovered, this is required reading.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Mini Globe Race heading home and into history (7 min read)
Eleven tiny 19-foot plywood ALMA Globe 580s have just pulled off the impossible, finishing a brutal 10,000-mile Indian Ocean leg into Cape Town. Built in garages, sailed solo, and pushed through Agulhas rollers, katabatic blasts, and sleepless weeks, this fleet delivered pure human drama. Records fell, sails exploded, and the final miles were some of the hardest yet. No foils, no budgets, no hype. Just small boats, big oceans, and sailors rewriting what’s possible.

Youth Sailing/Development

YSWC 2025: Stragiotti and Li make unbeaten starts to Formula Kite (5 min read)
Day three of the Youth Sailing World Championships finally got everyone racing, and the Formula Kite fleets wasted no time throwing down a marker. Switzerland’s Gian Andrea Stragiotti and China’s Suofeiya Li both went a perfect three from three to open commanding leads. Across the board it was tight, shifty, and demanding, with wind swings forcing fast learning curves. From foiling kites to 420s and skiffs, the future of the sport looks fast, deep, and fiercely competitive.

Cruising

5 Boats, 2,200 Miles: An Epic Atlantic Expedition Unveiled (12 min read)
Five cruising boats spent two summers chewing through 2,200 miles of Atlantic Canada, from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland and even France’s St. Pierre. Short hops, long lay days, fjords, fog, whales, scallops from locals, and plenty of real-world problem solving defined the trip. Small boats held their own, crews rotated in and out, and the scenery was wildly remote. It’s a reminder that slow, social, expedition-style cruising can be just as epic as any ocean crossing.

Tech & Gear

What is the best adhesive for sticking down Dek-King? (5 min read)
Brian Stirling’s Dek-King cockpit benches started peeling after a proper cruise from Scotland to the Med, and the culprit is tired adhesive, not the decking itself. The fix is refreshingly practical. Strip the old glue with a solvent-based remover like 3M Adhesive Cleaner or Sika 208, then re-bed using Sikaflex 298 or 298i with the right metal primer. Clean prep, good masking, and plenty of weight while curing are the real secrets. Do it right and it should stay put for the long haul.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Day 4 in Vilamoura delivered classic Youth Worlds chaos with breeze, chop, and boats on the edge across multiple fleets. From ILCA sailors fighting to keep rigs upright to foilers absolutely sending it, the racing was fast, physical, and unforgiving. Small mistakes got punished instantly, while confidence and boat handling paid big dividends. This highlight reel is pure energy and a reminder that the next generation is already sailing hard and fearless.