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Sailing News for March 03, 2026

The United States didn’t just win in Sydney, they out-thought the fleet, picking the right puffs, refusing to chase marginal flight and flying only when it paid as Taylor Canfield’s crew built a 200-meter cushion in a twitchy final where Emirates GBR and Spain blinked first. In Annapolis, Gary Jobson learned the hard way that frostbite racing forgives nothing, then clawed back race by race to miss the Sonar series title by a single point after dialing in starts, gear and mark roundings. At Island Barn, 36 Toppers went full winter mode in 20-knot gusts with Ralph Hadley taking the 5.3s on a final-race tiebreak and Martha Shorter sweeping the 4.2s with four straight wins. Tech-wise, ePropulsion’s Spirit 2 electric outboard grabbed innovation honors with a Boost Mode punch and hydrogeneration under sail, while in the Moth world designers are quietly swapping carbon for steel in key foil sections to handle torsion better and go thinner, sharper and faster. Smart sailing, cold fingers and constant evolution.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

Play of the Day: How the U.S. SailGP Team dominated the Sydney Final (5 min read)
United States SailGP Team picked the perfect moment to roll the dice in Sydney and never looked back. In twitchy 12 km/h breeze, with foiling right on the edge, Taylor Canfield’s crew nailed the 14 km/h puffs and refused to force it when the wind faded. Emirates GBR and Spain blinked, chasing flight and paying in drag. The Americans flew just 23% of the race, but every second counted. Smart calls, clean mode changes, 200 meters of daylight. Statement win.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Getting Hotter As It Gets Colder (6 min read)
Gary Jobson jumped into Annapolis Yacht Club’s frostbite series thinking a podium would be nice. Then he rounded the first mark dead last and realized winter racing is ruthless. No gloves, no course chart, bad starts, too much multitasking at the helm. So he fixed it all, one detail at a time. Warmer gear, cleaner starts, smarter mark roundings. By the end, his Sonar crew was winning races and missed the overall title by a single point. Cold hands, hot comeback.

Youth Sailing/Development

Topper Winter Regatta at Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club (5 min read)
Thirty-six Toppers lined up at Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club for a proper winter scrap, with 20-knot gusts to kick things off. In the 5.3s, Ralph Hadley and Sam Dence traded punches all day, ending tied on points before Hadley snatched the overall win on the final race tiebreak. Cue confusion on shore and a very happy Tankerton Bay camp. Meanwhile, Martha Shorter quietly stole the show in the 4.2s with four bullets from four starts. Cold water, hot racing, future stars everywhere.

Tech & Gear

ePropulsion Spirit 2 Recognized for Innovation (4 min read)
EPropulsion just snagged an Innovation Award at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show for its new Spirit 2 electric outboard, and it’s easy to see why. The 2kW motor packs a 3kW Boost Mode for punchy thrust, plus a hefty 1539Wh battery. Best part for sailors? Hydrogeneration. Sail between 3 and 16 knots and you can recharge under way. It’s light, portable, and powerful enough to push a small sailboat without range anxiety. Not bad for 23 pounds.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

In the relentless quest to go faster in the International Moth Class, foils have been shrinking for years. Now the big twist: steel is replacing carbon in key lower sections. Alex Adams explains that while carbon is super stiff in one direction, steel handles torsion better, letting designers go thinner and sharper. The latest setups mix stainless verticals with carbon tops, plus subtle upturned tips inspired by the America’s Cup to reduce ventilation. Smaller, meaner, and yes, razor sharp.