November 24, 2021
2022 BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival set to go
The 49th BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival will take place between March 28 April 3, 2022. It is one of the top three Caribbean sailing events, with an average of 110 yachts per year with 60% of the competitors from overseas.
October 27, 2021
Keven Talks Sails: Sail and Cover Cleaning
Last issue we covered most of the different materials used for protective covers, and these durable materials require special care. So, how often should you wash your sails and sail covers? As infrequently as possible! An aggressive and thorough sail washing can wash several seasons’ worth of use out of a sail; work on preventing soiling rather than relying on cleaning!
October 27, 2021
Sail Canada welcomes new directors
Sail Canada introduced its Board of Directors for 2021-2022 following the Annual General Meeting held virtually on Friday, October 22. President Hugh McGugan (ON) has been re-elected by acclamation and will start his second two-year term as head of the National Sport Organization.
October 27, 2021
NYYC ‘pauses’ America’s Cup challenge
New York, N.Y. — Yesterday, in a letter to the Trustees of the New York Yacht Club, the Flag Officers of the Club announced the Club was pausing its pursuit of the America’s Cup.
October 27, 2021
Canada Completes ten boat line-up for SailGP Season 3
SailGP has announced that the line-up for Season 3 – starting May 2022 – will be further enhanced with the addition of Canada joining the global league for Season 3.
October 26, 2021
Sail Canada statement on World Sailing Reinstatement Bid for Para Sailing at the 2028 Paralympic Games
World Sailing launched today a campaign for the reinstatement of the sport of sailing at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and shared its strategic priorities to support the growth of the sport by 2023.
October 13, 2021
2021 J105 Canadian Championships
Who says it never blows in Toronto? After sailing in very windy and wavy conditions on Friday and Saturday and champagne conditions on Sunday, certainly not I.
October 12, 2021
Eight Bells: Canadian Offshore Sailor Jim Plaxton
Jim Plaxton, who passed away peacefully on September 26th in London, Ontario, at the age of 83. The youngest son of 10 Plaxton children in the Rosedale neighbourhood in Toronto, Jim was a navy man, a pilot, an engineer, a sailor, a scholar as well as a very successful entrepreneur and businessman, and he was highly respected by his peers and business associates.
October 12, 2021
Eight Bells: Lorne Chapman, a huge loss for sailing
With great sadness we announce the passing of Lorne Herbert Chapman of West Vancouver on September 13, 2021after a long battle with Dementia.
October 12, 2021
Offshore: Canadians compete in Transat Jacques Vabre – Start Nov 7
Just a handful of Canadians take part in offshore ocean racing so it’s noteworthy when we have a new entry. On November 7 Melodie Schaffer and Ryan Barkey head out from Le Havre to cross the Atlantic finishing in Martinique.
September 22, 2021
Racing: Swift wins M242 Canadians
Earlier this month, 16 boats from Martin 242 Fleets on Vancouver Island, Orcas Island, Vancouver, and Nelson, BC, competed in the 2021 Martin 242 Canadian Championships.
September 22, 2021
Southern Yacht Club Wins Rolex NYYC Invitational; RCYC 6th, RVYC 12th
The Canadian teams were up against very tough competition as, for the second time in three editions, Southern Yacht Club (New Orleans) won the ‘most prestigious trophy in Corinthian sailing’, the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.
September 22, 2021
Chester NS sisters score bronze at 49er FX European Championships
Canadian sailors Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance from Chester NS won the bronze medal at the 2021 49er FX European Championships held in Thessaloniki, Greece. Thirty-seven boats competed; the Lewin-LaFrance team was the only non-Europeans.
September 22, 2021
Keven Talks Sails: UV Cover Cloth
Last issue we covered types of headsail UV protective covers. All of these covers can be made of many different cover cloths, and I will give you the low down on how to choose what material is best for your application.
September 22, 2021
Racing: Kneulman wins Etchells Canadians
The International Etchells Class held its 2021 Canadian Championships, the first Championship since 2019, at Hudson YC. Oakville Yacht Squadron along with Regatta Chair and Fleet 1 representative, Michael Hasko, hosted this event with 13 boats registered from Oakville, Toronto and Montreal.
September 21, 2021
Three-time Olympian in sailing David R Sweeney has passed away
Kingston, September 20, 2021 – It is with great sadness that Sail Canada has learned of the passing of David R Sweeney on September 16, 2021, at the age of 61.
September 8, 2021
Canada wins 25th Canada’s Cup
Royal Canadian Yacht Club’s Defiant completed a six-race sweep of the Cup for Canada over Zing, the US representative from Youngstown Yacht Club.
September 8, 2021
Celebration pays tribute to Canadian performance sailors
Last Friday, the first ever Canada’s Celebration of Sailing honoured the season for Sailing in Canada with our nation’s high-performance sailors of past, present, and future.
September 7, 2021
Sarah Douglas named Rolex Sailor of the Year for second time
Repeating last year’s honour, last Friday Sarah Douglas was named Sail Canada’s Rolex Sailor of the Year for 2020-2021.
September 2, 2021
Chester Race Week: Fog and restrictions don’t stop the action
Helly Hansen Chester Race Week wrapped up for 2021 with fewer boats, more restrictions thanks to COVID-19, and some fog each day, but overall the event was four days of success for racers and organizers.
August 25, 2021
Douglas wins inaugural J105 Ontario Women’s Championships
On Saturday August 21 the strength of women’s sailing was on full display in the inaugural J105 Ontario Women’s Championships at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club on Lake Ontario, Canada.
August 25, 2021
Keven Talks Sails: Headsail UV Covers
Did I ever mention how much I like headsail furling? I’ve been club racing our 30’ cruising boat lately, and it has been easily the equal to two more crew members on board. When you are double handing with a now 14 year old, with a spinnaker (Asymmetric in a Sock), the headsail furling is the only thing that keeps us from sailing off the course to handle sails.
August 25, 2021
POTW: You’re ALL over early
This week’s POTW comes from internationally famous Hamilton, ON photographer, Sharon Green, who you know from her fabulous Ultimate Sailing Calendar. This month, Sharon covered the J/70 Worlds California Yacht Club and took this great shot.
August 25, 2021
AQVA Regatta raises $65K
The 9th annual Regatta for AQVA was held in Montreal’s West Island on Saturday August 21st 2021 and raised over $65,000 for the adapted sailing program run by l’Association québécoise de voile adaptée (AQVA).
August 13, 2021
Sunrise wins the 49th Rolex Fastnet Race
Tom Kneen’s JPK 11.80 Sunrise has been crowned overall winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race.
August 11, 2021
Canadian sailors achieve in Tokyo
“We are all proud of our athletes and coaches who have dedicated themselves to push Canadian sailing forward. We look forward to continuing our improvements leading up to the 2024 Olympic Games in three years as the future looks bright for Canadian sailing toward Paris”
August 11, 2021
Rebel wins Bluenose Maritime Championship
The history of the Bluenose Class sloop begins in 1946 when naval architect William J. Roué designed the wooden one design for a group of sailors from the Armdale Yacht Club. The first Bluenose class sloops set sail in Nova Scotia water in the spring of 1946.
July 20, 2021
Keven Talks Sails: Windy Day Upwind Sailing
It has been remarkably windy lately, so I figured I should share some windy day techniques to make your sailing easier and faster. I’ve been club racing with my 13 year old son driving lately, so I figured I should share with you what I shared with him.
July 20, 2021
Back to the races at Helly Hansen Chester Race Week
Randy Stevens started racing at Chester Race Week in the early 1970s and for about 20 of those years, he raced in a C&C 39. He sold that boat a few years ago, unofficially retired from racing, and bought a power boat instead.
July 7, 2021
Fun, Fast and Affordable Racing!
The Regional M242 Class has top racers in Canada and the USA including past National Sailing Team members, National and North American champions in various Classes, and top PHRF competitors.
July 7, 2021
Book locker: Rules rule
With racing opening up after a while, perhaps it’s time to get back in gear with a re-visit to the rules. And btw, the rules have been updated so perhaps what you remember is out of date anyhow!
June 22, 2021
D. Danger in Europe: At the Alicante Ocean Race
I’m not sure where to start. Having recently bought a camper van, we set off on an adventure to Alicante for the start of leg three of The Ocean Race Europe. We rolled into Alicante in the afternoon.
June 22, 2021
Keven Talks Sails: Boat Tips from a Sailmaker
At the start of the season, many boat owners tend to do some things the hard way. Here are some tips to get you sailing in less time, and with better outcomes. Furling Lines – Furling system rope that squishes flat, tends to bury itself in the spooled up drum if you are sailing reefed.
June 22, 2021
Technology: Michelin develops giant inflatable sails
French multinational Michelin has announced its Wing Sail Mobility project (WISAMO) solution – an automated, telescopic, inflatable wing that can be fitted on all types of vessels, including cargo ships and pleasure craft.
June 22, 2021
America’s Cup News: AC defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, drives initiative in marine industry with Hydrogen chase boats
This month, Emirates Team New Zealand have committed to drive Hydrogen innovation in the marine industry by developing Hydrogen powered chase boats for the 37th America’s Cup.
June 8, 2021
Boats: The hot First 18 SE
An 18-foot fast one-design, Beneteau’s First 18 SE delivers a dinghy-like sailing experience but on a more stable and safer platform, thanks to the wide and flat hull shape and deep-ballasted swinging keel.
May 26, 2021
Keven Talks Sails: Headstay Sag
Every boat with a jib attached to a stay has headstay sag. If every boat has it, what does it do, and how do you control it.
May 25, 2021
Editor’s blog: Arthur Beale’s is shutting down
It was surprising how disappointed I was to read that the historical Arthur Beale nautical store in London England was shutting down.
May 25, 2021
Meanwhile in the UK, Rolex Fastnet has record registration
While in Canada, sail racing is largely on hold thanks to various stay at home regulations, activity is bustling on the other side of the pond.