Events: Nepean One Design 2025: A Celebration of Pure Racing

Laser 28s at the weather mark photos by Elemental Imagery

June 26, 2025

By Renée Young for Canadian Boating OnBoard

The Nepean One Design (NOD) Regatta held June 21-22 once again demonstrated that thrilling, high-caliber racing doesn’t require professional crews or hugely expensive boats. With an impressive turnout of nine (!) one-design fleets—including J/24, J/22, J/80, 505, C&C 27, Shark, Tanzer 22, Viper 640, and Laser 28—NOD 2025 was a vibrant celebration of grassroots sailing at its finest.

This year’s edition featured championship racing, including the revival of the J/24 Canadian Championship, the Laser 28 North Americans, and three Ontario Championships.

Hosted by the Nepean Sailing Club on Lac Deschênes— a scenic stretch of the Ottawa River straddling the Ontario-Quebec border— the regatta delivered an exhilarating weekend of competition. Over three days, 85 boats and 300 sailors competed across three courses, completing 67 races in total. The magic of NOD lies in its inclusivity—boats averaging 30 years old, crewed by friends, families, and dedicated amateurs, lined up alongside national champions and first-time racers, all on equal footing.

With a remarkable number of travelling boats from across Ontario, Quebec, and the northeastern U.S., NOD 2025 reaffirmed its status as one of Canada’s premier amateur sailing events. Competitive yet welcoming, the event struck a balance between intensity and camaraderie.

The NOD Organizing Committee extends heartfelt thanks to the volunteers, race officials, judges, and the entire Ottawa sailing community for their invaluable contributions in making this year’s regatta a resounding success.

Winners

J/24

1stLifted4025Evan Petley-JonesChester Yacht Club1.02.03.0(4.0)1.01.01.013.09.0

J24 Canadian Championship: Evan Petly-Jones from Nova Scotia took all three class trophies – Overall Champion, Best Canadian Boat, and Top Boat after Day One of Racing

Laser 28

1stColibri224Simon GrégoireCVGR(7.0)1.02.01.01.0(3.0)3.01.01.01.01.01.023.013.

 C&C 27

Blue Zulu894Hugh MorrinNepean SC1.01.01.01.01.0(2.0)7.05.0

J/22

1stRaised JCAN 1644Michele CimonNepean SC1.02.01.01.02.0(13.0 DNF)20.07.0

J/80

1stCheeky MonkeyCAN 1067Doug GibsonNepean SC1.01.02.01.0(4.0)4.02.015.011.0

The tight J80 fleet

Viper 640

1stVigor327Van SheppardNepean SC(5.0)3.01.01.01.01.02.014.09.0

505

1stScience ProjectUSA 8856Ethan BixbySt. Pete Sailing Center1.01.01.03.01.01.0(16.0 DNF)24.08.0

Shark

1stLone Shark243John VerbaasNepean SC1.01.0(2.0)1.01.01.01.08.06.0

Tanzer 22

1stSnoekie333Ross ErnstNepean SC1.0(3.0)2.01.02.02.02.013.010

Full Results

Related Articles


Boston Whaler 350 Realm

By Andy Adams

You might be dreaming of an adventure boat, or a luxury cruiser, or maybe a serious fishing platform. You might dream of an overnight exploration boat, or a boat that entertains a big group of friends or family. Whatever your ambitions, the features and appointments, and the stellar performance of the Boston Whaler 350 Realm, equipped with triple Mercury Verado V10-cylinder 425 horsepower engines, feels like it could do just about anything. It’s the Great Entertainer.

Read More


Destinations

The Whitsunday Islands

By Mathew Channer

On my first day as a commercially registered yacht captain, I sailed a Fontaine Pajot 38 catamaran from mainland Australia across the Whitsunday Passage to the western shores of the world-famous Whitsunday islands.

We cruised northeast on a 15-knot beam reach… perfect catamaran sailing conditions, watching the hazy shapes of the islands colourize and morph into crescent beaches, jungled ridgelines and rocky outcrops. 

Read More