scuttlebutt
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2026 11:30:06 +1100
Subject: Scuttlebutt 6568 - October 30, 2026
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Scuttlebutt Sailing News [1]
Friday, October 30, 2026 - Issue 6568
A capsize at the start is scary. Missing Christmas is scarier. Photo: Yehonathan Neuwirth.
This newsletter is provided through the support of its sponsors, delivering a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk…with a North American focus.
Today's sponsors:
Windie - UK Sailmakers - Sail California
SCUTTLEBUTT ADVERTISING IN 2027? [mailto:advertising@sailingscuttlebutt.com]
If you were not a Scuttlebutt advertiser in 2026, but would like to learn about the advertising opportunities in 2027, ask for details at [advertising@sailingscuttlebutt.com].
Building a better youth sailing culture [2]
Junior sailing in the USA got “soccerized” in the 1980s, using a system of age-based events and boats to help corral the kiddos. While this created structure and boosted participation at some levels, it impacted involvement down the road. Chris Bulger offers his view of the landscape:
Over the last 30 years, US youth dinghy sailing evolved from predominantly a lesson in fun and self-reliance into a tightly controlled optimization exercise. At the same time - US adult dinghy sailing shrank dramatically as the sport's focus shifted to those with the biggest budgets.
But rather than dissect how we got here - let's examine a wildly successful contrary example from another country.
I will posit that the Manly Skiff Club [3] in Australia is the premiere sailing club on the planet - for developing both lifelong sailors and gold medalists. Studying this club can illuminate the structural changes we need to make if we want a youth movement that can actually grow the sport.
As evidence - their adult skiff - the 3-handed Manly 16 - regularly turns out over 40 boats for a Saturday race with 120 adults sailing a boat that’s every bit the high-performance challenge of a 49er.
You will find multiple Gold Medalists in the middle of the pack and female skippers on the podium. Behind the 120+ adult sailors are many volunteers and sponsors. All of this adult activity creates an incredible pull for youth sailors and a legion of volunteer mentors.
And - Manly takes youth development very seriously. Starting young sailors in their 2-handed Manly Junior. No singlehanders please - they believe that social engagement is critical to creating lifelong sailors.
Anecdotally - I know way too many American kids who were superb Opti sailors that walked away from the sport without looking back. They weren't leaving best friends behind because they competed alone and were surrounded by adults who were too focused on "nutrition and conditioning" to coach the kids in socializing. - Read on [4]
[5]
What's Scarier Than Missing the Start? [6]
Happy Halloween from Windie. For a racer, nothing is scarier than a missed start, except maybe a missed Christmas gift. This year Windie, the brand behind the Sailing Race Timer raced by iQFOiL world champions, has put together gift sets for the sailors in your life, each with a free gift inside.
The Junior Set pairs the Race Timer with a 3 Strap Set and a free Loud Whistle for young racers. The Coach Set adds the Windie 360 handheld wind meter, which reads the wind from any direction, plus free cooling towels and a monopod for long days on the RIB.
No codes and no fine print: the gift is in the box. Shipping to the US is free on orders over $60. For Christmas delivery in the US, order by November 10. For details, click here [6].
The Three Life Phases of (Snipe) Sailing [7]
Smart one design classes make membership bigger than the racing. Create a social culture that allow deep relationships to form, and people stay involved. Why does the person in the back of the fleet keep coming out? Because the class is their friend group, their identity.
Carol Cronin reviews her longtime involvement in the Snipe Class:
Even with the 2026 Snipe North Americans firmly in the rear view, I just can’t stop smiling about how special it was. Which has made me ponder once again that timeless question: what makes regattas memorable? Though my answer has evolved over the decades, one aspect that continues to shine through is the mix of ages well represented in every part of the fleet. Today, that’s sparking some tongue-in-cheek generalizations about the evolving priorities of long-time Snipe sailors.
In our 20s and 30s
All we want to do is hike hard, or better yet find an easier shortcut to winning . . . and maybe also meet our life partner at the regatta party. We’ve been reminded by our elders of the class motto (Serious Sailing, Serious Fun), but our priorities are definitely closer to the competitive end. – Full report [8]
[9]
From triathlon training to youth sailing [10]
Carlos Insa, Head Optimist Sailing Coach at Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club (Oyster Bay, NY), this past summer introduced a different way of planning and structuring their racing season.
He found that most Optimist coaches plan their season regatta by regatta, but as a triathlete himself, he approached the planning like how triathletes build toward a big race: in macrocycles and microcycles.
Insa applied the same periodization principles he uses in triathlon training to youth sailing. Rather than planning the season regatta by regatta, he structured the sailors’ 2026 season as one long macrocycle, progressively building from smaller summer regattas toward a championship peak at the end of the season.
In his report, From Macrocycle to Podium: What Triathlon Periodization Taught Me About Coaching Optimist Sailors [11], Insa shares the reasoning behind this approach, how he implemented it with the team, and what he believes it can teach us about developing young sailors—not only technically and tactically, but also physically and mentally.
[12]
Clarity needed for America’s Cup future [13]
Dr. Hamish Ross, a legal advisor for previous America’s Cup campaigns, provides an update on some of the legal wrangling now occurring in the 38th edition:
On October 24, 2026, it was the 139th anniversary since the signing of the third Deed of Gift of the America’s Cup in New York in 1887 between George Lee Schuyler, as the last surviving donor, and the New York Yacht Club.
That Deed still governs the Cup today (albeit with two NY court-approved amendments), and it is now back in the public eye because the newly created America’s Cup Partnership [14] (ACP) purports to change how competition for the Cup is to be run in the future.
There is some misunderstanding about the New York Yacht Club’s request that the New York Attorney General examine whether the Partnership complies with the Deed. So let’s be clear about what it is and isn’t. - Full report [13]
[15]
How many have you visited? [16]
The Platinum Clubs® of America [17] was established to identify elite clubs in six categories, with the election taking place in the Fall of even years. Fifty-five yacht clubs were recognized in the 2027-28 list.
Not all clubs may choose to participate, as the omission of New York Yacht Club would lend one to believe, but the Top 30 [18] is topped by elite establishments in California, Michigan, Maryland, and Florida.
There is also an Honorable Mention [19] list for 25 more clubs, though we can suggest skipping one. California Yacht Club (Marina del Rey, CA), which a massive fire decimated in 2023 [20], remains a burnt-out shell.
How many have you visited?
[21]
Coaching from the back of the boat [22]
by Gary Jobson, Sailing World
Over the past several months I spent an afternoon each week with the U.S. Naval Academy Offshore Sailing Team aboard their fleet of 44-foot sloops. Each crew consists of nine midshipmen and a volunteer coach. There is a full roster of volunteer coaches who participate during the fall and spring sailing seasons. The midshipmen are wonderful to work with; everyone is polite, they welcome advice, they show up for practice on time and have a strong appetite to improve their sailing skills.
A good percentage of the offshore sailing team members only started sailing when they arrived in Annapolis, in contrast to the intercollegiate dinghy team, which includes midshipmen who have been racing since their youth. The weekly coaching routine was an opportunity for me to learn what coaching techniques are effective. There were many lessons I learned and I believe they can be useful when self-coaching or when helping new sailors in your fleet get up to speed. – Full report [23]
[24]
A new boat for the price of new sails [25]
If your boat didn’t perform last season like it once did, perhaps it’s not your boat...but your sails. Give your old boat new life with a fresh suit of long-lasting performance sails from UK Sailmakers. After all, new sails are more affordable and less hassle than a new boat!
Ask UK Sailmakers about our premium Titanium® sails that meet and exceed any grand-prix racer’s expectations. Or, if you’re a club racer or performance cruiser, X-Drive® continuous yarn sails are your price-performing answer. X-Drive sails hold their shape longer making them a great value. And, by adding a layer of protective taffeta, you can extend the sail’s peak performance life of both Titanium and X-Drive sails even longer.
Sailmaking is what we do...
Sharing our passion is why we do it.
[25]
Sara Stone, Sailor of the Month [26]
Seahorse magazine hosts a monthly poll [27] to recognize recent achievement, and the November 2026 [28] winner is Sara Stone (USA). Here are the details:
Her nomination:
The only woman to win a title in the TP52 Super Series, several times in fact as a key cog in the wheel that is Quantum Racing. So we know this talented navigator and strategist can deliver inshore; now she adds to those solid credentials, with victory in The Ocean Race Atlantic navigating the IMOCA 60 of the brilliant but too often underrated (we know not why) Paul Meilhat. A round the world trip could yet beckon – that is if Terry can be persuaded to give her the time off.
What the voters said:
“Sara is a Swiss Army knife. TP52 navigator? Check. RC44 crew? Check. Crew on a Francophone Imoca for a sprint across the Pond? Check” – Tim Kent; “And the karaoke queen!” – Steve Branagh; “No more inspiring sailor out there” – Isabel Hines; “Smart, kind and a bad ass sailor!” – Liz Herlihy; “I am biased as Sara is my fiancé! But her strength across so many disciplines is really impressive” – Tom Burnham; “Hard work, resilience and true grit! Go, Sara!!!” – Amanda Stone
[29]
Some of the most complex monohulls [30]
Today’s mini maxis are enormously technical, with complex systems, rigs, rudders, and hydraulics. North Star, a Judel/Vrolijk 76 built by Persico and owned by Peter Dubens of Oakley Capital, the private equity group that owns North Technology Group, launched this summer.
At the end of her second week of sailing Seahorse caught up with navigator Miles Seddon, who confirms that these boats are “some of the most complex monohulls on the planet.”
There are more than 60 sensors on board, including 13 load cells, 10 linear sensors to measure hydraulic ram positions and 20 pressure sensors. In addition, a LIDAR system scans and records sail shape in real time. – Full report [31]
[32]
How Andre Hoek rewrote history [33]
by Kieran Flatt, Yachting World
Andre Hoek, and his eponymous design company, has long been one of yachting’s disrupters. They pioneered the concept – at first fiercely criticized, then widely copied – of combining a classic above-water hull and deck with modern, high-performance hydrodynamics, rig and construction.
Their trail-blazing classically styled superyachts have enjoyed great success, while their cruising yachts have voyaged as far as Svalbard, Alaska and Antarctica.
Over four decades, Hoek Design has created 175 designs – either afloat or currently in build – from 20ft to 226ft. The list includes no fewer than three J Class, desirable daysailers, hundreds of leeboarders and dozens of iconic superyachts like Athos, Elfje and Adele. This summer Hoek Design celebrates its 40th anniversary – we visited their incredible offices in the Netherlands to find out more. – Full report [34]
[35]
Fun facts about boating terms [36]
by Buttons Padin
Many years ago before the development of centerline rudders, boats were steered by a long oar hanging off the aft right quarter of the boat. Starboard comes from the Old English “stéor” (meaning steer) and “board” (meaning “the side of the boat.”) Eventually, the two words combined into starboard meaning the right side of the boat.
But where did the term port come from? With the steering oar fixed on the starboard side, pulling the boat alongside a pier to starboard risked damaging the steering oar. As such, sailors would tie up with the steering oar outboard. That meant they were left side to the dock for loading. The Middle English “lade,” meaning to load cargo, combined with “board,” designating side to become “larboard.” A problem arose as starboard and larboard sound alike creating confusion.
Because the left side of a boat would be dockside in port, the British Navy in 1844 replaced “larboard” with “port.” The U.S. Navy followed suit in 1846 and now port and starboard are common vernacular.
[37]
College Season 2026-27, Week 8 [38]
The Open Atlantic Coast Championship came down to a single race in college sailing’s Week 8. At the regatta hosted by Brown, Yale led by one point going into the last B Division race and closed it out to finish six points ahead of Boston College.
Yale also won the Coast Guard Invite and its home Yale Women’s Regatta for three wins on the weekend. Rhode Island won the Open Atlantic Coast Tournament Finals at Connecticut College, and Tufts went 9-1 to win the Norman Reid Team Race.
The next college sailing weekend opens with the Kennedy Cup national championship finals at Navy on October 30. On October 31, Dartmouth hosts the Victorian Urn Trophy, Tufts hosts the Nickerson Trophy, Stanford hosts the PCCSC Women’s Fall Championship and the Top-9 Fall Invite, and Texas A&M Corpus Christi hosts the SEISA Fall Open Fleet Racing Championship. - Full report [39]
[40]
J/97E • J/100 • J/120 • J/124 - Available now in Alameda [41]
Performance Sailing Starts at Sail California
Looking for your next J/Boat? Sail California currently has four outstanding models available for viewing in Alameda: the J/97E, J/100, J/120, and J/124.
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Explore the Latest J/Boats — J/7 • J/36 • J/40
From the exciting new J/7 daysailer to the versatile J/36 and J/40 performance cruisers, the latest J/Boats continue the tradition of exceptional sailing performance, thoughtful design, and lasting value.
Visit Us in Alameda!
Contact us to arrange a viewing of our current inventory or learn more about new J/Boats models, pricing, and availability.
Contact Sail California:
Bill Colombo – [bill@sailcal.com] (SF Bay Area)
Pat Nolan – [pat@sailcal.com] (Southern California)
Wayne Zittel – [wayne@sailing-jworld.com] (San Diego)
Follow us on Instagram @sailcal | www.sailcal.com [41]
GUEST COMMENTARY
Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. You can add your comments directly to stories on the website [42] or submit commentary by email [mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com]. Please save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
WILL AI TECHNOLOGY REACH BEER CAN RACER? ( #6567 [43])
Hopefully the only AI tech to reach the beer can racer is AI monitoring the cooler to keep the beers at the optimum temperature
- Brent Ruhne
GETTING ENAMORED WITH ROBOT MARKS ( #6567 [43])
Regarding robot marks, there's a notably missing section on "water conditions" based upon our experience in the Pacific Northwest:
1. How strong are typical currents in your area?
2. How strong are typical winds in your area?
3. Do you have options if wind and current for any particular race are strong enough to overcome robot mark holding capabilities?
4. Can those options be deployed mid-regatta without significant race delays?
5. How many race days would you estimate wind and current would exceed robot mark holding capabilities?
After poor test results a few years back (unable to station-keep in strong wind and current), robot marks went away for some time here in the PNW. This year, they made a comeback and worked effectively as marks set near the RC boat. I think they reduced delays for resetting start lines due to wind shifts and were a welcome addition to the regattas.
For yacht clubs and race organizers considering their purchase, I'd strongly recommend developing and in-depth understanding of their holding capabilities in the currents and winds you see on your race courses.
- David Miller; Ballard, WA
REARDON FILES FOR CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY ( #6567 [43])
Michael Reardon should be recognized in the Sailing Hall of Fame alongside the LaserPerformance motley crew of Bahman Kia and Farzad Rastegar for their significant impact in screwing up the sport.
- Kim Jones
Reardon was nothing but a low life conman! Losing his home in bankruptcy would not serve justice. He should be prosecuted and receive significant prison time, similar to San Bankman- Fried (Bitcon perp). Reardon's fraud may have affected fewer people, but it was no less egregious.
- Ron Tomallo
WHY NOBODY TEACHES KIDS TO SAIL ANYMORE ( #6567 [43])
When discussing rising costs, and the ILCA in particular, it is important to recognize value.
The boat now comes with significantly improved and more durable foils, spars, and sails. The current rigging kit has more expensive hardware that works well right out of the box (as opposed to almost non-functioning) and several other important carbon-composite parts. The hulls are fairer, do not leak, mast steps do not rip out, and spars do not bend.
The most popular current builder in the fleet of ILCAs is available in the USA for MSRP $9,245.00 (aluminum lower mast 4 & 7s) and $9,580.00 (full carbon mast), top-line equipped.
The ILCA is such a better product now than the Laser was in the 1970s, that the current ‘value’ of the boat has actually beaten the inflation adjusted price. Honestly, I do not know why anyone would buy a lesser equipped version. Cost? Buy a top-line equipped “event” boat for less.
- Ryan Eric Minth, ILCA-NA Chairman
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
On November 1 we celebrate “How Do I Change the Microwave Clock” Day!
SPONSORS THIS WEEK
RIBCRAFT - Wichard Groupe North America - Marion Bermuda Race - Windie - UK Sailmakers - Sail California
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[2] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/28/building-a-better-youth-sailing-culture/
[3] https://manly16s.com.au/
[4] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/28/building-a-better-youth-sailing-culture/#more
[5] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-m/
[6] https://windie.pro/collections/gifts-for-sailors?utm_source=scuttlebutt&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=xmas26_oct31
[7] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/29/the-three-life-phases-of-snipe-sailing/
[8] https://carolnewmancronin.com/the-three-life-phases-of-snipe-sailing/
[9] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-c/
[10] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/29/from-triathlon-training-to-youth-sailing/
[11] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/From_Macrocycle_to_Podium_-Carlos-Insa-1.pdf
[12] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-q/
[13] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/29/clarity-needed-for-americas-cup-future/
[14] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/tag/americas-cup-partnership/
[15] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-s/
[16] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/28/how-many-have-you-visited/
[17] https://www.platinumclubsofamerica.com/home
[18] https://www.platinumclubsofamerica.com/top-30-yacht-clubs-2027-2028
[19] https://www.platinumclubsofamerica.com/hm-yacht-clubs-2027-2028
[20] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2023/12/12/fire-destroys-california-yacht-club/
[21] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-jd/
[22] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/27/coaching-from-the-back-of-the-boat/
[23] https://www.sailingworld.com/racing/gary-jobsons-rules-for-coaching-from-the-back-of-the-boat/
[24] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-jh/
[25] https://www.uksailmakers.com/racing/mainsails/x-drive
[26] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/27/sara-stone-sailor-of-the-month/
[27] https://www.seahorsemagazine.com/sailor-of-the-month/hall-of-fame
[28] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/01/seahorse-sailor-of-the-month-12/
[29] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-jk/
[30] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/27/some-of-the-most-complex-monohulls/
[31] https://www.seahorsemagazine.com/article/november-2026/great-leap-forward
[32] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-ty/
[33] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/27/how-andre-hoek-rewrote-history/
[34] https://www.yachtingworld.com/interview/how-andre-hoek-rewrote-yachting-history-164312
[35] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-tu/
[36] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/29/fun-facts-about-boating-terms/
[37] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-id/
[38] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/28/college-season-2026-27-week-8/
[39] https://clearairmag.com/college-sailing-week-8-yale-open-acc/
[40] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-dl/
[41] http://www.sailcal.com/
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Subject: Scuttlebutt 6568 - October 30, 2026
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Scuttlebutt Sailing News [1]
Friday, October 30, 2026 - Issue 6568
A capsize at the start is scary. Missing Christmas is scarier. Photo: Yehonathan Neuwirth.
This newsletter is provided through the support of its sponsors, delivering a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk…with a North American focus.
Today's sponsors:
Windie - UK Sailmakers - Sail California
SCUTTLEBUTT ADVERTISING IN 2027? [mailto:advertising@sailingscuttlebutt.com]
If you were not a Scuttlebutt advertiser in 2026, but would like to learn about the advertising opportunities in 2027, ask for details at [advertising@sailingscuttlebutt.com].
Building a better youth sailing culture [2]
Junior sailing in the USA got “soccerized” in the 1980s, using a system of age-based events and boats to help corral the kiddos. While this created structure and boosted participation at some levels, it impacted involvement down the road. Chris Bulger offers his view of the landscape:
Over the last 30 years, US youth dinghy sailing evolved from predominantly a lesson in fun and self-reliance into a tightly controlled optimization exercise. At the same time - US adult dinghy sailing shrank dramatically as the sport's focus shifted to those with the biggest budgets.
But rather than dissect how we got here - let's examine a wildly successful contrary example from another country.
I will posit that the Manly Skiff Club [3] in Australia is the premiere sailing club on the planet - for developing both lifelong sailors and gold medalists. Studying this club can illuminate the structural changes we need to make if we want a youth movement that can actually grow the sport.
As evidence - their adult skiff - the 3-handed Manly 16 - regularly turns out over 40 boats for a Saturday race with 120 adults sailing a boat that’s every bit the high-performance challenge of a 49er.
You will find multiple Gold Medalists in the middle of the pack and female skippers on the podium. Behind the 120+ adult sailors are many volunteers and sponsors. All of this adult activity creates an incredible pull for youth sailors and a legion of volunteer mentors.
And - Manly takes youth development very seriously. Starting young sailors in their 2-handed Manly Junior. No singlehanders please - they believe that social engagement is critical to creating lifelong sailors.
Anecdotally - I know way too many American kids who were superb Opti sailors that walked away from the sport without looking back. They weren't leaving best friends behind because they competed alone and were surrounded by adults who were too focused on "nutrition and conditioning" to coach the kids in socializing. - Read on [4]
[5]
What's Scarier Than Missing the Start? [6]
Happy Halloween from Windie. For a racer, nothing is scarier than a missed start, except maybe a missed Christmas gift. This year Windie, the brand behind the Sailing Race Timer raced by iQFOiL world champions, has put together gift sets for the sailors in your life, each with a free gift inside.
The Junior Set pairs the Race Timer with a 3 Strap Set and a free Loud Whistle for young racers. The Coach Set adds the Windie 360 handheld wind meter, which reads the wind from any direction, plus free cooling towels and a monopod for long days on the RIB.
No codes and no fine print: the gift is in the box. Shipping to the US is free on orders over $60. For Christmas delivery in the US, order by November 10. For details, click here [6].
The Three Life Phases of (Snipe) Sailing [7]
Smart one design classes make membership bigger than the racing. Create a social culture that allow deep relationships to form, and people stay involved. Why does the person in the back of the fleet keep coming out? Because the class is their friend group, their identity.
Carol Cronin reviews her longtime involvement in the Snipe Class:
Even with the 2026 Snipe North Americans firmly in the rear view, I just can’t stop smiling about how special it was. Which has made me ponder once again that timeless question: what makes regattas memorable? Though my answer has evolved over the decades, one aspect that continues to shine through is the mix of ages well represented in every part of the fleet. Today, that’s sparking some tongue-in-cheek generalizations about the evolving priorities of long-time Snipe sailors.
In our 20s and 30s
All we want to do is hike hard, or better yet find an easier shortcut to winning . . . and maybe also meet our life partner at the regatta party. We’ve been reminded by our elders of the class motto (Serious Sailing, Serious Fun), but our priorities are definitely closer to the competitive end. – Full report [8]
[9]
From triathlon training to youth sailing [10]
Carlos Insa, Head Optimist Sailing Coach at Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club (Oyster Bay, NY), this past summer introduced a different way of planning and structuring their racing season.
He found that most Optimist coaches plan their season regatta by regatta, but as a triathlete himself, he approached the planning like how triathletes build toward a big race: in macrocycles and microcycles.
Insa applied the same periodization principles he uses in triathlon training to youth sailing. Rather than planning the season regatta by regatta, he structured the sailors’ 2026 season as one long macrocycle, progressively building from smaller summer regattas toward a championship peak at the end of the season.
In his report, From Macrocycle to Podium: What Triathlon Periodization Taught Me About Coaching Optimist Sailors [11], Insa shares the reasoning behind this approach, how he implemented it with the team, and what he believes it can teach us about developing young sailors—not only technically and tactically, but also physically and mentally.
[12]
Clarity needed for America’s Cup future [13]
Dr. Hamish Ross, a legal advisor for previous America’s Cup campaigns, provides an update on some of the legal wrangling now occurring in the 38th edition:
On October 24, 2026, it was the 139th anniversary since the signing of the third Deed of Gift of the America’s Cup in New York in 1887 between George Lee Schuyler, as the last surviving donor, and the New York Yacht Club.
That Deed still governs the Cup today (albeit with two NY court-approved amendments), and it is now back in the public eye because the newly created America’s Cup Partnership [14] (ACP) purports to change how competition for the Cup is to be run in the future.
There is some misunderstanding about the New York Yacht Club’s request that the New York Attorney General examine whether the Partnership complies with the Deed. So let’s be clear about what it is and isn’t. - Full report [13]
[15]
How many have you visited? [16]
The Platinum Clubs® of America [17] was established to identify elite clubs in six categories, with the election taking place in the Fall of even years. Fifty-five yacht clubs were recognized in the 2027-28 list.
Not all clubs may choose to participate, as the omission of New York Yacht Club would lend one to believe, but the Top 30 [18] is topped by elite establishments in California, Michigan, Maryland, and Florida.
There is also an Honorable Mention [19] list for 25 more clubs, though we can suggest skipping one. California Yacht Club (Marina del Rey, CA), which a massive fire decimated in 2023 [20], remains a burnt-out shell.
How many have you visited?
[21]
Coaching from the back of the boat [22]
by Gary Jobson, Sailing World
Over the past several months I spent an afternoon each week with the U.S. Naval Academy Offshore Sailing Team aboard their fleet of 44-foot sloops. Each crew consists of nine midshipmen and a volunteer coach. There is a full roster of volunteer coaches who participate during the fall and spring sailing seasons. The midshipmen are wonderful to work with; everyone is polite, they welcome advice, they show up for practice on time and have a strong appetite to improve their sailing skills.
A good percentage of the offshore sailing team members only started sailing when they arrived in Annapolis, in contrast to the intercollegiate dinghy team, which includes midshipmen who have been racing since their youth. The weekly coaching routine was an opportunity for me to learn what coaching techniques are effective. There were many lessons I learned and I believe they can be useful when self-coaching or when helping new sailors in your fleet get up to speed. – Full report [23]
[24]
A new boat for the price of new sails [25]
If your boat didn’t perform last season like it once did, perhaps it’s not your boat...but your sails. Give your old boat new life with a fresh suit of long-lasting performance sails from UK Sailmakers. After all, new sails are more affordable and less hassle than a new boat!
Ask UK Sailmakers about our premium Titanium® sails that meet and exceed any grand-prix racer’s expectations. Or, if you’re a club racer or performance cruiser, X-Drive® continuous yarn sails are your price-performing answer. X-Drive sails hold their shape longer making them a great value. And, by adding a layer of protective taffeta, you can extend the sail’s peak performance life of both Titanium and X-Drive sails even longer.
Sailmaking is what we do...
Sharing our passion is why we do it.
[25]
Sara Stone, Sailor of the Month [26]
Seahorse magazine hosts a monthly poll [27] to recognize recent achievement, and the November 2026 [28] winner is Sara Stone (USA). Here are the details:
Her nomination:
The only woman to win a title in the TP52 Super Series, several times in fact as a key cog in the wheel that is Quantum Racing. So we know this talented navigator and strategist can deliver inshore; now she adds to those solid credentials, with victory in The Ocean Race Atlantic navigating the IMOCA 60 of the brilliant but too often underrated (we know not why) Paul Meilhat. A round the world trip could yet beckon – that is if Terry can be persuaded to give her the time off.
What the voters said:
“Sara is a Swiss Army knife. TP52 navigator? Check. RC44 crew? Check. Crew on a Francophone Imoca for a sprint across the Pond? Check” – Tim Kent; “And the karaoke queen!” – Steve Branagh; “No more inspiring sailor out there” – Isabel Hines; “Smart, kind and a bad ass sailor!” – Liz Herlihy; “I am biased as Sara is my fiancé! But her strength across so many disciplines is really impressive” – Tom Burnham; “Hard work, resilience and true grit! Go, Sara!!!” – Amanda Stone
[29]
Some of the most complex monohulls [30]
Today’s mini maxis are enormously technical, with complex systems, rigs, rudders, and hydraulics. North Star, a Judel/Vrolijk 76 built by Persico and owned by Peter Dubens of Oakley Capital, the private equity group that owns North Technology Group, launched this summer.
At the end of her second week of sailing Seahorse caught up with navigator Miles Seddon, who confirms that these boats are “some of the most complex monohulls on the planet.”
There are more than 60 sensors on board, including 13 load cells, 10 linear sensors to measure hydraulic ram positions and 20 pressure sensors. In addition, a LIDAR system scans and records sail shape in real time. – Full report [31]
[32]
How Andre Hoek rewrote history [33]
by Kieran Flatt, Yachting World
Andre Hoek, and his eponymous design company, has long been one of yachting’s disrupters. They pioneered the concept – at first fiercely criticized, then widely copied – of combining a classic above-water hull and deck with modern, high-performance hydrodynamics, rig and construction.
Their trail-blazing classically styled superyachts have enjoyed great success, while their cruising yachts have voyaged as far as Svalbard, Alaska and Antarctica.
Over four decades, Hoek Design has created 175 designs – either afloat or currently in build – from 20ft to 226ft. The list includes no fewer than three J Class, desirable daysailers, hundreds of leeboarders and dozens of iconic superyachts like Athos, Elfje and Adele. This summer Hoek Design celebrates its 40th anniversary – we visited their incredible offices in the Netherlands to find out more. – Full report [34]
[35]
Fun facts about boating terms [36]
by Buttons Padin
Many years ago before the development of centerline rudders, boats were steered by a long oar hanging off the aft right quarter of the boat. Starboard comes from the Old English “stéor” (meaning steer) and “board” (meaning “the side of the boat.”) Eventually, the two words combined into starboard meaning the right side of the boat.
But where did the term port come from? With the steering oar fixed on the starboard side, pulling the boat alongside a pier to starboard risked damaging the steering oar. As such, sailors would tie up with the steering oar outboard. That meant they were left side to the dock for loading. The Middle English “lade,” meaning to load cargo, combined with “board,” designating side to become “larboard.” A problem arose as starboard and larboard sound alike creating confusion.
Because the left side of a boat would be dockside in port, the British Navy in 1844 replaced “larboard” with “port.” The U.S. Navy followed suit in 1846 and now port and starboard are common vernacular.
[37]
College Season 2026-27, Week 8 [38]
The Open Atlantic Coast Championship came down to a single race in college sailing’s Week 8. At the regatta hosted by Brown, Yale led by one point going into the last B Division race and closed it out to finish six points ahead of Boston College.
Yale also won the Coast Guard Invite and its home Yale Women’s Regatta for three wins on the weekend. Rhode Island won the Open Atlantic Coast Tournament Finals at Connecticut College, and Tufts went 9-1 to win the Norman Reid Team Race.
The next college sailing weekend opens with the Kennedy Cup national championship finals at Navy on October 30. On October 31, Dartmouth hosts the Victorian Urn Trophy, Tufts hosts the Nickerson Trophy, Stanford hosts the PCCSC Women’s Fall Championship and the Top-9 Fall Invite, and Texas A&M Corpus Christi hosts the SEISA Fall Open Fleet Racing Championship. - Full report [39]
[40]
J/97E • J/100 • J/120 • J/124 - Available now in Alameda [41]
Performance Sailing Starts at Sail California
Looking for your next J/Boat? Sail California currently has four outstanding models available for viewing in Alameda: the J/97E, J/100, J/120, and J/124.
From spirited daysailers to versatile racer/cruisers, these boats deliver the speed, balance, quality, and sailing enjoyment that have made J/Boats a favorite among sailors worldwide.
Explore the Latest J/Boats — J/7 • J/36 • J/40
From the exciting new J/7 daysailer to the versatile J/36 and J/40 performance cruisers, the latest J/Boats continue the tradition of exceptional sailing performance, thoughtful design, and lasting value.
Visit Us in Alameda!
Contact us to arrange a viewing of our current inventory or learn more about new J/Boats models, pricing, and availability.
Contact Sail California:
Bill Colombo – [bill@sailcal.com] (SF Bay Area)
Pat Nolan – [pat@sailcal.com] (Southern California)
Wayne Zittel – [wayne@sailing-jworld.com] (San Diego)
Follow us on Instagram @sailcal | www.sailcal.com [41]
GUEST COMMENTARY
Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. You can add your comments directly to stories on the website [42] or submit commentary by email [mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com]. Please save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
WILL AI TECHNOLOGY REACH BEER CAN RACER? ( #6567 [43])
Hopefully the only AI tech to reach the beer can racer is AI monitoring the cooler to keep the beers at the optimum temperature
- Brent Ruhne
GETTING ENAMORED WITH ROBOT MARKS ( #6567 [43])
Regarding robot marks, there's a notably missing section on "water conditions" based upon our experience in the Pacific Northwest:
1. How strong are typical currents in your area?
2. How strong are typical winds in your area?
3. Do you have options if wind and current for any particular race are strong enough to overcome robot mark holding capabilities?
4. Can those options be deployed mid-regatta without significant race delays?
5. How many race days would you estimate wind and current would exceed robot mark holding capabilities?
After poor test results a few years back (unable to station-keep in strong wind and current), robot marks went away for some time here in the PNW. This year, they made a comeback and worked effectively as marks set near the RC boat. I think they reduced delays for resetting start lines due to wind shifts and were a welcome addition to the regattas.
For yacht clubs and race organizers considering their purchase, I'd strongly recommend developing and in-depth understanding of their holding capabilities in the currents and winds you see on your race courses.
- David Miller; Ballard, WA
REARDON FILES FOR CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY ( #6567 [43])
Michael Reardon should be recognized in the Sailing Hall of Fame alongside the LaserPerformance motley crew of Bahman Kia and Farzad Rastegar for their significant impact in screwing up the sport.
- Kim Jones
Reardon was nothing but a low life conman! Losing his home in bankruptcy would not serve justice. He should be prosecuted and receive significant prison time, similar to San Bankman- Fried (Bitcon perp). Reardon's fraud may have affected fewer people, but it was no less egregious.
- Ron Tomallo
WHY NOBODY TEACHES KIDS TO SAIL ANYMORE ( #6567 [43])
When discussing rising costs, and the ILCA in particular, it is important to recognize value.
The boat now comes with significantly improved and more durable foils, spars, and sails. The current rigging kit has more expensive hardware that works well right out of the box (as opposed to almost non-functioning) and several other important carbon-composite parts. The hulls are fairer, do not leak, mast steps do not rip out, and spars do not bend.
The most popular current builder in the fleet of ILCAs is available in the USA for MSRP $9,245.00 (aluminum lower mast 4 & 7s) and $9,580.00 (full carbon mast), top-line equipped.
The ILCA is such a better product now than the Laser was in the 1970s, that the current ‘value’ of the boat has actually beaten the inflation adjusted price. Honestly, I do not know why anyone would buy a lesser equipped version. Cost? Buy a top-line equipped “event” boat for less.
- Ryan Eric Minth, ILCA-NA Chairman
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
On November 1 we celebrate “How Do I Change the Microwave Clock” Day!
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[22] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/27/coaching-from-the-back-of-the-boat/
[23] https://www.sailingworld.com/racing/gary-jobsons-rules-for-coaching-from-the-back-of-the-boat/
[24] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-jh/
[25] https://www.uksailmakers.com/racing/mainsails/x-drive
[26] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/27/sara-stone-sailor-of-the-month/
[27] https://www.seahorsemagazine.com/sailor-of-the-month/hall-of-fame
[28] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/01/seahorse-sailor-of-the-month-12/
[29] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-jk/
[30] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/27/some-of-the-most-complex-monohulls/
[31] https://www.seahorsemagazine.com/article/november-2026/great-leap-forward
[32] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-ty/
[33] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/27/how-andre-hoek-rewrote-history/
[34] https://www.yachtingworld.com/interview/how-andre-hoek-rewrote-yachting-history-164312
[35] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-tu/
[36] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/29/fun-facts-about-boating-terms/
[37] https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yhykijkd-ijtljumj-id/
[38] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/10/28/college-season-2026-27-week-8/
[39] https://clearairmag.com/college-sailing-week-8-yale-open-acc/
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