Scuttlebutt Sailing News

1. Curmudgeon’s Observation

   If a cookie falls on the floor and you pick it up… that counts as a squat, right? Providing wisdom since 1997, the Curmudgeon’s Observation has been a hallmark of the Scuttlebutt Newsletter which delivers a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk…with a North American focus. For newsletter information: https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/newsletter-read-or-subscribe

2. New education initiative by World Sailing

   World Sailing has officially launched the World Sailing Academy, an innovative new online learning platform designed to provide comprehensive educational resources and training to sailors, coaches, officials, administrators, and the entire global sailing community. This initiative marks a significant step forward in growing the sport in alignment with World Sailing’s strategy, Ready for the Future [&hellip

3. Eight Bells: Tom Shadden

   Well-known California yachtsman Tom Shadden died on May 31, 2025 in Long Beach, CA. He was 90. He attended a military school during his youth and then went to Cal State Long Beach. After graduating from CSULB with a business administration degree, Shadden attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to study the [&hellip

4. Brazil to welcome (again) The Ocean Race

   The Ocean Race confirms the around‑the‑world yacht race will return to Brazil, with the fleet stopping April 2027 in Itajaí and again in 2031, in a two-edition hosting partnership. This will mark the fifth time the race has been in Itajaí and the 11th visit to Brazilian shores. Itajaí first joined the global sailing stage [&hellip

5. North America’s oldest regatta

   Sometimes a regatta win is just that. Sometimes it can mean a little bit more. For those looking for a splash of positivity that extends well beyond the racecourse, an example stood out at New York Yacht Club’s 171st Annual Regatta on June 13-15 in Newport, RI. On Friday, in the standalone Around-the-Island Race that [&hellip

6. That was then. This is now.

   When race management blunders marred the United States Olympic Sailing Trials for the 1988 Olympics, it became headline news in the Los Angeles Times. The problems had to do with the confusion of marks for the various events, but it was a quote that stands out 37 years later. John Shadden, who went on to [&hellip

7. 2025 ISCA North American Championship

   Simon Gomez Ortiz of Colombia won the 2025 ISCA (formerly Sunfish) North American Championship on a tiebreaker over the Conner Blouin (USA). Southerly winds, generally in the teens, kicked up a steep chop on shallow Mobile Bay, while thunderstorms impacted the schedule. Kelly-Ann Arrindell, representing Trinidad and Tobago, was the top female, finishing 10th overall. [&hellip

8. Shift into comeback mode

   Dave Dellenbaugh, member of the 2025 Class of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, provides a plan in WindCheck magazine for when you find yourself deep in the fleet: When your position in the race suddenly takes a nose dive, it’s time to re-focus your gameplan. Don’t discard your well-planned strategy, but consider making a [&hellip

9. Secret to double-handed success

   The double-handed offshore scene sees amateur sailors take on the pros. Rupert Holmes chats to Christina and Justin Wolfe to find out the secrets of their success: Three years ago a Sun Fast 3300 called Red Ruby, whose American owners come from the Pacific North West, popped up in UK double-handed races. It immediately notched [&hellip

10. Safety review from Sydney Hobart Race

    The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has published the full independent review report into the three incidents in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which tragically saw two fatalities and a man overboard (MOB) incident. The CYCA Board has considered the findings in full and supports all recommendations made by the Review Committee. [&hellip