Checking In

One of the oldest continually active one-design fleets in the country, the Shields Class organization positions itself as a sustainable racing class with a thoughtful and realistic look at its future and the future of one-design racing. Since its inception in the early 1960s by Cornelius Shields, it has always been guided by an enthusiastic group of sailors serious about racing and their boats. It is not an accident that they are still active, with nine fleets…

Our friends at Oakcliff in Oyster Bay, NY have announced their 2021 match racing schedule. The season includes something for racers of all levels as Oakcliff continues to support the pathway from sailor to seasoned match racer in a COVID-safe sailing environment. When it comes to training the next generation of match racers, Oakcliff has been at the forefront, making this discipline available to all. Oakcliff is expanding and turning their series of one-day Grade 5 regattas…

  The 17th edition of the Ida Lewis Distance Race starts Thursday, August 19, 2021 and will keep its expanded format from last year to give competitors more options. The schedule consists of: • Registration and Skippers Meeting conducted by host Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport, RI on Thursday, August 19. • Offshore Distance Race (Between 112 and 169 nm) for ORC, PHRF (Aloha and Coronet divisions), ORC DoubleHanded and PHRF Cruising Spinnaker classes starting Friday, August 20….

Our friends at Safe Harbor Marinas are presenting the inaugural Safe Harbor Race Weekend, a three-day sailing regatta in and around Narragansett Bay, on the weekend of August 13-15. With shoreside activities hosted by Safe Harbor Marinas in Newport, Portsmouth, and Jamestown, Rhode Island, this event is geared toward the enjoyment of boat owners, families, and crew.     “We hope you’ll join us this summer for some exciting racing, live entertainment, tasty food and plenty of…

This drawing of New York Yacht Club American Magic’s AC75 Patriot, by 13-year-old Colin Shearley of Centerville, MA, graces the lunchroom at the team’s base in Aukland, NZ. “Colin, one of the Padawans I know and with whom I have sailed and done some other mentoring type activities, sent me this handmade drawing of American Magic for Christmas,” explained Joe Cooper, WindCheck’s Contributing Editor and the Sailing Coach at The Prout School. “He is a great young…

On January 1, 2021, 42-year-old Ryan Finn departed New York City to set sail for San Francisco as he attempts to establish the first world record for a non-stop singlehanded sail. Finn’s 60-day journey will cover 14,000 nautical miles heading south through Bermuda, onto Brazil, and around Cape Horn, some of the most treacherous waters in the world, before passing the Galapagos Islands on his way up to San Francisco. Montreal-based Sailor Productions is capturing footage of Ryan’s incredible…

By Matthieu Riou, Grain de Sail US Wines & Spirits Director The world’s only commercial exporter of fine wines by modern cargo sailboat, Grain de Sail, delivered its first load of wines on December 16 to the New York Market after crossing the Atlantic from France for 28 days. After a three-week resting period, the wines are officially available in selected wine bars, wine shops and restaurants that you will be able to find on graindesailwines.com.  …

By Todd Vorenkamp, NESS Communications & Public Relations Director When you think of the ultra-high performance 75-foot foiling monohulls of this year’s America’s Cup, does it bring to mind physics education for underserved inner-city middle school students? A new partnership between the New York Yacht Club American Magic Team, Quantum Racing, and the New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS) in Stonington, CT is working to make that connection a reality.     Even when compared to…

By SallyAnne Santos Following the resounding success of the 2019 12mR World Championship held in Newport, RI, the International Twelve Metre Association (ITMA) has again selected America’s City by the Sea as the venue for the 2022 12mR World Championship. “We expect an enthusiastic response and a strong turnout by our dedicated 12mR fleet members who always relish sailing out of Newport,” said ITMA President Paul Buttrose. Scheduled for September 19-24, 2022, the regatta will be held during the traditional 12…

Our friends at Warrior Sailing, an official program of the USMMA Sailing Foundation that provides maritime education and outreach for wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans, have launched the BOLD Campaign, a five-year plan to change the lives of 750 Armed Forces veterans through sailing…and this amazing organization needs the support of the WindCheck Community!     “Since 2013, Warrior Sailing has learned how to effectively change the lives of veterans through sailing,” said Ben Poucher, Warrior…