J/Newsletter- August 6th, 2026

As August begins, the J/Boats summer calendar shifts toward another strong mix of world championship racing, big-city offshore regattas, classic Newport competition, and one of Canada’s great regional sailing festivals. From Copenhagen and Chicago to Newport and Chester, J/Teams are preparing for venues that each offer their own character— Baltic Sea tactics, Lake Michigan course racing, Narragansett Bay currents, and the fog-framed waters of Nova Scotia.

The international spotlight turns first to Copenhagen, where the Royal Danish Yacht Club will host the 2026 J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship. Thirty-seven teams from thirteen nations will gather north of the city to race on the Baltic Sea, continuing the growth of a format that places mixed crews at the center of top-level J/70 competition. With teams arriving from across Europe, North America, and Asia, the championship promises a strong test of boat speed, teamwork, and adaptability.

On Lake Michigan, Chicago Yacht Club’s Verve Cup Offshore Regatta brings another major summer event to the city’s lakefront. One of North America’s largest course-racing regattas, the Verve Cup attracts strong one-design and handicap fleets, including J/105s, J/109s, and offshore ORC/PHRF teams. With the Chicago skyline as the backdrop and Lake Michigan always capable of serving up shifting conditions, the event remains one of the signature regattas of the Midwest summer.

In Newport, the Safe Harbor Race Weekend continues its impressive rise. With seventy-six boats attending, the 2026 edition has become one of the most popular offshore keelboat regattas of the busy Newport season. The racing on Narragansett Bay offers current, breeze shifts, and tactical variety. At the same time, the shoreside program at Safe Harbor’s Newport and Portsmouth facilities has become nearly as much of a draw as the racing itself, with food, music, and lively post-race gatherings bringing together the full spectrum of the sailing community.

Farther north, Chester Race Week returns to Nova Scotia’s beautiful Mahone Bay. Framed by the Tancook Islands and the surrounding archipelago, the regatta offers one of the most scenic racecourses in Canada, along with the ever-present possibility of thick coastal fog adding another layer of challenge. A small but enthusiastic J/Navy will be racing in the J/105 and PHRF fleets, adding to the tradition and energy of this beloved Canadian summer classic.

From a Mixed-Plus World Championship on the Baltic to major summer regattas on Lake Michigan, Narragansett Bay, and Nova Scotia’s Atlantic coast, this week’s stories show J/Sailing moving smoothly into August. The venues are different, but the themes remain familiar: strong fleets, tactical racecourses, great shoreside communities, and J/Teams ready for whatever the next start delivers.

Thirty-Seven Teams Set for J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship in Copenhagen

(Copenhagen, Denmark)- The Royal Danish Yacht Club (KDY) is ready to host a fleet of thirty-seven teams from thirteen nations (Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Great Britain, Hungary, Norway, Turkey, United States, Japan, Germany, and Finland) for the 2026 edition of the J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship. Sailing will take place on the Baltic Sea north of Copenhagen.  READ MORE HERE

J/Crews Win Divisions at Monhegan Island & Seguin Island Race
(Portland, ME)- The weather played favorites this year: the offshore Monhegan Course enjoyed solid breeze with most of the fleet finishing before sunset on Saturday, while the Seguin Sprint delivered a high-stakes, light-air tactical showdown that kept the race committee on their toes until dawn.

Across both courses, J/Boats dominated the headlines, sweeping line honors on both tracks and capturing class victories across the board. Here is how the action unfolded. READ MORE HERE. 

J/105 and J/109 Fleets Ready for Verve Cup Offshore Regatta

(Chicago, IL)- One of the largest course-racing regattas in North America, Chicago Yacht Club’s Verve Cup is an annual world-class sailing event attracting many national and international sailors to sail on Lake Michigan. Both the Offshore Regatta and, later, the Inshore Regatta host well over 100 yachts to sail off the beautiful Chicago lakefront and skyline. The regatta features one-design fleets for J/105s, J/109s, as well as PHRF/ ORC offshore handicap racing.  READ MORE HERE

Strong J/Fleet Ready for Safe Harbor Race Weekend in Newport

(Newport, RI)- With seventy-six boats attending, the 2026 edition of the Safe Harbor Race Weekend marks the first time the event has become the most popular offshore keelboat regatta during the busy Newport sailing season. It’s not hard to understand why, since it’s a very entertaining, fun event. Sailing on Narragansett Bay is always fun and challenging, with currents and shifty winds. 

The Safe Harbor regatta has developed an enthusiastic following amongst sailors with their world-class “apres sailing” events onshore at their world-class yacht harbor facility. With great food, a huge tent, and great bands on Friday and Saturday evenings, the parties are well attended by the eccentric mix of “yachties” off the magnificent superyachts and buoy-racing enthusiasts; the exceptional shoreside social events hosted by Safe Harbor in Newport and Portsmouth make for lasting memories. READ MORE HERE

J/105 Fleet and Strong J/Navy Ready for Chester Race Week

(Chester, Nova Scotia, Canada)- The Chester Yacht Club is back in action with its famous Chester Race Week. Framed by the Tancook Islands to the southeast and the archipelago of islands to the west, the fleet enjoys gorgeous vistas while racing in the bay. The biggest issue is that fog can often “throw a curveball” at the fleet… a region notorious for heavy, thick fog off the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. Looking forward to the regatta with great enthusiasm will be a small J/Navy racing in the J/105 class and PHRF handicap fleets. Here’s how that all breaks down for the regatta.  READ MORE HERE

Lessons Learned Racing J/44 KENAI Doublehanded to Bermuda
(Hamilton, Bermuda)- In Episode 28 of UK Sailmakers’ Lessons Learned podcast, host Buttons Padin talks with UK Sailmakers Northeast Loft Manager Emmett Dickheiser and co-skipper Cat Chimney about their 2026 Newport Bermuda Race in the Double-Handed Division aboard the J/44 Kenai.

Though both were experienced Bermuda Race sailors, racing double-handed together was a new challenge. Thanks to the generosity and encouragement of Kenai’s owners Chris and Karen Lewis, they were able to borrow the boat and tackle the iconic 636 nautical mile race. READ MORE HERE. 

Bob Johnstone Champions RC Sailing to Grow the Next Generation
(Charleston, SC)- After Hall of Famer Bob Johnstone and his brother Rod launched J/Boats, Bob started MJM Yachts, a line of luxury motor yachts. He is a force of nature that gets people on the water, and his current passion is radio-controlled sailboats.

When the conversation turns to strengthening the sport, and converting enthusiastic youth sailors into the next generation of boaters, Bob sees the sport has lost its way and is doing something about it. As Bob explains;

“The sport needs to do a better job with youth sailing by connecting the generations. The good news is there is a proven solution that’s actionable, affordable, infinitely expandable to any town in America, and the most inclusive of any form of sailing or other outdoor sport imaginable- being age, gender, weight, strength, race and mobility-neutral.

When a 15-year-old girl can beat the retired commander of a nuclear attack submarine, it’s amazing! That story was a front-page feature in the Charleston Post and Courier”. READ MORE HERE.

J/Gear August Special- 20% off!

The J/Twill Cap is a six-panel cotton cap with the J logo embroidered on the front. It is adjustable with a back strap, and you may customize it with your boat name and sail number.

Order your J/Twill Cap here – CLICK HERE