I had sailed from San Diego on my engineless Ericson 37 cutter, EGREGIOUS, almost two months earlier, on my third attempt to round Cape Horn alone. The first two had ended because of rigging failure. Three weeks out of San Diego the hull cracked and I began bailing water with a bucket.

The XR-41 won the 2025 ORC World Championship, but it was deemed faster on the water than their rating would indicate. An investigation revealed an anomaly, and while ORC works on their VPP, they issued the boat a rating adjustment, which has been widely referred to as a penalty.

Eight years ago Barcelona sailor Pich lost his sight when a fire extinguisher exploded aboard the gas ship he was working on as a merchant seaman. He is now totally blind. Pich learned to sail as a child, starting in the Optimist dinghy before moving to the Laser (now ILCA) single-hander, though he never fell in love with racing. For him, the lure of sailing was more about the challenge of ocean crossings, and in his late teens he moved into sailing larger yachts, crossing the Mediterranean and Atlantic before building a career at sea.

As the sun sets on another incredible season, the Berlin Yacht Club looks back on a year filled with camaraderie, competition, and community. From our annual Spring Banquet to the lively Fall Banquet, 2025 was a year to remember, with every event reflecting the vibrant spirit of our members.

Over 200 athletes will take to Lauderdale Yacht Club for the 2025 U.S. Youth Championship October 11-13. Sailors will be fighting for trophies in six classes: the 29er, ILCA 6, ILCA 7, i420, Nacra 15, and iQFOiL.