Demanding first night for Sydney Hobart >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors

Demanding first night for Sydney Hobart >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors

Demanding first night for Sydney Hobart

Published on December 24th, 2025

Strong southerlies and big ocean swell are shaping as the defining features of the opening stages of the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which starts December 26. Given that the 628nm course is to the south, this equats to a demanding first night at sea.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned crews to prepare for a sharp transition from Sydney Harbour sailing to full ocean conditions almost immediately after the start.

BOM meteorologist Edward Townsend-Medlock outlined a forecast dominated by a slow-moving high-pressure system sitting over Tasmania. While the system brings settled weather overall, its positioning puts the fleet on its eastern flank for the opening phase of the race — a scenario that delivers firm southerly winds and a long, mature swell rolling straight up the New South Wales coast.

At the start cannon, conditions inside Sydney Harbour are expected to be relatively orderly but brisk. Southerly winds in the 15–20 knot range will funnel through the harbor, enough to keep crews alert during the congested spinnaker start without creating the chaotic conditions seen in some recent editions.

6 race-ready new yachts: Performance designs built for speed

6 race-ready new yachts: Performance designs built for speed

6 race-ready new yachts: Performance designs built for speed

Toby Hodges
November 26, 2025
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Got a need for speed? The last year has delivered an explosive fleet of new performance yachts designed for one thing: getting there first.

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Got a need for speed? The last year has delivered an explosive fleet of new performance yachts designed for one thing: getting there first.

Designers are leveraging every ounce of technology, from prepreg carbon fiber construction to optimised IRC/ORC configurations, resulting in some of the most dynamic and competitive yachts we’ve seen in years.

Whether you’re looking for a double-handed weapon or a grand-prix dominating maxi, the options are faster and sharper than ever before.

We dive into the cutting edge: Discover the Neo 620 Roma, a carbon-fiber mini-maxi built for fast cruising with the weight of a pure racer, and its lighter, competition-focused cousin, the 460 Competizione.

See how the radical Wallyrocket 71 stepped onto the global stage and instantly redefined the Maxi 72 class by taking the Rolex IMA Grand Prix World Championship.

Plus, check out the new wave of sportsboats, from the featherlight, trailable Melges 19 to the pure one-design thrill of the KiSS 25.

These yachts aren’t just built to sail—they’re built to win.


Neo 620 Roma (& 460 Competizione)

This rocketship is the second Carkeek design for Italian carbon cognoscenti Neo Yachts.

The Neo 620 is its new flagship, which will muscle into the competitive mini-maxi arena.

It’s an evolution of the 570 we featured a couple of years ago (check out the video tour), and continues to sport Carkeek’s distinctive chamfered topsides, which run into a reverse sheerline, a stealth bomber-style shape first seen on racing machines such as Ràn.

The 620 has various layout options, primarily adding a third heads compartment compared to its smaller sister, and providing the option for a convertible fourth cabin space, which can be used as a nav station, for dining or sleeping – all while keeping weight to a mere 13.5 tonnes (nearly half of which is ballast in a deep keel).

Neo manages this wizardry by building the 620 in prepreg carbon fibre, fitted with a high-modulus carbon rig.

Cariboni hydraulics aid high-speed control, while it can sport a single or twin rudders, has space for a 3m tender, and includes 400lt tanks for both fuel and water.

Founded by competitive sailor and sailmaker Paolo Semeraro, Neo has now built 30 custom or semi-custom high-performance yachts since 2018.

The ‘Roma’ branding is Neo’s fast cruising line, which reflects the possibility for the wood veneered interior to be removable.

So these yachts suit those wanting to compete at high-level events with the lightest-weight boat, yet do so while protecting the timber finish and maintaining resale value.

Port And Starboard: How To Remember The Difference | Dictionary.com

Port And Starboard: How To Remember The Difference | Dictionary.com

Port and Starboard: How to Remember the Difference

May 16, 2023

🛳️ Quick summary

Port and starboard refer to directions on nautical vessels and aircraft. When facing the front of the vehicle, port refers to the left side, and starboard refers to the right side. 

Ahoy, matey! Because they don’t want to walk the plank, sailors use the words port and starboard to make sure they know which direction the captain is talking about. However, it’s easy for landlubbers to get turned around by these words.

In this article, we will define the words port and starboard as they are used in the context of nautical vessels and aircraft, explain why they are used, and give a quick tip on how to remember which word is which. 

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port vs. starboard

Port and starboard are terms used on nautical vessels and aircraft to refer to directions. When facing the front of the vessel, port refers to the left side, and starboard refers to the right side. 

Sailors use port and starboard rather than left and right to avoid confusion. People riding cars, trains, and buses usually all face toward the front of the vehicle, so they all have the same “left” and “right.” However, a sailor on a boat can face in any direction, so “left” and “right” will mean something different, depending on where the sailor is. The left and right sides of the boat itself don’t change, though, so port and starboard will refer to the same direction, no matter which direction you’re facing on a boat. The nautical terms bow and fore (front) and stern and aft (back) are used for the same reasons. 

To keep port and starboard straight, remember that port has the same number of letters as left, so they mean the same thing.

A common myth says that the word posh originated as an acronym of “port out, starboard home,” referring to the traveling habits of the wealthy. As fun as that story is, the evidence doesn’t support it.

Scuttlebutt Sailing News

 

Scuttlebutt Sailing News Friday, December 19, 2025 - Issue 6493

Rockport Marine’s R-37 ‘Lobster Yacht.’ Photo: Pim Van Hemmen.

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: Quantum Sails - Rockport Marine   And to all a good night The 28th year of Scuttlebutt Sailing News is coming to a close, with this to be the final newsletter for 2025. The past couple months have been hectic as we line up advertising for next year, with only 13 newsletter ad slots remaining (click here if interested). Now our focus turns to holiday cheer, and we wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, with the newsletter to return on January 6, 2026. Crisis in American Youth Sports It was in the 1980s when youth sailing was modeled after other youth sports, and this paved the way for age-based boats and focused coaching. It also created a bubble of youth events which impacted the transition into adult sailing. The shift increased the focus on improvement while limiting exposure to other sailing opportunities, and for a lot of kids, they never found the fun in the sport. This was not a unique problem to sailing, and is the basis for why John O’Sullivan founded the Changing the Game Project. He wanted to put the ‘play’ back in ‘play ball’ and recently testified before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. The hearing was titled “The Crisis in American Youth Sports and Its Cost to Our Future.” And that title says everything. This conversation was about burnout. Dropout. Rising costs. Pressure. And the millions of kids walking away from sports that were supposed to help them grow. John shared what has been seen for years through coaches, parents, and athletes across every level of sport. When competition outweighs connection, kids leave. When adults lose perspective, kids pay the price. Youth sports should be a place where children build confidence, character, and community. Instead, too many environments are pushing kids out before they ever get the chance to fall in love with the game. This update from Changing the Game Project was posted on Facebook which prompted significant commentary.

Losing interest in America’s Cup

 

Scuttlebutt Sailing Club, the official club of Scuttlebutt Sailing News, officially sanctioned by US Sailing since 2001, and officially available to all Scuttlebutt readers. SSC fulfills the racing rule which requires club membership. For details, click here. Losing interest in America’s Cup by Roger Marshall Interesting story on the America’s Cup, but I wonder who is deluding who (whom?). To quote, “it’s the last great sporting event that hasn’t been commercialized.” The America’s Cup was commercialized in the 1930’s when Sir Thomas Lipton (he of Lipton Tea), entered the fray. The America’s Cup used to be interesting in that hull shapes somewhat resembled the boats that everyday sailors sailed. Gear such as winch design, headstay foils, sail development directly trickled down to the guy who goes out for an afternoon sail. The America’s Cup was the World Series of day sailing. The Admiral’s Cup was the Superbowl of offshore sailing. The boats of the time were similar to boats the average sailor owned and could easily relate to. In those days, there were challenger trials and defender trials, all with a path to the finals. The buildup may have been slow, out of sight of most spectators, but it lasted all summer and crested in September. It was closely followed by sailors all over the world. I remember being called by a friend from Sweden during the Australia-Freedom series. He was in a restaurant and put me on speaker for all to hear. I heard the roar when I told him Australia was ahead. None of that would happen today. Today the America’s Cup caters to spectators by going around a short course that is, frankly, boring as all hell. As soon as one boat gets in front, it’s over. The boats have little trickle down for the average guy except for, maybe electronics. The America’s Cup sailors wear helmets, talk on radios, cycle or wind handlebars to charge the batteries. Where does that relate to today’s sailor? Do you put grandma on a bicycle to fuel your Sunday afternoon cruise? Do you ask your wife and kids to wear helmets and talk into microphones while eating Oreos? I can see the need for speed, after all, every America’s Cup sailor tries to make the boat go faster, be it a J Class, a 12-meter or any of the other AC boats, but frankly the spectacle has become very narrow and very boring with absolutely no buildup. Even SailGP does better, in that it has a series, a gradual build up, and a final event. But even that has become a highly specialized, made-for-TV event. That is why the America’s Cup is dying.

Italy SailGP Team restructures roster >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors

Italy SailGP Team restructures roster >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors



Italy SailGP Team restructures roster


Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors · 21 hours ago
by Assoc Editor · Feature


Red Bull Italy SailGP Team have confirmed a major restructuring of its roster for the 2026 season, unveiling Phil Robertson as the team’s new driver and welcoming Jana Germani as strategist. The move is part of a deliberate performance strategy designed to boost the Italian outfit’s chances of achieving their ultimate goal: to win the SailGP Championship.

New Zealander Robertson is among SailGP’s most experienced athletes, and returns to the driver’s seat having led the Chinese, Spanish and Canadian teams in Seasons 1, 2 & 3 and 4. Italy’s Germani joins SailGP off the back of a glittering career on the Olympic dinghy circuit, during which she won five national titles, three World and European medals and represented her country at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Both Robertson and Germani will join the team early, making their debuts at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix 2025 Season Grand Final, presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Their early integration is aimed at sharpening onboard communication and coordination before the 2026 Season begins in Perth in January.

Two-time Olympic champion Ruggero Tita will remain an essential part of the program as an alternate driver, while Maelle Frascari will also continue to be part of the Italian roster.

Red Bull Italy SailGP Team CEO Jimmy Spithill said: “Anytime you can add Olympic, SailGP and World Championship-level talent, it’s a great day for the team. Having both Jana and Phil join Ruggi and Maelle on our roster really puts the team in a strong position looking at the seasons ahead.”

The news comes after SailGP announced its new Athlete Transfer framework, designed to bring new clarity, structure and long-term stability to athlete movement.

Ainslie getting ready to show the money >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors

Ainslie getting ready to show the money >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors

Ainslie getting ready to show the money

Published on November 14th, 2025

Britain’s Ben Ainslie leads Athena Racing, representing Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd as the America’s Cup Challenger of Record. This is Ainslie’s fourth effort as team leader, but after losing INEOS as sponsor after the 2024 edition, funding questions lingered for the 2027 campaign.

Ainslie hopes to provide the answers within weeks about who will bankroll his next America’s Cup team,

The most successful Olympic sailor lifted the “Auld Mug” in 2013 with Oracle Team USA, but has made it his goal to “bring the Cup home” to Britain, where it was first contested off the south coast in 1851.

“It’s coming very soon … within the next two to four weeks, we’ll have more to say on that,” Ainslie told Reuters. “Watch this space.”