2026 Weeknight & Special Race Schedule
On select weeknights, weather permitting, the WPSA invites members to race our Sunfish and Handicap series for FREE and socialize with other members during Tuesday Night Family Dinners! We also have special annual races on select weekend afternoons.
Attending and participating in our races is a great opportunity to get some sailing in if you can crew and also is great for newcomers to experience. We have fleet races by class of boats like Sunfish, as well as HANDICAP, & PHRF races that race weekly through the summer, and then special races like Pursuits (a 2-part series, Fall + Spring) and the Ladies Teacup Race and others. PHRF and Handicap are explained below, adjustments are made to allow for casual racing among different classes and sizes of boats with different hull speeds.
We encourage sailing! Please join us. Non-members are welcome to crew. Non-members are also welcome to bring a boat to join and race with us – but final scores may not count in the end. Our summer weeknight races are informal and open to all members! All types of boats, all ages. Don’t have a boat? Inquire if any skippers need crew or volunteer on the Race Committee boat!
Tuesday Night Races – SUNFISH FLEET 6:15pm – 8pm
Fleet Captain, Lee Montes
Sunfish races are a one design category, however, WPSA allows other small classes of boats to participate such as 420. Participants should arrive well before 6pm to rig in order to be out on the water for 6:15pm starts, to check in with the Race Committee boat with your name and sail number each day at the course, and alert them if you need to head in to shore early. Check on Facebook for weather cancellations, the SportsYou app, or with Lee. See Fleet Captain, Lee Montes with any questions you have about anything Sunfish. Not ready to race? Come down and watch the fleet prep their boats and ask all the questions you want.
If you don’t have a sail number, apply a simple one to your headsail using black electrical tape (numbers or a letter, etc), typically 9-12″ high. Registration is easy, informal, and FREE! Register for our headcount and arrive on Tuesdays earlier than the 6:15pm start time. You should be rigged and checking in at the course by 6pm. If you arrive late, or have to leave the water early – please do alert the Race Committee boat.
Adults, youths – all ages welcome, all sailors must be capable to sail, maneuver, and capsize/recover independently, without supervision or aid. Youth sailors must inquire first with an instructor if they are ready for this level of sailing. The Race Committee boat and other sailors are there and of course would help in an emergency. Dates are weather dependent – and may be cancelled if wind/weather are poor or hazardous conditions exist.
2026 Sunfish Races:
- Sunfish Series A: June 30; July 7, 15, 21, 28
- Ma Huus Singlehanded Sunfish Championship: August 4
- Sunfish Series B: August 11, 18, 25; September 1
While only WPSA members sailing Sunfish are eligible to win the Ma Huus Single Handed Championship, ALL boats may participate, as in any other race. Read more about it on the Ma Huus Sailing Instructions and Notice of Race!
History of the “Ma” Huus
“The CC Knockabout Class donated the “Ma” Huus Trophy in 1965 to commemorate Augusta M. “Ma” Huus, whose service, spirit and devotion to the association was of unparalleled importance in leading the organization to it’s present high esteem and whose particular interest in the CC Knockabout Class helped in sustaining that class so that it had existed as an active racing class longer than any other in the Wet Pants Sailing Association. It is now awarded to the Wet Pants Member who has the best record in a three-race Sunfish Series. Ma Huus was Financial Secretary and also served on the Race Committee when not crewing for her husband. She was also the recipient of the Sacred Pants in 1959.”
Tuesday Night Races – HANDICAP FLEET 6pm – 8pm
Fleet Captain, Jesse Amendola
‘Handicap’ in sailing context means that different size and different types of boats race against each other and a mathematical model adjusts for the differences to make them as equal as possible (as opposed to ‘one design’ races, where all boats are the same size and make.)
Participants should arrive early in order to be out on the water for 6pm, to check in with the Race Committee boat with your name and sail number each day at the course. Do alert the boat if you need to leave and head in to shore early.
If you don’t have a sail number, apply a simple one to your headsail using black electrical tape (numbers or a letter, etc.), typically 9-12″ high. Registration is easy, informal, and FREE! You can sign up at the race – but advance notice is advised. You should be rigged and check in on the course by 6pm. If you arrive late, or have to leave the water early – please do alert the Race Committee boat.
Adults, youths – all ages welcome, all sailors must be capable to sail, maneuver, and capsize/recover independently, without supervision or aid. Youth sailors must inquire first with an instructor if the/w are ready for this level of sailing as you must be self-reliant. The Handicap Fleet races around bay buoy depending on the wind direction so do read the Notice of Race & Sailing Instructions. Dates are wind & weather dependent and may be cancelled if poor or hazardous conditions exist. Check on Facebook for weather cancellations, the SportsYou app, or with Jesse if the decision is wait and see. See Fleet Captain, Jesse Amendola with any questions. Not ready to race? Come watch!
2026 Handicap Races:
- Spring Pursuit Race: June 27
- Handicap Series A: June 30; July 7, 15, 21, 28
- Handicap Series B: August 4, 11, 18, 25; September 1
- Ladies Teacup Race: Date TBD
- Fall Pursuit Race: Date TBD
- Invitational Race: Date TBD
Spring Pursuit Race – Pursuit Series
HANDICAP FLEET June 17, 2026 @ 12pm noon, Saturday
Fleet Captain, Jesse Amendola
‘Handicap’ in sailing context means that different size and different types of boats race against each other and a mathematical model adjusts for the differences to make them as equal as possible (as opposed to ‘one design’ races, where all boats are the same size and make.)
Participants should arrive early in order to be out on the water for 12pm, to check in with the Race Committee boat with your name and sail number each day at the course. Do alert the committee boat if you need to leave and head in to shore early.
Adults, youths – all ages welcome, all sailors must be capable to sail, maneuver, and capsize/recover independently, without supervision or aid. Youth sailors must inquire first with an instructor if the/w are ready for this level of sailing as you must be self-reliant. The Handicap Fleet races around bay buoys – which one depends on the current wind direction – so do read the Notice of Race & Sailing Instructions linked above. Dates are wind & weather dependent and may be cancelled if poor or hazardous conditions exist.
QUESTIONS?
Do read the Sailing Instructions and Notices of Race that are linked beneath each race, but if you have additional questions, please ask the Fleet Captains Lee Montes or Jesse Amendola, or Bob Campbell, who runs the Race Committee boat at: treasurer@wetpantssailing.org
Ask Bob any questions about any of the races WPSA runs – like start times, for info about the start signals and the time sequence, what the horns mean, for the race flag meanings, direction, questions about rounding marks, or to volunteer to help him on the Race Committee boat for any week. Learn as you go!
So what does “PHRF ” and “Handicap” mean in racing and sailing?
PHRF means Performance Handicap Racing Fleet – this is a method of classification that gives dissimilar boats the ability to race against each other using a handicapping system. Handicaps are assigned by the committee or chairperson with specific fleets and is sanctioned by the United States Sailing Association. It makes for a more fair and equal playing field. A boat finishing last after the computations are done could actually be the winner! Generally, these are casual races.
For more information on PHRF please visit: www.ussailing.org/competition/offshore/phrf
