A conversation with Bill Johnsen about the 2026 Sarasota Bay Multihull Regatta
by David Schmidt 17 Feb 08:00 PST
February 20-22, 2026
Racecourse action at the 2025 Sarasota Bay Multihull Regatta © Jennifer Joy Walker (
www.jenniferjoywalker.com)
Some things simply pair better than others, especially in the sometimes-frozen depths of February in North America. Forget about peanut butter and chocolate—we're talking about multihulls, racecourses, and Florida's warm and inviting waters. If this sounds like the right tonic to help lift you out of the mid-winter blues (or to jumpstart your sailing season), the annual Sarasota Bay Multihull Regatta (SBMR; February 20-22) should be on your radar.
The regatta, which is organized and hosted by the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, is open to all multihulls—One Design or otherwise—that hold a valid PHRF racing certificate. According to the event's Notice of Race (NOR), a minimum of five boats of similar design is required to make a class. As of this writing, the SBMR expects to field PHRF <0, PHRF 0-24, PHRF >24, and Corsair Sprint (750/760) classes, but the final breakdowns will of course depend on the regatta's final registration list.
Racing at the SBMR is expected to unfurl on the protected waters of Sarasota Bay north of New Pass, or on the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota. Provided the wind gods cooperate, the RC is expected to fire their first warning signal at 1300 on Friday, and then again at 1000 on both Saturday and Sunday mornings; sailors can look forward to post-racing social gatherings at around 1700 on Friday and Saturday, and an award's ceremony at around 1600 on Sunday.
I checked in with Bill Johnsen, regatta chair of the 2026 SBMR, via email, to learn more about this enticing, warm-water multihull regatta.
It's been a couple of years since we last talked about the SBMR. How are registration numbers in 2026 looking, compared to recent editions of the event?
The Sarasota Sailing Squadron was hit very hard by hurricanes Helene (September 2024) and Milton (October 2024). Although most of our local fleet moved their boats to safe places, several of the competitors lost their boats. Others are still dealing with challenges of recovery.
That said, we currently have 27 PHRF multihulls registered, 11 A Cats, and 6 Nacras, bringing our total participation to pre-storm levels. We have added a second course for A Cats and Nacra one designs.
Are some classes proving more popular than others in terms of registration numbers? If so, what classes are these?
The regatta is for PHRF Multihulls. We typically draw F-33 RSX, F-31 R, F-28 R, F-25 C, Sprint 750/760, and other Corsair models, [as well as] Stiletto 30s, Stiletto 27s and Stiletto 23s.
The Sarasota Sailing Squadron is home the largest and growing fleet of Stiletto catamarans, and interest remains strong in that fleet. We are seeing our biggest decline in the older Corsair models like the F-28 and F-24.
Are most SBMR entrants local, or are you getting a lot of out-of-town boats and teams who might be seeking a reprieve from the cold? Could you give me a rough breakdown of local boats versus visiting teams?
About half the competitors are Sarasota Sailing Squadron boats. About a quarter are Florida-based boats but not [from] Sarasota.
We typically get more participation from teams seeking relief from the winter. The hurricanes have impacted the supply and cost of housing, which is driving some lower participation but we have competitors [coming] from the Great Lakes and New York.
What's the scene ashore like? For example, does the SBMR tend to attract sailors who freely share rig-tune info and racecourse tactics with newer sailors, or is this an event that tends to attract dialed sailors who are seeking high-level racing?
I find our fleet very willing to help newer sailors. The top of the fleet in each division competes at a very high level with some professionals and national champions.
Most of us are busy fine-tuning and prepping our boats but are generally willing to help. If you have a question, don't be afraid to ask. The best time to ask is after the racing, as mornings tend to be very busy.
The NOR says that courses will be windward-leewards. Roughly how long will each race be? Also, will the event use leeward gates or offset marks?
Most of our races will be two-lap windward-leewards with a distance of 0.8 to 1.2 miles per leg, so 4 to 5 miles in total.
We generally use a windward offset mark and leeward gates. We try to make our races last about 45 minutes to allow for four to five races per day.
Will the SBMR use any of the new electronic racecourse-management tools (e.g., Vakaros' RaceSense, etc.)? If not, could you possibly see the event adopting this kind of technology for future editions?
For the most part we are pretty old-school on [our] race management. I can see us moving to technology like MarkSetBots.
Our division sizes generally allow for accurate line judging by people on the signal and leeward-gate committee boats, but if we were to move to the remote-control marks, I could see where we would also want to adopt the Vakaros' RaceSense technology.
In general, our fleet prioritizes hitting the line close to on time but at full speed, so we have less crowded starting lines.
Generally speaking, what's the more important gear for out-of-town sailors to bring to the SBMR—a sunhat and shorts, or a full set of foul-weather gear?
Sun block is a must. Out of the three days of racing in February, you will probably wish you had foul-weather gear for at least one of the days, and shorts and t-shirts for the other days.
We hope for couple of days with winds in the 15-knot range and usually have some racing in 6-knot range.
If there is no frontal activity, we typically have a sea breeze 12 to 15 knots in the afternoon.
Is there anything else about this year's SBMR that you'd like to add, for the record?
It's a great event. Sarasota Bay is one of the best venues for racing sailboats anywhere. We have very good race management, good food, and good company. If it is too late for you to make plans for this year, please think about next year.
Many thanks to Sarasota-based photographer (and Sunfish sailor) Jennifer Joy Walker for her great images. Her work can be seen at www.jenniferjoywalker.com