Inside Navy Sailing: Welcome to 2026
Welcome to 2026 from Navy Sailing
As we begin the new year, we want to wish the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation community a happy and healthy 2026. We look forward to sharing timely updates and behind-the-scenes news with this group of insiders who care deeply about Navy Sailing and the people who make it exceptional.
Welcoming Dixon Smith as Director of Competitive Sailing
We are pleased to share exciting news for Navy Sailing: VADM Dixon Smith, USN (Ret.), has been appointed Director of Competitive Sailing with the Naval Academy Athletic Association.
A three-year letter winner and All-American sailor at Navy, Dixon brings deep personal ties to the program along with decades of senior leadership experience. He retired as a Vice Admiral following a distinguished 37-year naval career that included operational and strategic leadership roles across the fleet and at the highest levels of the Navy.
More recently, Dixon has been a deeply engaged volunteer within the Navy Sailing community, serving as Vice President of the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation, a member of the Fales Committee, and a volunteer coach with the Offshore Sailing Team. In connection with his new appointment, Dixon has stepped down from his Foundation and committee roles in order to fully dedicate himself to this responsibility. We are grateful for his service and proud to see his leadership now advancing Navy Sailing from inside the program.
As Director of Competitive Sailing, Dixon will oversee all aspects of Navy's competitive sailing programs and work closely with the Director of Naval Academy Sailing to ensure continued excellence across intercollegiate and offshore teams. Looking ahead, he shared a clear and ambitious vision:
"Together, we will strive to meet the Superintendent's vision for the Naval Academy to be the number one sailing entity in the country. You have my total commitment to steward Navy Sailing into a program we can all take pride in."
This role is also deeply personal for Dixon and his family:
"Growing up racing sailboats, attending the Academy, and being part of Navy Sailing have enabled the life and career that my wife, Kiki, and I have been able to live. It's a privilege to be in a position to give back in a meaningful way."
We are grateful to the Friends of Navy Sailing community for its continued support of the leaders, teams, and mission of Navy Sailing.
Spring 2026 Competitive Sailing Schedule
With the spring season rapidly approaching, Navy Sailing will be active on the water across both offshore and intercollegiate disciplines. Below is an initial look at the spring racing schedule.
If Navy Sailing will be competing in your area this spring and you'd like to support our midshipmen, we'd love to hear from you. Simply reply to this email to let us know.
This schedule reflects early spring racing. Additional events will be shared in future newsletters.
Offshore Sailing Spring 2026 Schedule (through March)
- February 14–15 Southern Collegiate Offshore Regatta (SCOR), Charleston, SC
- March 6–8 Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup, San Pedro, CA
- March 21–22 J/70 Spring Qualifier Regatta, New London, CT
The March J/70 event is a qualifying regatta. A top-three finish will earn Navy Sailing a berth at the college sailing J/70 Championship, April 18–19.
Intercollegiate Sailing Spring 2026 Schedule (through March)
- February 21–22 Quad Team Race, Annapolis, MD (Host: USNA) ⚓
- February 28 – March 1 Navy Open Team Race, Annapolis, MD (Host: USNA) ⚓
- February 28 – March 1 Nelson Roltsch Team Race, New Orleans, LA (Host: Tulane)
- February 28 – March 1 DC Open Team Race, Washington, DC (Host: Georgetown)
- March 7–8 Jen Harris Team Race, Annapolis, MD (Host: USNA) ⚓
- March 7–8 St. Mary's Team Race, St. Mary's City, MD (Host: St. Mary's)
- March 14–15 SMC Women's Fleet Race, St. Mary's City, MD (Host: St. Mary's)
- March 14–15 Graham Hall Team Race, Annapolis, MD (Host: USNA) ⚓
- March 21–22 Szambecki Open Team Race, Norfolk, VA (Host: Old Dominion)
- March 21–22 Blaire Herron Memorial Women's Team Race, Washington, DC (Host: Georgetown)
- March 21–22 Seahawk Team Race, St. Mary's City, MD (Host: St. Mary's)
- March 28–29 MAISA Women's Fleet Race, King's Point, NY (Host: USMMA)
- March 28–29 Marchiando Team Race, Boston, MA (Host: MIT)
⚓ = hosted by the Naval Academy
To follow along throughout the spring season, visit scores.collegesailing.org/s26 for live results and updates.
Behind the Scenes: NASF as a Partner in Navy Sailing
Many members of our community are familiar with the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation (NASF), but its role in supporting Navy Sailing is often less visible.
NASF works in close partnership with the Naval Academy Athletic Association and Navy Sailing leadership to strengthen and sustain the competitive sailing program. Through the provision of boats, funding, and expertise, the Foundation helps ensure that Navy Sailing has the resources and continuity required to deliver world-class training and leadership development under sail.
In addition to facilitating the donation of purpose-built, competitive racing yachts to the program, NASF provides substantial operational support. In 2024, the Foundation contributed nearly $1 million to Navy Sailing, including funding for five full-time sailing center staff and coaching positions, as well as support for seven competitive racing sailboat charters.
Governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees and supported by a small professional staff, NASF works closely with Navy Sailing and NAAA to align resources with program priorities and long-term goals. This partnership helps ensure that Navy Sailing remains a national leader in competitive excellence while preparing midshipmen to become Naval Officers with proven leadership skills, resilience under pressure, and a competitive drive to win.
A key part of that collaboration includes the Fales Committee, an advisory sub-committee of the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation. Continuing the legacy of Commodore DeCoursey Fales, the committee provides independent, expert counsel to the Foundation, drawing on the experience of leaders from senior military service, the marine industry, and competitive sailing. Members also serve as ambassadors for Navy Sailing within their regional and local sailing communities.
Looking ahead, NASF is preparing to launch a capital campaign in 2026 designed to strengthen the Foundation's ability to support Navy Sailing well into the future. The campaign will focus on expanding long-term resources so the Foundation can continue to invest in boats, people, and program priorities that advance competitive excellence and leadership development under sail.
If you'd like to learn more about NASF and its role in supporting Navy Sailing, please contact NASF's Executive Director, Les Spanheimer (les@navalacademysailingfoundation.org), or NASF's Director of Advancement, Christine Krause (christine@navalacademysailingfoundation.org).
Navy Sailing Summer Camp
Navy Sailing will once again host its popular overnight Summer Sailing Camp for girls and boys ages 13–18. Campers will train in the Naval Academy's fleet of FJs and 420s, with daily on-the-water coaching and seminars focused on boat handling, speed, tactics, and strategy, along with fun off-the-water activities.
Two sessions are offered this summer: June 21–24 and June 28–July 1. The all-inclusive program features instruction by Navy's intercollegiate sailing coaches, lodging in Bancroft Hall, meals at King Hall, use of boats, and a Navy Sailing Camp shirt.
To learn more or register, please visit the Navy Sailing Camp registration page.
Program Needs: J/70s for Training and Competition
Match racing is an integral part of intercollegiate sailing and culminates in a fall National Championship that factors into the annual overall Fowle Trophy rankings. As a result, meaningful preparation in this discipline is essential for teams competing at the highest level.
J/70s have become an increasingly common platform for collegiate match racing, and acquiring a pair would allow Navy Sailing to expand practice opportunities and make more effective use of on-the-water time. When not in use by the intercollegiate team, the offshore team would also sail the J/70s, including participation in the spring J/70 series hosted by the Coast Guard Academy, which now serves as a qualifying pathway to a championship regatta.
If you are aware of J/70s that may be available for sale or donation, please contact NASF's Executive Director, Les Spanheimer, at les@navalacademysailingfoundation.org.
Our Community On the Water, Wherever We Sail
One of the things that connects our community is a shared love of being on the water. In future Inside Navy Sailing newsletters, we'd love to highlight the boats that keep our community sailing, wherever you may be.
If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming newsletter, please send us a photo of your boat along with a brief description including the owner, boat name, and type, and where you sail. To make a submission, simply respond to this email.
Thank You and Looking Ahead
Thank you for being part of the Navy Sailing community and for your continued interest in the people and programs that define Navy Sailing. We are grateful for this shared commitment and look forward to keeping you connected throughout the year ahead.
