Fitted dinghies from four island clubs will be on the water tomorrow to kick off the 2026 sailing season.

These traditional Bermuda boats compete in three races every other Sunday in the summer.

Fitted dinghies make for some of the most engaging sail racing in Bermuda, with massive overpowered sails and with so many crew in such a small boat they are practically sitting on top of each other during racing — and are sometimes ejected.

Fitted dinghies are traditionally crewed by six people, necessary to handle the large areas of sail and also to continually bail the dinghies, which are very low to the water and which are often sunk by powerful gusts. A unique rule of racing states that the number of crew to finish a race can be less than the number that started — sometimes crew members are instructed to dive off the back of the boat during a race, increasing performance by pushing the boat forward and lightening the load.

The first races of the season will take place tomorrow from noon to 3pm in St George's Harbour. Boats competing this season include Challenger II, of Sandys Boat Club; Contest III of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club; Elizabeth II of the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club and Victory IV of the Victory Syndicate, St George’s Dinghy and Sports Club.

Deputy Governor Dave Morgan will present the Heritage Trophy to the winner of the first race directly after the race finishes at the St George's Dinghy and Sports Club.

"We encourage spectators to come out and support this traditional Bermuda sport," said Patrick Cooper, chairman of the Bermuda Fitted Dinghy Association.

“The racing can be watched from land at Pennos Wharf area, or on the water. Commentary can be heard on VHF channel 73.”

Bill McNiven, Rear Commodore and head of the sailing committee at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, is hopeful that the coming season will be a tribute to John Nicholls, a former commodore of the club.

"We lost John Nicholls earlier this year and he was a stalwart supporter of dinghy racing," McNiven said.

“We hope to carry on his memory by getting boats out on the water and making this a great dinghy season.”

Many competing sailors are graduates of the Endeavour Springboard programme, which aims to make sailing accessible to all. Since 2023, in an effort to increase women’s participation in dinghy sailing, all-female crews across the clubs have competed for the Leatrice Oatley Trophy.

Geo Hayward, founder of Prodigy Sailing Foundation and crew member of Contest III, says the opportunity to race these boats can help nurture future sailing talent.

“Many young Bermudians grow up close to the ocean, yet distant from the opportunities it holds,” Hayward said.

“Sailing can be a powerful tool for confidence and lifelong growth. I would love to see more young people shaping Bermuda’s maritime future in fitted dinghies.”

Similar sentiments were also shared by Steven “Clash” King, boat manager for Challenger II.

“My parents couldn’t afford to send me to sailing school, but I ended up working on yachts for over 20 years because of what I learnt on fitted dinghies,” said King.

“It's essential that we pass on these traditional shipwright skills to younger generations because they are our heritage.”

King is the usual commentator for fitted dinghy race days, but Martin Siese will fill that role tomorrow.

Fitted dinghies are the oldest continually raced class of sailboat in the world. Bermudians have been sailing dinghies since the earliest decades of the 17th century. Historically working boats, they had smooth bottoms or shallow keels designed to accommodate grounding and to pass safely over Bermuda’s numerous reefs.

Dinghies were at one time the main mode of transport around the island. They were also the chief fishing vessel and some were fitted with live wells built into the hull to keep fish.

In 1853, the boats began to be raced competitively and were fitted with a keel that would allow them to sail closer upwind, as well as larger rigs in order to reach higher speeds for more exciting racing.

There are nine race days throughout the summer, the first is tomorrow.