If you’ve been watching the one-design racing scene and wondering where the action is this August, look no further than Tomales Bay. The 110 Class — whose iconic double-ended sloop holds the distinction of being the world’s first purpose-built sport-boat — will be hosting its National Regatta August 9-13 at the Inverness Yacht Club, home waters for local Fleet 56 and a venue that needs no hype from us.

Tomales Bay is the kind of place that makes visiting sailors forget to check the weather forecast. Sheltered by the rolling hills of Point Reyes National Seashore, the bay offers a near-perfect racing environment: steady afternoon breeze funneling through the coastal gap, glassy mornings giving way to crisp, pressurized sailing by the time the first warning gun fires. Calling it sailing in paradise isn’t hyperbole — it’s geography.

A Class in Motion

The 110 Class arrives at this year’s Nationals with some fresh energy from the revived Fleet 19 in Seattle, and following a pair of rule proposals that passed near-unanimously at a special membership vote on May 13th. The most talked-about change opens an experimental period allowing inboard jib leads with a smaller headsail: a #2 Genoa of approximately 140% overlap as an alternative to the class’s traditional massive, overlapping #1 Genoa.

The debate is one that any performance sailor can appreciate: old-school power and driving area versus modern efficiency and crew ergonomics. Traditionalists rightly point to the #1 Genoa’s proven upwind authority — that enormous overlap has been pulling 110s through chop for decades, and there’s a reason it became the standard. But proponents of the smaller sail argue that inboard sheeting geometry changes the equation significantly. With a tighter sheeting angle, they contend, the #2 can match the #1’s upwind output despite the reduction in canvas.

The practical advantages of the change are harder to argue with: easier trimming, faster tacking, cleaner sightlines for the helmsman, and perhaps most importantly for the class’s future, the ability to race competitively with a smaller crew. That last point matters. One of the persistent challenges facing established one-design classes is keeping the boats accessible to sailors across different stages of life and crew availability. A sail plan that demands less horsepower on the foredeck is a sail plan that invites more people into the cockpit.

The two-year experimental window means this debate will play out on the racecourse before any permanent decision is made. Expect animated conversations at the dock in August.

Come Sail With Us

Here’s the part where we speak directly to you, the Latitude reader who’s been eyeing your August calendar: Fleet 56 is rolling out the welcome mat for visiting sailors, and that includes boats available for charter during the regatta.

The 110 is a rewarding boat to race — athletic and responsive, the kind of sailing that keeps you sharp. The fixed keel means you can push hard without lying awake at night worrying about an unplanned swim, but make no mistake, this is performance one-design racing that will demand your full attention and a reasonable level of fitness. If that sounds like your kind of fun, Tomales Bay in August is where you want to be.

With visiting teams from the East Coast and the Pacific Northwest Fleet 56 has a tradition of providing charter boats. Depending on out of region attendance there may be an opportunity for a SF local team to join in the fun. To find out about charter availability and what it takes to get on the starting line, reach out to class president Milly Biller and the local Fleet 56 organization through the class website.

August 9-13. Inverness Yacht Club. Tomales Bay. Some things are worth rearranging your schedule for.

The 110 Class National Regatta runs August 9-13, 2026, hosted by Inverness Yacht Club on Tomales Bay. For charter inquiries and regatta information, contact 110 Class president Milly Biller through the class website at 110class.com.

The second proposal allows an experimental period to explore inboard jib leads on a smaller headsail as an alternative to the iconic, old-school, massively overlapping genoa. The thought is that the inboard sheeting and narrower sheeting angle allows a #2 Genoa of about 140% overlap to match the upwind performance of the #1 Genoa despite the difference in sail area. Other significant advantages of the smaller headsail is easier sheeting, quicker tacking, greater visibility and gives the ability for a smaller crew on the team. Proposal 2 also passed general membership vote indicating strong alignment between class membership and the class Governing Committee.

Additional topics regarding fleet building and making the 110 more attractive to a wider range of sailors are being discussed and will be considered at the Annual General Membership meeting in August during the National Regatta hosted by the Inverness Yacht Club on the beautiful Tomales Bay. Local Fleet 56 is preparing for visiting teams from East Coast and Pacific Northwest Fleets, including the availability of boats for charter for the regatta. In past regattas we have had local teams outside of the class join in the fun, so if you are looking for something to do August 9th~13th that involves sailing in paradise you might just consider reaching out to esteemed class president Milly Biller to see if one of the charter boats might be available.

HOST: Inverness Yacht Club

Please note the Sunday through Thursday schedule due to tides. Racing will be Monday through Thursday. Inquiries can be submitted through the Contact Us page on this website.

All Skippers must be members of the 110 Class. It is encouraged that crew also join the class as Associate Members.

Racing Schedule:

• Sunday – Welcome Beach BBQ Dinner
• Monday – Commodore’s Dinner
• Tuesday – Open
• Wednesday – IYC Hosted Dinner
• Thursday – Awards Pizza Dinner

By Dieter Loibner

Please read the original article on the Soundings Online website.

 Take a left on Hidden Cove, and then go left again at the totem pole. Such were the instructions to get to the Port Madison Yacht Club on Bainbridge Island, Washington, a tiny but tidy sailing institution on the north end. It was the venue for the first official International 110 regatta in this area in many years, reviving Fleet 19, which was based at Corinthian Yacht Club in Seattle before dispersing decades ago. …

A pdf of the article is here: