Information on the upcoming 18th International Robotic Sailing Regatta
[last updated 12/31/25]
We are excited to announce that the 18th annual International Robotic Sailing Regatta (IRSR) is to be held the week of June 7 to June 12, 2026 in Ithaca, New York! This event will be sponsored by the 2025 winners: Cornell University.
Registration:
- Official team registration and payment information is not up yet, but will be posted in early 2026.
- The first 5 members per team are free, with a $30 fee for each additional member.
- Registration includes a welcome meal, awards reception, and event t-shirts!
Other Information:
- Housing option: In early 2026 we plan to share information about available hotel blocks with a discounted rate if your team is interested.
- Transportation will not be provided, so please plan to make your own arrangements.
- More specific location information will be posted when finalized.
Please check back periodically for official registration information and other updates! Additionally, send an email to sailbot2026@cornell.edu if you would like to be added to an interest list to be notified when new information is posted, or if you have any other inquiries.
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17th International Robotic Sailing Regatta (9-13 June 2025, Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester MA, USA)
The 17th annual International Robotic Sailing Regatta (IRSR) was held the week of 8-13 June 2025 at Regatta Point Community Sailing on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester Massachusetts. It was sponsored by the 2024 winners: Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
The week provided better than expected sailing conditions with sailable breezes (4-11 kts) most times Mon-Wed with day temps of 65-85F. A light rainfall on Tuesday with no wind led to an hour extension for that day’s events. Thursday proved more challenging with 5-12 kts sustained but with occasional 20 kt gusts. All events proceeded as scheduled with the exception of the Search event when a passing boat with prominent orange life jackets spoofed Cornell’s boat and forced a restart.
Electrical gremlins plagued several of the teams but eventually all boats made it to the water. While not the largest fleet to assemble for SailBot, it was one of the most varied fleets in recent history. Displacements varied from 144 lbs to 30 lbs; lengths from 1.4m to 2m; sail rigs from sloop, to cat, to gaff, to rigid wings; underbodies with lead, iron, rock, or no ballast; monohulls to trimarans; keel depths from 1.5m to 0.2m. Several teams’ boats underwent significant modifications as the week proceeded after recovering from breakages and rescues.
In the end, the Cornell team showed its mettle and excellent preparation by placing first in 5 of the 6 events it entered. Congratulations to the team and their boat “RedForty”!
