The 57th edition of Antigua Sailing Week takes over English Harbour and the waters around Antigua in late April 2026. Founded in 1968, this regatta has grown from a Caribbean end-of-season gathering into one of the premier mixed-fleet events in world sailing, drawing over 100 boats from across the Atlantic. The combination of reliable trade winds, warm water, and post-race parties that run until dawn has made it a fixture that sailors plan their entire year around.
Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour provides the historical backdrop. This 18th-century British naval base, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, served as the headquarters for Admiral Horatio Nelson during his Caribbean posting. The stone pillars and restored warehouses now house yacht charter offices, sail lofts, and bars where crews compare notes after racing. Walking the dockyard at sunset, surrounded by masts and rigging, connects the modern regatta to centuries of Caribbean maritime history.
Racing kicks off at 10:00 AST (UTC-4) each day, with courses that use Antigua’s dramatic coastline as natural marks. The trade winds blow from the east-northeast at a dependable 15-20 knots through April, occasionally gusting to 25. The island’s topography creates wind shadows and acceleration zones that reward skippers who know the coast. For viewers in New York, the 10:00 AST start converts to 10:00 EDT (same offset during summer). London sees 15:00 BST, a perfect afternoon slot. Sydney faces a midnight start.
The fleet is divided into classes under both IRC and CSA rating rules, accommodating everything from high-performance racing machines to cruiser-racers on a Caribbean holiday. The diversity of the fleet is part of Antigua’s charm: a 72-foot maxi might be tacking alongside a 36-foot charter boat, all competing within their respective classes but sharing the same start line wind.
The social programme is legendary. The Dockyard Party, the English Harbour Rum bar at the finish line, and the final awards ceremony on the lawn of the Admiral’s Inn are as much a part of Antigua Sailing Week as the racing itself. For many crews, particularly those who have sailed across the Atlantic to participate, this is the culmination of a season-long journey.