SAN DIEGO — With less than two months remaining until the fleet departs San Diego Yacht Club and points south toward Mexico, preparations are nearing completion for one of the biggest offshore sailing events of the 2026 season. The biennial Puerto Vallarta Race begins February 26 and will send a diverse lineup of West Coast and out-of-state competitors down the 1,000-mile course to the finish line in Banderas Bay.
This year’s edition is shaping up to be one of the most geographically varied in recent memory. Twenty-six boats are currently registered, representing programs from California, Nevada, Nebraska, Wyoming, Washington, and even Australia. The draw is not only the offshore challenge but also the destination: warm weather, festive shoreside celebrations, and a long-standing partnership between SDYC and the host organizations in Puerto Vallarta.
Several class winners from the 2024 race will return in 2026. Among them are Amazing Grace, Blackwing, Pyewacket, and Vitesse — programs that established strong records last time and now have the opportunity to defend those titles. New entries are also joining the lineup, including the Rogers 46 Natural Nine and a Class 40 named Patriot IX, the first of its type to participate in a major offshore event on the West Coast. The Patriot entry is associated with the US Patriot Sailing program, which engages more than 1,000 active, retired, and reserve veterans through competitive sailing across the country.
The PV Race traditionally attracts a broad spectrum of offshore designs, from smaller performance boats in the mid-30-foot range to some of the largest and fastest racing yachts on the West Coast. For 2026, the fleet skews larger: roughly two-thirds of the registered boats exceed 50 feet, with the largest, Velos, measuring in at 73 feet. Seven TP52-style boats help anchor one of the most competitive groups the event has seen, ensuring tight racing across the fleet.
Scoring for the race will rely on ORR certificates and US Sailing’s Forecast-Time Correction Factor, a system designed to account for varying wind conditions experienced by boats starting on different days. Classes will begin on three staggered start dates — February 26, 27, and 28, 2026 — depending on rating and division assignment.
Although competitors are gearing up for the long leg to Mexico, many will first participate in the SDYC/NHYC Islands Race earlier in the month. That offshore tune-up, beginning February 6, sends boats around Catalina and San Clemente Islands before finishing off San Diego. The event serves as a practical warm-up, giving crews time to re-acclimate to overnight conditions and onboard rotation schedules before committing to the extended passage to Puerto Vallarta.
Registration remains open for both events. Standard entry for the 2026 Puerto Vallarta Race closed January 9, but late entries are available through February 6, 2026. The Islands Race will apply late fees. Details and entry portals are available at pvrace.com and islandsrace.com.
The 2026 Puerto Vallarta Race is made possible through support from Marine Weather University, Velas Vallarta, Bebemos Tequila, Flamingo Vallarta Hotel, Sailing Supply, and Marina Vallarta, marking another strong year of collaboration between San Diego Yacht Club and partners on both sides of the border.
