52nd St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR), April 3-5, 2026 – Entry Discount, Boats for Charter, Extra Day of Racing in Tune-Up Round the Rocks Race April 2!
Volunteer! Ocean Surfari Sponsors STIR Volunteer Shirts for 5th Year
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Race, charter, or volunteer! There are plenty of ways to get a front row seat at the 52nd St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR), April 3-5, 2026, one of the Caribbean’s premier regattas
Sailors of all levels are invited to compete under CSA, ORC, IRC, and Multihull handicaps in classes spanning Racing, Cruising, CSA Bareboat, and One Design fleets, including IC24s, Diam 24s, Hobie Waves, and Sunfish, plus additional One Design classes 19 feet and over. Entry is $340, with reduced fees of $240 for IC24s, $150 for Hobie Waves, and $75 for Sunfish. Enter now at www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50483.
Heading over from the BVI Spring Regatta? Boats racing there receive a 10% discount on STIR entry at registration, making it easy to extend your Caribbean racing circuit.
Looking to charter? Join one of the region’s most competitive IC24 fleets and vie for podium honors in the class and for the 2nd Caribbean IC24 Championships, held within STIR. Only a limited number of boats remain. Charter rates, including race-ready sails, are $3,400 for STYC members and $3,700 for non-members. Reserve through the St. Thomas Sailing Center by contacting Bobby Brooks at (340) 690-3681 or info@stthomassailingcenter.com.
Arrive early and tune up at the Round the Rocks Regatta on April 2, where IRC, CSA, Multihull, and One Design classes race around the neighboring 19-square-mile island of St. John. Enter at yachtscoring.com/emenu/50495.
Not racing? Get involved on shore or on the water. Volunteers are needed for the race committee and mark boats, as well as shoreside support at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC). All volunteers receive a complimentary, stylish STIR Performance Shirt as a ‘thank-you,’ sponsored by Ocean Surfari, featuring moisture-wicking, quick-dry fabric and SPF 50 sun protection.
“As we like to say, ‘We Love It Here’—and we invite you to enter STIR now and race with us,” invites Pat Bailey, who co-directs STIR 2026 with Greer Scholes. “STIR delivers professionally set, highly competitive racing—whether it’s challenging courses around our beautiful islands or tight, tactical round-the-buoys competition—offering some of the best handicap and one-design racing in the Caribbean. Pair that with cold drinks, live music, and a toes-in-the-sand atmosphere ashore at the St. Thomas Yacht Club, and you have the perfect blend of world-class racing and authentic Caribbean atmosphere.”
Strong Sponsor Support
This marks the fifth year Ocean Surfari has sponsored STIR’s volunteer shirts. The lifestyle brand and retail chain, known for its high-performance beachwear, sun protection gear, and ocean adventures, has four locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands—on the Waterfront in downtown Charlotte Amalie, Havensight Mall, and Red Hook on St. Thomas, as well as Cruz Bay, St. John—and in Florida.
Photos: Ocean Surfari’s Marc Blackburn shows the 2026 STIR Volunteer Shirts. Courtesy: Ocean Surfari.
Our shirts are tested tough 365 days
Our shirts are tested tough 365 days a year by our Captains and Crew and will last a very long time,” says Marc Blackburn, who has sailed for nearly two decades, living on sailboats for half that time. “We have enjoyed regattas both here in St Thomas and other Islands such as the Bahamas. We are proud to support both this year’s STIR Regatta and the St. Thomas Yacht Club, which shares the sailing passion with so many young people in the USVI!”
STIR organizers thank the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, The Moorings, K3, Ocean Surfari, Cardow Jewelers, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Gosling’s Rum, Mount Gay Rum, Michelob Ultra, Teremana Tequila, and Surfside Iced Teas & Vodka, distributed by CC1 USVI, for their strong sponsorship support.
STIR 2026 is a Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta featuring green initiatives.
For more information, please contact Regatta Co-Director Pat Bailey at Cell/WhatsApp (340-690-6607), Email: simpleislandboy51@gmail.com, or visit www.stthomasinternationalregatta.com. Check out St. Thomas International Regatta on Facebook, and @STIRVI on Instagram.
Top Featured Photo: The USA’s Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50, Privateer, racing in the 2023 St. Thomas International Regatta. Credit: Dean Barnes.
Click the button below to see STIR photos
Media contact:
Carol Bareuther
Tel: (340) 998-3650
Email: bareuther@carol-bareuther
