The nation’s top offshore sailors are gathered in Annapolis this weekend for the 2025 U.S. Offshore Sailing Championship, hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy Sailing Program. Crews will race in Navy 44s for the prestigious Lloyd Phoenix Trophy, navigating a mix of buoy races, coastal legs, and, weather permitting, an offshore distance race on Chesapeake Bay. Each team is accompanied by a NAVY midshipmen for safety and support.
Defending champions Fall Line, led by Chip Schaffner of Edgewater Yacht Club, return to pursue another title. Schaffner’s campaign carries extra dimension this year: his son, Chad Schaffner, a midshipman on the Naval Academy’s Varsity Offshore Sailing Team, will sail alongside him. “Looking forward to sailing with my son, Chad Schaffner, who is on the NAVY team and representing them as a midshipman on our team,” Schaffner said, underscoring this season’s personal stakes.
From Annapolis, Team Patriot, skippered by Ray Wulff, enters with strong local credentials. Patriot has demonstrated consistent performance in the Chesapeake J/105 fleet, and its Corinthian crew steps into the Navy 44 class with proven teamwork and regional familiarity.
Representing the Eastern Connecticut Sailing Association, Checkered Demon, co-skippered by Neal O’Connell Sr. & Jr., brings a dynamic father-son leadership structure backed by long-term crew cohesion. Mojo, helmed by Steven Lowery of Chicago, joins the fleet with a successful Great Lakes record. From the West Coast, Chance Racing, led by Barry Lewis of San Francisco, arrives with decades of offshore consistency. The Mighty Mutiny, owned by Mats Herrstromer and based in Charleston, SC, will continue its long campaign in Annapolis. Also competing are programs from the College of Charleston Offshore Sailing Team, J Boss from Southern California, and the veteran RTC crew. A full team from the Naval Academy, skippered by Nancy Rhodes, rounds out the fleet of ten boats.
Winds are forecasted to stay light throughout the championship, with calm mornings giving way to southerly breezes of 4–7 knots each afternoon. These conditions will make Chesapeake Bay’s notorious shifts and currents especially decisive, demanding precise boat handling and tactical patience from every crew.
As hosts, the Naval Academy team has welcomed competitors with a note of camaraderie and challenge: “Enjoy the sailing center, our fleet, make friends, and sail fast.”
For a full crew list and to follow results throughout the weekend, please visit the event website.