Every July, the Ilhabela Sailing Week turns a small island off São Paulo's coast into the anchor of Brazil's sailing calendar. The same calendar includes the Recife-to-Fernando de Noronha ocean race, whose 32nd edition in 2021 drew 85 boats, and Itajaí, in Santa Catarina, which has already secured hosting rights for The Ocean Race's 2027 and 2031 stopovers.
Table of Contents
- Ilhabela Sailing Week: Brazil's most traditional regatta
- How to watch a regatta from your own boat
- The Recife–Fernando de Noronha race: the Northeast's ocean crossing
- Itajaí and The Ocean Race's return in 2027 and 2031
- Brazil's regatta calendar
- Why charter a boat to watch a regatta
- FAQ
Ilhabela Sailing Week: Brazil's most traditional regatta
Held every July in Ilhabela's Vila, on São Paulo state's north coast, the Ilhabela Sailing Week (Semana Internacional de Vela de Ilhabela) brings together boats from multiple classes — from offshore cruising yachts to smaller dinghy classes such as the Optimist and the Laser — in one event backed by the Iate Clube de Ilhabela. Brazilian sailing media and the event's own organizers describe it as one of the largest ocean regattas in the world by fleet size, which makes it as much a spectacle for onlookers as a competition for sailors.
During race week, the small town on the edge of the São Sebastião Channel transforms: fleets of different sizes start their races close to shore, and the water around Baía dos Castelhanos and the channel separating the island from the mainland fills with activity. The next edition is scheduled for July 2026, which makes November a reasonable time for international visitors to start planning the trip.
How to watch a regatta from your own boat
Watching a race from the water changes the experience entirely: from shore, a spectator sees only part of the course, while a private boat can follow starts and mark roundings more closely, within the safety distance set by race organizers and Brazil's maritime authority. In Ilhabela, local operators arrange dedicated itineraries during race week, departing from the Vila itself or from nearby points such as Praia do Curral.
Outside race week, the same stretch of water — between Ilhabela's Vila, Baía dos Castelhanos and the São Sebastião Channel — remains open for ordinary boat trips, so visitors arriving at other times of year can still see the exact waters where the racing happens each July.
The Recife–Fernando de Noronha race: the Northeast's ocean crossing
In Brazil's Northeast, the Recife–Fernando de Noronha International Regatta links the coast of Pernambuco state to the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, one of the longest ocean crossings on the national sailing calendar. Its 32nd edition, sailed in 2021, brought together 85 boats — a sign of the scale this race reaches when it runs, even though its schedule is less fixed year to year than Ilhabela's.
The race connects two destinations already familiar to Brazilian nautical tourism: Recife, with established marinas and a yacht club, and Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago with strict visitor rules and a preservation fee charged separately from any boat trip or landing inside the National Marine Park.
Itajaí and The Ocean Race's return in 2027 and 2031
Itajaí, in the state of Santa Catarina, has already secured two stopovers of The Ocean Race — the world's most storied professional round-the-world sailing race — scheduled for April 2027 and April 2031. According to The Ocean Race's own announcement, made in June 2025, this will mark the city's fifth consecutive appearance on the race route and Brazil's 11th stopover overall, with previous Itajaí stopovers having drawn more than one million race fans combined.
That track record makes Itajaí a rare case in South American sailing: a recurring, confirmed stop for a globally significant offshore race, one that also drives real economic activity in lodging, dining and nautical tourism during race weeks.
Brazil's regatta calendar
An overview of the country's main sailing fixtures, with no future edition dates listed where none have been confirmed:
| Regatta | Location | Timing | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilhabela Sailing Week | Ilhabela, São Paulo state | July, annual | Offshore fleets and dinghy classes |
| Recife–Fernando de Noronha International Regatta | Recife (PE) to Fernando de Noronha | Recurring, no fixed future date announced | Long-distance ocean crossing |
| The Ocean Race — Itajaí stopover | Itajaí, Santa Catarina | April 2027 and April 2031 | Round-the-world race, professional circuit |
| Regional regatta calendar | Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Florianópolis, Búzios | Throughout the year | Olympic and cruising classes, run by local yacht clubs |
Why charter a boat to watch a regatta
Chartering a speedboat or sailboat to follow a regatta works best once the group knows the start area and the scheduled time, information race organizers typically publish in advance. In Ilhabela, for example, the outing can combine watching the fleet with stops at Bonete or Castelhanos beaches before or after the racing, turning race day into a full day on the water rather than just a spectator event.
The same logic applies to other regions with a strong sailing tradition, such as Angra dos Reis and the Ilha Grande bay, where local clubs run their own regatta calendar throughout the year — a good excuse to charter a boat even outside Ilhabela's race week.
FAQ
When does the Ilhabela Sailing Week take place? Every July, in Ilhabela's Vila on São Paulo state's north coast. The race brings together sailboats from multiple classes, from offshore cruising yachts to smaller categories like the Optimist and Laser, backed by the Iate Clube de Ilhabela. The next edition is scheduled for July 2026.
Can you watch the Ilhabela regatta from a boat? Yes. Local operators run dedicated itineraries during race week, staying within the safety distance set for competing boats. Outside that week, the same stretch of water between Ilhabela's Vila and Baía dos Castelhanos remains open for regular boat trips. Booking ahead is wise, since operators fill up fast during race week.
What is the Recife–Fernando de Noronha race? A long-distance ocean crossing linking the coast of Pernambuco to the Fernando de Noronha archipelago. Its 32nd edition, in 2021, drew 85 boats, making it one of the most demanding events on Brazil's sailing calendar due to the open-water crossing to the island.
Is Itajaí hosting The Ocean Race again? Yes. The Santa Catarina city confirmed in June 2025 that it will host The Ocean Race stopovers in April 2027 and April 2031 — its fifth consecutive appearance and Brazil's 11th stopover overall, according to the race's official announcement. Previous Itajaí stopovers have drawn more than a million race fans combined.
Do I need sailing experience to watch a regatta from a boat? No. Watching as a spectator requires no technical knowledge: the charter boat keeps a safe distance from the racing area, and the operator can explain the basics of starts and mark roundings along the way if the group is interested.
How much does it cost to charter a boat to watch a regatta in Ilhabela? Pricing follows the standard speedboat or sailboat rental range for Ilhabela, with no extra charge just for watching the race — the difference is in the route agreed with the operator, which prioritizes the start area over the island's usual beaches.
Are there other major Brazilian regattas besides these three? Yes. Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Florianópolis and Búzios all run regional regatta calendars organized by local yacht clubs throughout the year, generally tied to Olympic sailing classes and cruising categories, though with less national visibility than Ilhabela. Voguer can arrange a charter boat for any of these regional fixtures on request.
Charter a boat for the next regatta
To watch the Ilhabela Sailing Week or any other event on Brazil's sailing calendar up close, contact the Voguer team on WhatsApp with your preferred date and destination. Bookings are secured with a 50% deposit, and the route can combine watching the race with stops at nearby beaches.
Keep exploring: The culture of the saveiro and the schooner in Brazil · Whale watching in Brazil: season and safe distance · Sport fishing in Brazil: species and seasons · Boat rental in Ilhabela · Sailboat rental in Ilhabela · Boat rental in Angra dos Reis