Metstrade Show & Yacht Racing Form
Productive week of connecting across the marine industry
Jane and I spent a week in Amsterdam which started with the Metstrade (Marine Equipment Trade) Show. This massive event hosted over 1,500 exhibitors with over twenty thousand visitors and was the largest edition of the show to date. We focused on meeting with potential sponsors, technical partners, and equipment suppliers for this campaign. With everything that goes into an ocean racing campaign, from the boat build, to deck hardware, sails, lines, electronics, clothing, and so much more….this is the place where industry leaders all meet once a year. Thank you to everyone who made the time to speak with us, we enjoyed meeting so many people from around the world!
Yacht Racing Forum
In the later part of the week, we attended the two day Yacht Racing Forum which brings together leaders and innovators from across the racing industry. Topics spanned youth sailing, Olympic athletes, SailGP, the Americas Cup, Vendée Globe and just about everything in between. Mostly consisting of panel discussions, with Q&A opportunities and networking time, it was an excellent way for us to hear about the future of our sport and connect with some key leaders in the industry. There were fascinating insights. We highly recommend that more Americans attend next year so our voices can be heard and our networks can be strengthened too.
There were interesting discussions based around access to sailing and inclusivity. I enjoyed hearing from people like Victoria Low (The Magenta Project) and Jeremy Pochman (11th Hour Racing), who are providing real opportunities for sailors, which helps grow the sport. Bruno Dubois, team manager for France SailGP, kicked off the event with opening remarks where he provided a powerful message on leadership and accountability. One of the key points that stuck with me was when he explained how women are frequently tolerated but not accepted. Bruno then proceeded to turn the mic over to Liv Mackay, strategist for the New Zealand SailGP team. Liv provided tangible examples of sexism in the sport she is still seeing today on the docks and out on the water, even as a top professional athlete.
The Magenta Project
Throughout Metstrade and the Yacht Racing Forum, The Magenta Project was a prominent part of the events and helped create an effective networking space at the trade show for the younger demographic. This international organization supports women in the sailing industry by creating varying pathways that are tied to a mentorship program, The Magenta Project vast network is able to provide more opportunities globally.
I am proud to once again serve as a mentor for The Magenta Project this year.
My current mentee Alisa who is from Berlin, Germany has her sights set on racing solo around the world. This year we are focused on guiding her through the process of starting a campaign, her goal is to initially start with racing in the Mini Transat. Alisa was able to visit METSTRADE for two days, connect with other Magenta Project mentees and mentors and we were able to meet each other in person for the first time after a couple of months of video calls.
We also met up with my previous mentee from last year. Nienke is from the Netherlands and recently started her own Mini Transat campaign. She went from having a dream, to developing a plan, securing initial funding, racing in a Mini double handed race, and finding her own boat for this upcoming season! Nienke was very effective in using the tools and resources provided by The Magenta Project to launch her project. Also, thank you Clare Harrington, Vice Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, for presenting graduation certificates to all the mentees!
Jane is also a mentor, going on four years now, and serves on The Magenta Project’s board as the Chair of the Programmes Committee. It is truly inspiring to see how Jane has supported this organization and her dedication to its mission.
Are you interested in supporting The Magenta Project? The two best ways to impact this organization are to volunteer as a mentor or to donate and help fund more opportunities for women across the sport.
Visiting the New Boat!
After the Yacht Racing Forum, we took a train from Amsterdam to Paris, then drove across the country to La Trinité-sur-Mer. This is where we got to check in on the build process at JPS Production. They have made serious progress and we got to watch the completed mold lift off the wooden plug.
More photo updates to follow soon, but in the meantime make sure to check out our latest videos on Instagram!
Sailing Terminal Leave in Annapolis this October (Photo Credit: Matt Ellis)
Looking Ahead — The 2027 Mission
While the last campaign focused on raising awareness for U.S. Patriot Sailing, this new mission is about expanding support — enabling the organization to create even more opportunities for veterans.
One major goal of U.S. Patriot Sailing is to introduce a cruising platform where veterans and their families can share calm, restorative experiences on the water — a vital way to strengthen connection and healing.
U.S. Patriot Sailing remains 100% volunteer-run, accomplishing its mission solely through the generous support of individual donors and grants. Together, we can make this next phase possible.
Donate HERE to support the U.S. Patriot Sailing team.
From raising awareness to expanding support — together, we’re building more opportunities for veterans.
Follow the Mission
As this campaign builds momentum, please makes sure you are following along and stay connected:
Website: www.pgnoceanracing.com
Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube (@pgnoceanracing)
Instagram usually has the most frequent and quick updates!
Donate: You can support this new campaign with a tax deductible donation through U.S. Patriot Sailing — helping not only this mission, but also the veterans this organization serves. You can choose where your donation goes exactly: support a local team, this 2027 Mini Transat campaign, or the organization at large. Donate HERE
The support for the 2023 Mini Transat was the foundation for everything we’ve achieved so far. I hope you will be part of the adventure as we set out for this new mission.
New design, new challenge, same mission-driven commitment
Questions? Want to support?
Reach out out to peter@pgnoceanracing.com and jane@pgnoceanracing.com
Watch the video below to learn why I’ve decided to compete in the Mini Transat again:
Is your club, organization, or company interested in hearing about this new mission?
Hear about the last race and the new boat with Andy Schell and the On the Wind Podcast
Thank You Sponsors & Supporters of the 2027 Mini Transat Campaign
More news to follow soon on returning & new sponsors!!!!
