Log of the Week: Sailing News September 2025 (Cannes, Orcas, Starlink & More)

September is one of those months when the sailing world feels extra alive. Boat shows are in full swing, racing seasons are heating up, and regulations that once sounded abstract are suddenly shaping the marinas we tie up in. This week’s log is part of our sailing news September 2025 series, bringing you everything from the sparkle of Cannes and the gear tents in Southampton to the real concerns about orcas in Galicia and new Posidonia rules across the Med. Add in Starlink launches, Vendée Globe lessons, and SailGP drama, and you’ve got a snapshot of just how wide and connected our world afloat really is.

1) Cannes Yachting Festival kicks off: debuts everywhere, sails out in force

Cannes is buzzing again. The Yachting Festival opened this week across Vieux Port and Port Canto (9–14 Sept), billed as Europe’s top in-water show and the world’s No.1 showcase for large sailing boats. Besides the glitz, this show is a useful barometer for where the market is heading—hybrid systems, lighter interiors, and smarter hotel loads are now standard talking points with builders. Trade outlets reported 119 superyachts on display with over 100 debuts, but the sail side is holding its ground, with multihulls and performance cruisers drawing serious foot traffic. If you’re speccing a refit or new build, Cannes is where you see next season’s tech first.

2) Southampton International Boat Show: the UK’s turn next week

If Cannes is the Mediterranean mood board, Southampton is the kit locker—hands-on demos, safety gear, sails, electronics, and a marina packed with boats you can actually step aboard. The show runs 19–28 Sept 2025 at Mayflower Park with on-water try-outs and a stacked seminar program. For cruisers in northern Europe, Southampton is the place to compare real-world gear (from heaters to hydrogenerators) before winter projects begin. Exhibitors like Clipper Marine have confirmed presence, and the RYA highlights everything from paddleboards to catamarans—so bring questions and your shopping list.

Read more: Southampton International Boat Show

3) FuelEU Maritime is live in 2025—what small boaters should actually care about

FuelEU Maritime fully kicked in on 1 January 2025 for ships trading in the EU/EEA, setting well-to-wake GHG intensity limits and mandating OPS (shore power) for certain ship types. “I’m not a cargo ship, why does this matter?” Two reasons: (1) it’s already nudging marinas and ports to expand shore-power infrastructure and think harder about energy quality, which trickles down to yachts; (2) it aligns with the EU ETS timeline—operators must surrender 2024 maritime allowances in September 2025, a date that will keep decarbonization in headlines this month. Norway/Iceland’s EEA incorporation is delayed, but the EU baseline stands. Expect more OPS, smarter meters, and pressure on fossil genset hours in busy ports.

4) LEO at sea: Starlink ramps launches, OneWeb targets enterprise, Kuiper gears up

Connectivity keeps changing fast. SpaceX notched its 113th launch of 2025 on Sept 6, adding more Starlink satellites and pushing capacity further; analysts highlight hundreds of Mbps now commonplace on larger yachts. Eutelsat OneWeb remains focused on enterprise/government via partners, offering near-global coverage—including higher latitudes—though pricing and terminals skew commercial. Amazon’s Kuiper targets another launch window this month and hints at limited service by year-end. For cruisers, the practical read: redundancy is king. If you rely on weather routing and remote work, track antenna options, data caps, and real marine distributors—not just consumer headlines.

5) Orcas in Galicia move into the rías—authorities urge caution

The Iberian orca story took another turn: reports in late August and early September describe interactions inside Galician rías (e.g., Ría de Arousa and the Vigo estuary), with several yachts suffering rudder damage and local authorities at times advising boats to remain in port. Researchers note the whales are feeding on coastal prey—like octopus—when they enter shallower water, which may explain the shift in habitat use. For passagemakers heading north from Portugal, this means passage planning should include updated local advisories, shallower routes when safe, and logging any encounters with national coordinators.

6) Posidonia protection: from “good idea” to practical reality by 2030

Another theme this season: anchoring over Posidonia oceanica is increasingly regulated. The Balearics continue strict enforcement (heavy fines exist on paper), and a new WWF toolkit (June 2025) pushes Med-wide eco-mooring areas for vessels under 24 m by 2030. Greece isn’t as restrictive everywhere, but protected zones and eco-moorings are expanding (watch Natura 2000 sites). The easy cruiser takeaway: learn the meadow maps, call the local authority if uncertain, and favor eco-moorings when available. Your paint and conscience will thank you—and the meadows certainly will.

7) Vendée Globe 2024/25: Dalin’s record is more than trivia—it’s tech

Charlie Dalin won the 10th Vendée Globe on 14 January 2025, smashing the race record by over nine days. Why mention it now? Because the tech that wins these races—flight stability, foil control logic, energy management—trickles down. Better autopilots, smarter power budgets, and increasingly efficient charging (hydro, solar, alternators) are all informed by what the IMOCA fleet just proved. When you’re comparing your next pilot upgrade or discussing solar vs alternator balance, remember that the extreme edge just moved—again.

8) SailGP: drama, comebacks, and a reminder about gear limits

SailGP’s European swing is heating up. France pulled off a miracle comeback to win the first Germany Sail Grand Prix three weeks ago, while New Zealand has shown trademark precision in L.A. earlier in the season—and Canada snatched a big event win too. The year also delivered a stark safety reminder when Australia’s wingsail collapsed in San Francisco back in March; no injuries, but a serious wake-up call about loading and margins in foiling circuits. For the rest of us: keep respecting rig loads and inspection schedules—high-performance lessons still apply to our cruising rigs.

9) After the America’s Cup: Barcelona’s “legacy” is real infrastructure

Post-Cup reflections matter because they influence where we cruise. Barcelona reports the 37th America’s Cup accelerated port-city integration projects, sustainability work, and nautical innovation hubs. Beyond the PR, that often translates to better public waterfronts, more training programs, and sometimes—more slips and services. If you’re routing the Western Med next season, keep an eye on how Barcelona leverages this momentum; big events can leave surprisingly practical benefits for everyday sailors.

One last line from me

This roundup is a reminder of how diverse the headlines can be—from racing records and foiling dramas to seagrass protection and boat show debuts. If you’re catching up on sailing news September 2025, these are the stories shaping our world afloat right now.

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