Small boats, big stakes: National RC sailing regatta lands in Punta Gorda

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Sailors from across the country spent the weekend in Punta Gorda competing in the 2026 Micro Magic U.S. National Championship Regatta, a two-day event featuring small radio-controlled sailboats powered entirely by the wind.

The regatta, held at South County Regional Park, includes up to 20 races and draws experienced competitors from well beyond Southwest Florida.

“It’s extremely competitive,” said Greg Norris, the U.S. Micro Magic class secretary, who traveled from Colorado for the event.

Micro Magic is a class of small radio-controlled sailboats that use servos and actuators to control the rudder and sails, but no motor.

Despite the boats’ size, the competition is anything but small.

“You get a trophy, and you get some bragging rights, but most importantly, you get to race in a League of Champions, a regatta against all the other winners,” Norris said.

Ronald Stephanz, the reigning national champion and a former commodore of the Suncoast Model Sailing Club, said the event demands focus from start to finish.

“The concentration required for the entire weekend is just exhausting,” Stephanz said. “By the end of the weekend, we are totally exhausted.”

Stephanz said the Punta Gorda venue is part of what makes the event special.

“We have reports from various competitors around the country telling us what a great location we have, and the support that we get from Charlotte County, as well as the members of the Sun Coast Model Sailing Club,” he said.

He said the course at South County Regional Park offers ideal racing conditions because of its open layout and favorable winds.

“Very few trees,” Stephanz said. “We have a course, a walkway along the east, and a walkway along the south that allows us to do north, south, east and west winds, which are the most prevalent here.”

Stephanz, who also won the national title in 2023, said he began radio-control sailing in 1974 and has been competing for more than five decades.

“And I hate to admit this, but I started radio control sailing in 1974,” he said. “So this is my 52nd year of competing with radio control toy boats.”

The local club has become a regular host for major events in the sport.

“We hosted the RC Laser North American Championship earlier this year. Then we hosted the Sowing 1 Meter, Region 7 Championship. And now we're hosting the Micro Magic National Championship,” Stephanz said. “So, usually, every year, we host two or three major regattas here at South County Regional Park.”

Competitors this weekend came from places including Texas, California and Colorado, underscoring how far sailors are willing to travel for the national championship.