WA360 has a brand-new start line for 2027: Bellingham., start date June 13, 2027 at 12 PM
We’ve partnered with the Port of Bellingham to make the City of Subdued Excitement the home base next summer – and for fun, we’re also running the course in the opposite direction than in years past.
Once departed, the fleet will leave Bellingham Bay and head south, with the first checkpoint tucked just inside Deception Pass. From there, teams point their bows toward the state Capitol and take on the same 360-ish miles of Washington water as before. Wind, current, strategy, timing – the whole race gets picked up, shaken vigorously, and put back down facing the other way.
As always, the race has two official divisions: The Muscle Group is for human-powered (non-sailing) teams, while The Wind Division pits those hoping for breeze against each other. The winner of each category will be presented with THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BELT, with their names engraved thereupon for all time.
This year is also the start of a new rhythm for WA360. From here on out, each edition will make its home in a different Washington waterfront community – helping to build stronger ties across the state’s waters and really fire up the debate about what marina actually has the best hamburgers. For 2027, that home port is Bellingham.
If reading this has already caused you to look thoughtfully at your (or someone else’s) boat, applications open Monday, November 16, 2026 at noon.
In the meantime, check out the 2025 Racer Packet to get acquainted with what’s involved. The official 2027 packet is on the way with updated specifics, so consider the 2025 version useful intelligence – but not something to bet the house on. Or the boat, for that matter.
– Jesse Wiegel, Race Boss at Northwest Maritime
Header photo by Jim Meyers
