“Sailors see the benefit of doing our part to keep our waters and beaches clean. We rely on them heavily for our sport, so it only makes sense to be good stewards of those resources we rely on.”
Ben Wells, Formula Wave Clean Class Liaison
The Corpus Christi Yacht Club is no stranger to big events or to the Clean Regattas program. Both the 2018 Youth Worlds and the 2021 Multihull Championships were certified at the Platinum Level – but the 2025 US Sailing Multihull Championships was the first collaboration between a Sailors for the Sea Skipper and Clean Class. Skipper Volunteer and Corpus Christi Yacht Club Commodore Bill Liles worked with Hobie Wave Clean Class liaison Ben Wells to hit their goal of a Platinum Level Clean Regatta for the biggest event of the season.
Working together was key in achieving Platinum Level certification, and both Ben and Bill emphasized this repeatedly in their breakdown of the event. “As a twenty-item list it can seem daunting, but if you get a group to work together, it makes the overall effort manageable,” Bill shared. As Commodore of the CCYC, he was able to put sustainability at the top of his list, but he couldn’t make it all happen on his own. Collaborating with local volunteers, including the local Surfrider chapter and Texas A&M students, allowed them to run a daily beach cleanup, monitor the waste stations, and more. “The local collaboration was a major high point,” Ben said, emphasizing the educational aspect about microplastics that Surfrider volunteers were able to bring, sparking real interest in making change among the sailors.
Left: Ben Wells, Formula Wave Clean Class liaison, prepares for racing. Right: Water jugs on the RIB during the race to provide hydration without plastic.
A big part of the effort was the Hobie Wave class sailors themselves. The Formula Wave class has been an official Clean Class since 2023, certifying all their events as at least a Silver Level Clean Regatta. Joining the Clean Class Initiative engrains sustainable practices into all the efforts of the Class, making a big event like the Multihull Championships easier to pull off. “We can do little things and experiment at other regattas to know what is going to work well and what isn’t, so when we need to apply those practices at scale, we are ready,” Ben shared. Sailors understand the goals and are ready to pitch in on whatever is needed. A great example of this was the reusable dinnerware that the Class provided – a set of bamboo flatware with a straw and a molded plastic cup with the US Multihull logo (undated so it can be used at future events!). Emphasizing reuse throughout the season helped pave the way for easy uptake of reusables at the Championships. Participants brought the whole kit to each event, with some individuals even returning to the hotel to grab theirs when they left the set behind. This commitment to reuse helped avoid over 150 sets of utensils and straws being sent to landfill and demonstrated how much of an impact little shifts can make.
Left: Sailors enjoying dinner with their reusable dinnerware. Center: Close up of flatware set and reusable plastic cups. Right: Texas A&M students monitor waste stations and take the lead on composting as volunteers on the Green Team.
“Sailors see the benefit of doing our part to keep our waters and beaches clean. We rely on them heavily for our sport, so it only makes sense to be good stewards of those resources we rely on,” Ben explained when asked about the benefits of being a Clean Class. We don’t always know the impact we’re having on others, but the dream of Clean Regattas work is that sailors take the example set at an event into their own lives. Ben shares this dream and has seen it made real: “I love hearing stories of sailors who learn about microplastics and make small changes in their habits based on their experience at a regatta – it adds proof that the value of making sustainable practices goes beyond just the direct impact at the event site.”
We are so proud of the accomplishments of the CCYC and the Formula Wave class that led to the second Platinum Level Certification for the US Multihull Championships. When asked what advice they would give another event embarking on this journey, both Ben and Bill shared nuggets of wisdom. Bill suggests you “start early and organize a team of like-minded folks to help with the planning.” Ben urges you not to be “distracted by nay-sayers…even if for some reason an organization falls short of a goal – you will still have accomplished something, and every little bit counts.”
With their good attitude and work ethic, we have no doubt that another Platinum Level event is around the corner.
Left: Sailing in the US Multihull Championships with Corpus Christi, Texas in the background. Right: Volunteers celebrate a job well done after a morning beach cleanup.
