ASRF supports Kenai Sets Sights on the Newport Bermuda Race Doublehanded Division

Captain Emmett Dickheiser and Catherine Chimney to Campaign J/44 in 636-mile Offshore Classic

The J/44 Kenai will take on one of offshore sailing’s most iconic challenges this June as she lines up for the Newport Bermuda Race in the highly competitive Doublehanded Division. At the helm will be Captain Emmett Dickheiser alongside offshore veteran Catherine Chimney, pairing technical precision with miles-deep offshore experience for the 636-nautical-mile passage from Newport, Rhode Island to St. George’s, Bermuda.


The Kenai Story – Three Decades of Family and Performance
Owned by Chris and Karen Lewis for more than 30 years, Kenai has been far more than a race boat. The Lewis’ raised their children aboard her, building a culture rooted in seamanship, safety, and competitive excellence.
Emmett first sailed with the Lewis’ in 2012 during the Harvest Moon Regatta from Galveston to Port Aransas, serving as genoa trimmer. That race marked the beginning of a relationship that would grow into a professional and personal bond. Over the years, the Lewis’ have become like family to Emmett, entrusting him not only with the boat’s performance program but with her long-term stewardship.
More recently, Catherine has become part of that extended family, embracing the same standard of preparation and safety the Lewis’ have always demanded onboard. Together, the team continues to uphold the culture that has defined Kenai for decades.
Kenai’s race pedigree is extensive. She has claimed victories and podium finishes across major events including North American Championships, the Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) Series, and multiple Harvest Moon Regattas. She has competed in nearly every major East Coast distance race, building a reputation as a consistently optimized and meticulously prepared offshore platform.
When Chris and Karen Lewis decided not to compete in the 2026 Newport Bermuda Race, they offered Kenai to Emmett and Catherine to campaign in the Doublehanded Division—an endorsement of trust built over years of shared miles and mutual respect.
Kenai Race Highlights
J/44 NA Championships 2017, 2018, 2025                                           1st, 1st
SORC Islands in the Stream Series 2021, 2022, 2024    1st, 1st, 2nd
Block Island Race J/44 week 2019, 2023, 2025                  1st, 1st, 1st
J/44 Rolex Cup NYYC 2016, 2018                                                  1st, 1st
 
Emmett Dickheiser – A Decade of Optimization
Emmett began his career with UK Sailmakers in 2012. Shortly after, he was introduced to the Lewis family through Houston UK loft owner Pedro. While completing college, Emmett worked closely with the Lewis’ and the UK loft refining sail inventories and performance systems before eventually stepping into the full-time role of captain.
Under his direction, Kenai has undergone multiple system refits and retrofits. Through hands-on experimentation and collaboration with industry mentors, Emmett has continually pushed the boat toward peak efficiency, while maintaining safety as an overarching priority
Career Highlights

• 2026 Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race ORC Class Winner – S/V Kenai
• 2025 Annapolis to Newport Race Overall ORC Performance Cruiser Class Winner – Blue Skies
• 2021 Vineyard Race Doublehanded Division, 3rd Place – S/V Kenai
• Over 50,000 offshore miles

Catherine Chimney – Proven Offshore Competitor
Catherine Chimney has been racing since infancy—rarely seen without a life jacket, and more recently, without her offshore Dubarry boots. She shifted her focus to doublehanded offshore racing in 2018 and has since built an impressive offshore résumé.
The Bermuda course is familiar territory. She has competed twice in the Bermuda One-Two and Newport Bermuda Race. In 2023 her and co-skipper Cole Brauer won the Bermuda 1:2 followed by 2024 winning the St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy–as part of team Carina.
Recent Achievements

• 2023 Bermuda One-Two Doublehanded Winner – with Cole Brauer
• 2023 SORC St. Pete to Ft. Lauderdale Race Watch Captain – S/V Kenai
• 2024 Newport Bermuda Race Overall St. David’s Lighthouse Winner – S/V Carina
• 2023 & 2024 US Sailing Women’s Rolex Nominee

A Trusted Boat, A Proven Team
Doublehanded racing strips offshore competition to its essentials: preparation, resilience, and trust. With decades of institutional knowledge embedded in Kenai, a meticulously refined sail program, and two sailors deeply experienced on the Bermuda course, the campaign represents both continuity and evolution.
When the fleet departs Newport bound for Bermuda, Kenai will carry more than sails and provisions—she will carry a 30-year legacy of family, craftsmanship, and competitive ambition.
And in 2026, that legacy continues—doublehanded.

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