The 2006 IFDS (International Foundation of Disabled Sailors) Blind Sailing World Championship will be held from September 20 to 27, 2006 in Newport, Rhode Island,hosted by the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) with the assistance of Sail Newport. More than a dozen nations are expected to send teams for the championship.

Under the vision classification system established by the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) to provide fair competition to blind athletes, each nation can send one team in each of the three vision categories: B1, B2 and B3. A registered ophthalmologist must complete the classification forms which are required of all regatta entrants and are subject to verification by an IBSA certified physician.

Each team will include two vision-impaired sailors – skipper and one crew – accompanied by two sighted guides who provide verbal information to tactically position the boat as it navigates the race course. The rules mandate thatonly a blind sailor can steer, while the other blind crew trims the sails.

Interest in blind sailing has grown around the globe. From five nations participating in the first international regatta for the blind (1992), more than 14 nations are now fielding blind sailing teams for competition.

The organising authority for the championship is NYYC, IFDS, Blind Sailing International and US SAILING, the United States' Member National Authority of the International Sailing Federation.