J/35 Learn to Sail Classes

Hey! Have you ever wanted to learn to sail a big sailboat? On January 24th at 1:00 we are starting a Zoom class on how to sail. There will be five lessons out of a book (provided by our instructor) and starting in late April there will be five on the boat lessons. The cost is $750.00, but you will get your money back if you race on any sailboat between June and September. We have put over 30 new people on the water racing in the last two years. This is open to all, and it just might be an opportunity to get the teenagers involved. Ian Pouliot is our class instructor. Ian has over 35 years of racing sailboats. He is the current instructor at North Star Sail Club for Junior sailors. Ian is also a sail maker and has just a wealth of knowledge about sailing.

The sailboat for you to get involved with is called a J/35. It is 35 feet long, weighs 10,500 lbs, and is the most iconic sailboat ever designed. It was the first sailboat to be inducted into the United States Sailboat Hall of Fame. It was designed by Rod & Bob Johnstone in the early 80s. We have enough boats to race ONE DESIGN (very important) all summer out of North Star SC. You will have a chance to learn the lines (ropes?) and positions on a J/35. Sign up with a friend and take this experience with you for the rest of your life.

You can call me- Mike Fitzgerald- at (248) 790-0666 or call Ian (586) 295-9344 and get registered. This is a great chance to get involved with a new sport that you will take with you even when you're in your 80s. I say that because I am 70!! Add to Flipboard Magazine.

HUDSON RIVER COMMUNITY SAILING J/80S FEATURED ON NBC-TV 3RD HOUR SHOW!

 

(New York, NY)- The NBC Today Show 3rd Hour ran a piece on Sadia Zaman- a 4th year student at the Hudson River Community Sailing (HRCS) program, located at Chelsea Piers (near Hudson Yards) on the west side of New York city.  

See how this after school program in New York City teaches S.T.E.M. principles of science, technology, engineering, math and life skills through the sport of sailing! An enjoyable and insightful video of the HRCS program and how it has had life-changing impacts on kids lives in the greater NYC area.  For more J/80 one-design class sailboat information.  Watch NBC's Today Show 3rd Hour feature here.

Leveling Community Through Sailing

The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center (Milwaukee, WI) is a private, not-for-profit 501 (c) 3 agency located just north of downtown in the heart of Veterans Park at McKinley Marina. MCSC’s mission is to promote sailing and make Lake Michigan available to everyone in the Milwaukee community through quality programming. Amongst the teaching platforms is the famous J/24 sailboat.

Facilities like this are the gateway for introducing people to the sport, and WDJT-TV, a CBS-affiliated television station in Milwaukee, recognized the center’s leader in its weekly segment, Natalie’s Everyday Heroes:

The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center works hard to make sure sailing is accessible for everyone. The center is unique in that you don’t have to have a lot of skills, or a lot of money, to get out in a boat. Holly Church is the director at the center, and she’s this week’s everyday hero.

Church understands learning something new can be intimidating for anyone. “They’re all scared, in the beginning, because none of them really know what to expect or what’s going to happen,” she said of new students.

But every year, kids and adults alike come to the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center to do just that. “Basically, what we do is we teach people how to sail and then they get free access to our equipment to sail on all summer long,” Church said.

She has been working with the sailing center for the last 25 years, but her love for sailing started long before that. “I learned how to sail here when I was 18,” she remembers, and has been a cheerleader, innovator, and advocate for the organization ever since.

“She’s very instrumental in coming up with a lot of the different programming down here,” said Don Ellingsen, member and former board president.

Church is proud that the City of Milwaukee had the foresight to keep the lake accessible for everyone. “Most places privatize the lake,” she said. “And Milwaukee has kept it public and I think that’s amazing.”

Ellingsen, who’s been a member since 1981, said Church’s leadership has made a big difference in the quality of the programs they offer. “She’s really re-energized the club, in that she’s really brought kind of a new spirit to the club,” he said.

US Sailing agrees. Church was recently named Outstanding Organizational Leader. She’s humble about the national recognition.

“The sailing center is one of the country’s premier sailing facilities,” she said. “And we were lucky. It doesn’t just take one person, though.”

But Ellingsen stresses that she helps create an environment that keeps people coming back. And that’s what Church wants—for people to set sail and enjoy all that Lake Michigan has to offer. “I think it gives people a chance to just get off shore for a little bit. Leave everything on shore, just regroup, especially in these days,” Church said.

But the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center’s work isn’t only done on the water. It also goes into middle schools around the city to teach a S.T.E.M program using sailing. “We learn things like angles and weight distribution and how displacement works,” she said.

She calls it an equalizer, and said it doesn’t matter who you are, or where you’re from, anyone can learn. “Sailing is a leveling platform. It doesn’t matter to kids, when you get into a boat, if you’ve never been in a boat it’s a leveling platform,” Church said. Thanks for contribution from Scuttlebutt Sailing (http://sailingscuttlebutt.com). Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Sailing as a Family- A Perspective for Today's Brave New World

(Traverse City, MI)- Now is the perfect time to re-prioritize sailing with your family. Most of the summer camps are canceled and you're probably not running around to 10 different activities a week; but you are probably itching to get out of the house and spend some time with your family doing something you love. If ever there was a summer to prioritize time on the water or get your kids to love sailing as much as you, it's this one. Quantum's Jason Currie put together his tips for successful family sailing based on years on the water with his own family. Sailing with your family can be rewarding and create lasting memories. The key is to redefine your idea of the perfect sailing day to accommodate everyone on board. Like all things in parenting, sailing with your kids takes patience and effort, but the reward is always worth it.

Time on the water is the perfect place for families to reconnect with each other. Sailing can be a great way to experience the great outdoors by sea, but proper planning is essential. To keep the kids, and even mom and dad, wanting to come back for more, we’ve put together some simple tips to make that special time together fun, enjoyable, and safe.

Check the weather
Keep an eye on the weather forecast. If you’ve lived in an area for quite some time, you will develop a sense for the weather. Weather forecasts become more accurate and reliable as the day gets closer, but always keep an eye on it, even after leaving the dock. Places like Annapolis, Maryland, for example, often experience summertime storm cells in the late afternoon which, may last only 15 to 30 minutes, but can be severe, and definitely enough to frighten the family away from the boat for good. There are some very good Doppler radar apps that are excellent for keeping an eye on things while on the water. Remember that while a 3 to 5-foot chop might seem like nothing to you, to a small child it could be scary and off-putting. Keep their perspective in mind.

Preparation
Have the boat cleaned, prepared, and ready to go. Shop ahead of time to stock up on extra food, drinks, and supplies. Make sure there is a first aid kit that contains band aids and any medication that might be handy for life’s little emergencies. Also, get as many tasks done beforehand as you can.  

Pack plenty
If you’re planning an overnighter, remember it’s just like camping but on the water, which means it can get cooler at night. Don’t hold back on sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows. Always bring extra fleece and clothes. Remember the sunscreen and bug repellent, especially if it’s the middle of summer, and don’t forget a full propane tank to cook that fantastic breakfast!

What to bring for the kids
The age of the kids will determine what you should bring. Pack their favorite snacks and toys. Barbie, Matchbox cars, a deck of cards, UNO, coloring books and crayons, and even Silly Putty can make the day fun for your little sailors. If your children are under the age of 5, consider bringing an iPad or DVD player to curb that possible meltdown. Most of us would prefer to leave said devices on shore, but this may be just the thing to keep everything in check while you and your spouse enjoy the sunset with a cool beverage.

If the kids are older than 5, definitely disconnect and ditch the devices! Show them all the joys of being on the water. If you anchor, bring the fishing rod and dinghy and let them set off on their own. For a child this can be the experience which gives way to a feeling of great independence.

Show them the ropes
Your family is your crew, so give them meaningful jobs. Let them steer the boat, show them how to hoist the sails, and teach them how to anchor. Give a lesson on channel markers, navigation, and the correct way to pass another vessel. There’s a heap to learn onboard, and it can be fun for all.

Consider your attitude
We wear off on our kids in many ways, so it’s important to keep your attitude in check. If you have a can-do attitude, your kids will too. If you are fearful or negative, your kids will sense this and follow suit. Children observe and absorb everything, and they participate largely by taking cues from mom and Dad. This matters even more onboard, where you are together and in close quarters for most of the time.

Invest in a GoPro!
What better way to capture your family getaway than with a GoPro. The older kids will have a heap of fun putting together a montage of your weekend getaway and the experience they had, both onboard and in the water.

Safety
It goes without saying: when the family is together on the water, they must be safe. Lifejackets for the kids are mandatory. For toddlers, consider installing lifeline netting and lee cloths. If you are the only one who truly knows how to operate the engine, teach your spouse and older children the procedure on startup and running, because, if something happens to you, another member of the family must be able to take control. Click here for some quick safety tips and reminders.

Keep it fun
Above all, your time on the boat together is about having fun. If you’re new to it, start out with a short-day sail and gradually move into overnight trips. Don’t rush it. If your kids are young and are done sailing after just an hour, consider heading to anchorage to swim or back to the dock.

Most importantly, don’t think of a shorter sail as a failure. Even if you end up back at the dock earlier than planned, do some fun kid things around the marina. Fish, look for stones, swim if it’s hot, play in the dinghy, order pizza, the list is endless! Eat on board and then walk into town for ice cream. You still had a day on the water. You still had a day as a family. You still had fun outside. And most importantly, your kids will want to come back! Find the positives and celebrate your success. This is your redefined sailing day and what a wonderful day it can be.  Thanks for this contribution from Quantum Sail's Jason Currie. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Keeping Sailing Healthy and Well

(Park City, UT)- We admit to having digital fatigue. During the coronavirus pandemic, the go-to solution to remain connected was to create video content, but there are only so many how-to topics we can consume. Enough already!

Sailors want to sail, and while most regions have some form of health restriction impacting the sport, making adjustments to activate participation is the function of every sailing organization.

For those waiting to return to their normal competition schedule, they will be waiting too long as the season is on and people want to get on the water. Sailing is about reacting to the conditions, so let’s react!

That’s the game plan at Park City Sailing Association (https://sailpc.org/), located 32 miles southeast of downtown Salt Lake City at an elevation of 7,000 feet (yes, over a mile high!) amid some of Utah’s great ski resorts.

Ken Block provides the update:
"So much of today’s sailing news is either stories of the past or an announcement of a regatta cancellation. Here on the Jordanelle Reservoir, just outside of Park City, sailing is growing at a record rate. This is our 13th season and 13 may be our lucky number.

As the month of May started, members began to use the club’s J/22s the moment the boats hit the frigid mountain water. Families that had been quarantined at home since mid- March found an opportunity to have a safe family activity under the ski slopes of Deer Valley. The club boats are each equipped with “Sani-Kits” to allow members to sanitize the cockpits to adhere to County regulations.

The entire team at Park City Sailing offers encouragement to the countless clubs that are facing some difficult challenges this year. Let us all work to keeping sailing healthy and well."  Thanks for contribution from Scuttlebutt Sailing News Add to Flipboard Magazine.

13th Annual Dark'n'Stormy Recap

(Manhattan, New York)- It was a wild ride, with nautical trivia, human bingo, fantastic raffle prizes, and a tutorial from an 8th-generation Gosling rum runner. We danced to "Men or Myth", introduced our pets and kids, sang to score points, and raised a glass to Hudson River Community Sailing center. We saw short films of our students engaged and learning remotely, and were carried through the festivities by a dynamic MC.


When we set out to do a virtual Dark‘n’Stormy, we were in uncharted waters. But, we knew we had to find a way to bring our community together in the midst of this crisis and raise funds to support Sail Academy and the future of our students. Two months later, here we are, having sold over 300 tickets and having raised over $47,000!

This is the kind of magic our community makes happen.


Take a moment to watch the videos we shared during the event. Relive MEN or MYTH's from-home concert. Consider a gift to help us hit our $50K goal!

Thank you again for being part of our mission.


Highlights video of kids remote learning



MEN OR MYTH music video- an entertaining group!

For more Hudson River Community Sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/70 Downwind Sailing- When to Switch Modes?

The following question was asked of Lucas Calabrese, winning tactician on Jud Smith’s AFRICA in the 2018 J/70 World Championship in Marblehead, MA (btw, Lucas is also a bronze Medallist skipper in 470s for Argentina in the 2012 Olympic Games):

What are approximate boat speeds/ wind speeds to transition from displacement mode/ VMG light winds to WoW (wing-on-wing) to Planing Mode (jib out trimmed)?

Lucas- “It all depends on tactics, but a good guideline I think is:

• Planing: it works when you do over 9.5 to 10 kts of boatspeed.
   
• From planing to wing-on-wing: if you are trying to plane and you are doing between 8.2 and 9.5 kts, wing-on-wing is probably the best mode.
   
• From wing-on-wing to VMG: if doing less than 8.2 kts of boatspeed while on the wing you are better off going displacement/ VMG mode.

Experiment! These are rough guidelines. It all depends on sea state and strategy, but those numbers should be pretty close.” Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/121 Spring Tune-Up Report

(Newport, RI)- For the second year in a row, J/Boats hosted the J/121 Spring Tune-up Regatta at Newport Shipyard on the famous Newport Harbor. Five J/121’s participated in the event- David Southwell’s ALCHEMY, Don Nicholson’s APOLLO, Joe Britto’s INCOGNITO, Greg & Jen Manning’s SARAH, and Peter Lewis’ newly-launched WHISTLER from Barbados. Like last year, the North Sails Team provided the highly-talented (and entertaining) duo of Kimo Worthington and Chuck Allen to provide on-the-water coaching, video, and post-race debriefs.

The format was designed to help the J/121 teams better understand tuning, sail trim, sail choices, and boathandling. Each day started off with practice starts. The owners were given a choice of short-course buoy racing or sail the Around Island Race (an 20.0nm circumnavigation of Jamestown/ Conanicut Island that sits in the middle of Narragansett Bay). The teams all voted to sail the Around Island Race for both days to give everyone time to dial-in faster trim, boatspeed techniques, and sail settings.

The weather cooperated both days. Friday dawned with grey leaden skies, light drizzle, and a WSW breeze of 5 to 15 kts.  As a result, the teams got around the island in just over three hours.

Saturday’s weather was simply postcard perfect!  Sunrise saw cool 55 deg temps, 10-18 kts from the NNW, with brilliant sunshine. By the time the fleet had three practice starts the fleet elected to sail the reverse of day one, heading counter-clockwise around the island, going through the Newport Bridge first, then Jamestown Bridge, starting/ finishing at the green Bell #11- Dumplings Rocks.  After a quick restart due to full-moon tides and very strong currents, the fleet took off in the remnants of a dying NNW breeze. What everyone anticipated was the typical scenario, the norwester dying and a quick build of a fresh seabreeze from the SSW. By the time the fleet had rounded the top of the island under spinnakers, the wind shifted in literally minutes from NNE to SSW blowing 10-14 kts…the new breeze filled in extremely fast, making for a spectacular sail through Jamestown Bridge, past Dutch Island, and around Beavertail Lighthouse and point, popping kites again for a quick spinnaker run past Castle Hill to the finish between Fort Adams and Dumpling Rocks bell.

Each race was filled with its own set of tactical and boathandling challenges in the 20.0nm course; they served as a good warm-up for the rest of the season as it was interesting to observe decisions being made on board for sail selection, wind angles, sail trim and so forth. Commented Kimo Worthington, “the Round Island race format worked out great! It gave us time to follow each boat, get sail trim photos, take videos, and comment on how to improve their go-fast settings. What was cool is that it's the one time in the season the owners and crew can share what they learn on the water and get feedback and pictures from the North Sails team. It was a very productive and informative event!”

The event chairman, Jeff Johnstone from J/Boats commented, "The J/121 Spring Tune-up was a great chance for J/121 owners to get together and shake out the early season cobwebs before heading off to conquer this year's bucket list of offshore sailing events; such as the FIGAWI Race, Storm Trysail Block Island Race, Bermuda 1-2, Block Island Race Week and New York Yacht Club's 175th Anniversary. Thanks again to everyone for helping making the second annual J/121 Spring Tune-Up a success! Thank You to Veronica Brown and the Newport Shipyard team for a fantastic home base. And, kudos to Kimo and Chuck for two days of informative coaching and videos.”  We're pleased to share this Dropbox link from photos/ videos taken on Friday and Saturday.  To learn more about the J/121 offshore speedster Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Warrior Sailing Program Expanding to J/22s

(Fort Worth, Texas)- Warrior Sailing is expanding its Basic Training Camp program to include Fort Worth, TX where they have partnered with the Fort Worth Boat Club. Training will take place from May 14 to 16, 2019 on beautiful Lake Ray Hubbard on the club’s fleet of J/22s.

Coaches will instruct onboard J/22s with a crew of three warriors. The club has accommodations onsite for the coaches, so there will not be a lodging cost to the coaches or to Warrior Sailing. If any sailing coaches have an interest in helping out, please let them know immediately!

For more information, please contact- Cory Kapes/ Warrior Sailing Program Manager / email- Cory@WarriorSailing.org/ phone- (727) 773-6164.  Our Sails are Powered by the Wind, Our Program is Powered by Donations Add to Flipboard Magazine.

US J/24 Class Awards Third Annual Boat Grant

(Apollo Beach, FL)- The US J/24 Class Association has awarded the third annual Kelly Holmes-Moon J/24 Boat Grant to Matt Miranda from Ronkonkoma, New York. The Program is named in honor of Kelly Holmes-Moon, a long-time supporter of the J/24 Class Association who served as US Class President and as the Copyright Holder’s Representative.

For the 2019 season, the boat will see weekly action at Sayville Yacht Club with J/24 Fleet 182. The Boat Grant team plans to participate in a number of events including the US Nationals in Rochester, NY, Changing of the Colors Regatta in Lake George, NY, Charleston Race Week in Charleston, SC, and they are applying to be the Under-25 team at the World Championship in Miami, FL. Class members will mentor the young team, as well as the other individuals who applied for the Program.

Matt has more than a decade of J/24 experience, having crewed on multiple World Championship campaigns, numerous District and national events, and has skippered at US Nationals and local Fleet 182 series racing. His team will consist of a mix of younger J/24 sailors and seasoned veterans, who will surely help them grow over the next year. “I am incredibly honored to receive the grant boat this year! Excited to see some new faces, and some old, as we travel around to our nine or more scheduled events. Come say hi if you see us! I would like to thank the US J/24 Class and the Boat Grant Committee for making this possible and for helping me achieve a lifelong dream.”

The Kelly Holmes-Moon J/24 Boat Grant Program encourages talented young sailors to gain first-hand experience racing within the J/24 Class of one-design sailboats at virtually no cost. Dave Eggleton donated the boat, USA 423, to the program, providing the Scholarship Boat recipients with the experience to escalate their level of competitiveness and inspire them to accomplish great things in the sailing world. The team is in need of contributions to help fund their campaign. To find out how you can help, e-mail director@j24class.org. 

The application process for the 2020/2021 Kelly Holmes-Moon J/24 Boat Grant Program will begin in the fall of 2019. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/35 Class Seeking Offshore Sailors

(Detroit, MI)- A J/35 owner in Detroit, MI- Dean Fitzpatrick- is organizing an offshore racing clinic for just 20 people this May 2019.  It is a six lesson program, five hours per day, that will teach wanna-be offshore racers how to rig, sail, and race one of the most iconic offshore racing sailboats ever designed- the J/35.

Detroit has some of the best offshore sailors in the USA that are going to volunteer their J/35s and time. The boats are WHIPLASH, DEAN’S LIST, FALCON, and BLACKHAWK.

On the last day of the clinic- May 19th- there will be W/L races against several J/35s from the local fleet to test everyone’s knowledge and skills.

A candidate must be at least 18 years old and know how to swim.  The program is open to ANYONE that wishes to learn how to sail offshore. The six-day, five hours per day, program cost is $1,000.  But, you will get ALL your money back IF you race five races on any J/35 (or similar big boat) between May and September 2019.

Please call Dean Fitzpatrick to lock in your enrollment, it just might be the best move you ever made! Call Dean at ph# (989) 305-2985 or (248) 790-0666.  Or, email him at- dean_fitzpatrick@msn.com Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Ten Socio-Emotional Benefits of Sailing

By Samantha Yom, Singapore Sailing

There’s something about sailing that makes it quite unlike other sports. More than just skill and strategy, it teaches certain values that shape sailors into the unique athletes that they are.

Yet, we’re often so focused on the physical aspects of sailing that we forget how much we stand to gain from the sport – both socially and emotionally. So here’s a list of the top 10 socio-emotional benefits of sailing.

1. Grit & Determination
You could say that just about any sport offers a lesson on resilience, but sailing is a sport that demands an inner strength far greater than most.

In this sport, it’s sailor versus the elements. Whether you’re a novice experiencing strong winds for the first time or a national sailor met with three-meter high waves in foreign waters, you learn to keep fighting – no matter how uncomfortable it is. Capsize? Just upright your boat and keep sailing.

2. Confidence
Most sailors’ foray into the sport begins with the Optimist. It’s a single-handed boat, which means it’s controlled by a sole sailor. Alone on the boat, sailors – as young as six or seven – are constantly required to make their own decisions. They don’t always make the right ones, but the opportunity to think for themselves helps them grow in self-confidence.  Once you’ve conquered three-meter high waves, you can do almost anything.

3. Teamwork
Though they sail individually, sailors are forced to work together from day one. After all, no one sailor can lift his or her Optimist boat alone. Over time, sailors gradually realize that working together not only helps speed things up, but also allows them to learn more from one another.

4. Friendship
Perhaps one of the most valuable takeaways from sailing is the friendships forged. It’s inevitable that sailors bond with one another during windless days and scary storms. You also get to make new friends with international sailors as well, especially during those international regattas.

5. Sportsmanship
Touched a mark without anyone catching you in the act? Complete your penalty anyway. Sailing is a self-governing sport, which means it’s completely up to sailors to abide by the rules and uphold the fairness of racing. It’s a matter of integrity and sailors learn the importance of playing fair and respecting the rules of the game.
------------------------
6. Learning to Lose
In sailing, the conditions are ever-changing. Regattas are held over a few days and every day presents a different sailing condition. As a result, positions are always changing during a regatta – and even during a race itself. Unpredictable conditions also mean that you could go from leading a race to coming in dead last.

You can’t win every single race in sailing, so sailors learn to accept defeat and move on – a particularly important skill since races are held back-to-back.

7. Patience
Whether it’s mastering a sailing maneuver or waiting for the next wind shift, sailing is a test of patience. Sailing maneuvers are so complex that it could take weeks of practice to execute them well, consistently.

8. Responsibility
Sailing is a sport that requires a fair bit of equipment. From bringing your sunglasses, gloves and wind indicator to cleaning your boat before a regatta – sailors learn to take ownership of their equipment from the very start of their sailing journey. They learn to be responsible for their decisions as well – be it a bad tactical decision or a sail setting.

9. Managing Emotions
As we’ve mentioned previously, sailing conditions can be quite unpredictable. It is through experiences of winning and losing that sailors gradually learn to control their emotions. They find ways to deal with their feelings when they’re alone on the boat – the joy, frustration, et cetera. At the end of the day, the best sailors are the ones who are able to best manage their emotions and prevent them from affecting their performance.

10. Discipline
Due to its nature, sailing can be quite a time-consuming sport. It takes up a significant amount of time on the weekends too – precious time that could be spent on school work or with friends. That being said, it builds a sense of discipline in sailors, as they learn to prioritize the little time they have and stay focused.

Summary
And with that, we realize how sailing is not just a sport that keeps you fit, but also one that develops you into a well-rounded individual – something far more important than winning medals. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

USA J/24 Class Awards Boat Grant to New York Team

(Tampa, FL)- For 2018, the US J/24 Class has awarded the second annual Kelly Holmes-Moon J/24 Boat Grant to Kira Munger from Oswego, New York. Along with crew members Robert Hoffman (tactician), Tom King (bow), Brendan Dickerson (trimmer) and a rotating fifth person, Munger (at the helm), they will have use of a donated J/24 for the upcoming season. The Program is named in honor of Kelly Holmes-Moon, a long-time supporter of the J/24 Class Association who served as US Class President and as the Copyright Holder’s Representative.

From May through November 2018, the boat will see weekly action at Oswego Yacht Club with J/24 Fleet 146. The Boat Grant team plans to participate in the District 7 Pennant Series in hopes of earning a berth for the 2019 J/24 World Championship in Miami, FL. Munger and her crew have a busy projected travel schedule, including J/Daze in Canandaigua, NY; the Oneida Lake Pennant Series Regatta in Oneida, NY; Newport Regatta in Newport, RI; Marblehead NOOD in Marblehead, MA; the J/24 District 7 Championship in Oswego, NY; the Lambert Lai Memorial Regatta in Rochester, NY; the J/24 US National Championship in Portland, Maine; the Changing of the Colors Regatta in Lake George, NY; and the J/24 East Coast Championship in Annapolis, MD.

The Kelly Holmes-Moon J/24 Boat Grant Program encourages talented young sailors to gain first-hand experience racing within the J/24 Class of one-design sailboats at virtually no cost. Dave Eggleton donated the boat, USA 423, to the program, providing the Scholarship Boat recipients with the experience to escalate their level of competitiveness and inspire them to accomplish great things in the sailing world. The team is in need of contributions to help fund their campaign. To find out how you can help, e-mail- director@j24class.org. 

2018 Boat Grant Member Biographies:

Kira Munger, from Oswego, NY, began sailing in middle school at Fair Haven Yacht Club Community Sailing where she served as Head Instructor for three years. She skippered for Christopher Newport University while in college. Since graduation, she has split her time between Newport, RI and Central NY and continues to sail J/24s, Lightings, J/22s, Thistles, 210s, as well as frostbiting Interclubs and Lasers. She works in the media and public relations fields, as well as at a sail loft in service and production. Kira has coached sailing since 2008 at the junior sailing, high school and adult level.

Robert Hoffman grew up in Annapolis, MD and spent summers in Henderson Harbor, NY. He graduated the International Yacht Restoration School in 2013, focusing on Composite Building. Rob spent close to a year as crew of an arctic research vessel. He currently works as crew on a Custom 42 and Custom 47 that operates in the Gulf of Mexico, the East Coast and the Pacific Northwest. This summer, he is coaching sailing at Henderson Harbor Yacht Club in NY.

Tom King grew up sailing in Henderson Harbor, NY and stayed involved with the program as a coach throughout college. He also has experience coaching at the high school level. Tom regularly sails Lightnings, Lasers and J/24s. He graduated from Roger Williams University with a degree in architecture in 2012, attended the International Yacht Restoration School, and recently graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with a Masters in Product Architecture and Engineering.

Brendan Dickerson hails from Skaneateles, NY where he grew up sailing on his family’s J/22, Hobie 16 and 49ers during the summer. He is an avid skier and is graduating from Saint Michael’s College with a degree in mathematics this Spring. Brendan is eager to expand his sailing experiences this summer by attending more regattas. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/105 Young American Team Expands Horizons!

(Rye, New York)- The Young American Sailing Academy, Inc. (YASA) has been formed and incorporated as a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide high school and college sailors opportunities in competitive offshore sailing.  This new initiative is the natural progression of the successful Young American Jr. Big Boat Sailing Team that had become famous for racing their J/105 YOUNG AMERICAN on Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay and winning their class in many major offshore events.

Based at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY, the program has been setting the standard for non-dinghy junior sailing for the past six years.  The YASA philosophy is twofold: first to empower junior sailors to take command of vessels by building experiences and skills that create confidence and comfort in any number of conditions at sea, and second, to support junior offshore sailors with an extremely high level of coaching and mentoring.

YASA believes sailing empowers young men and women by developing critical 21st century skills in leadership, teamwork, project management, decision-making, and critical thinking.  With mentorship and coaching from highly experienced sailing veterans, these young sailors will not only participate but also take command in various offshore sailing races where adaptability and confidence become keys to success. 

Peter Becker and Robert Alexander have provided guidance since the conception of the Young American team in 2013 and will continue to lead YASA.  With a dedicated J/105 focused on basic training, the team actively sails in both one-design class racing and coastal distance races.  Building upon High Noon's 2016 successes - first in Class, third in St. David’s Lighthouse Division, winner of the Onion Patch Series and winner of the Stephens Brothers Youth Trophy - YASA will continue to present opportunities to grow the numbers of young sailors competing in renowned sailing ocean races.

About Young American Sailing Academy
The Young American Sailing Academy is a not-for-profit with a mission to develop a new generation of American offshore sailors.  The goal is to work with high school and college aged junior sailors to give them the tools required to compete at the highest level in the sport of ocean racing.  The goal is to field winning entries in premier national and international sailing events including the potential future Olympic class of offshore sailing. The Young American team has over six years of experience racing coastal and offshore events with numerous and notable victories such as the Block Island Race, Vineyard Race and Newport Bermuda Race.  For more information please visit the website YASailing.org.   Contact: Peter Becker- email- info@yasailing.org / phone- (917) 715-1471 Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Hanavan’s New York City Maritime History- J/24!

(New York, NY)- What can we learn about New York City and its waterfront from its boats? Waterwire is inviting those across the maritime world and beyond— historians, planners, artists, business people, and scientists to share their perspectives on New York City History in 10 Boats. The third installment comes from Frank Hanavan.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, artist Frank Hanavan moved to New York City in 1990 and has lived in Jersey City since 2001. That same year Frank began volunteering on the historic ships at the South Street Seaport Museum. Over time, he incorporated his love for ships into his art, building miniature ship models and painting seascapes. His History of New York in 10 Boats includes which J/Boat? The J/24, of course.

#10- The J/24 sloop, 1977
Returning to Stonington, Connecticut, the ubiquitous J/24 fiberglass sailboat was invented there in 1977 by Rodney Johnstone. Now, virtually every sailing school in New York uses this design.
http://waterfrontalliance.org/2018/03/02/frank-hanavans-nyc-history-in-10-boats/ Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Building Your Sailing Tribe

(Chicago, IL)- Building Your Sailing Tribe- an outline on how to build fleets of sailboats  by Deborah Bennett Elfers

"I’ve written before about fleet building, and what I’ve found to be the most important strategies in being able to be successful in that work. But it wasn’t until I read Seth Godin’s book, Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us, that I could envision a compelling and simple way to communicate to others what has helped my fleet grow and thrive. And so, because of Seth’s book, I’m hereafter choosing to refer to the work we do as “Building Your Sailing Tribe.” You’ll soon see why.

To begin, Seth believes that here are just two simple things one needs in order to create a tribe:

1. A shared interest, and
2. A way to communicate.

If you have both of these, you’re well on your way to launching your sailing tribe. Obviously, the shared interest in this case is sailing, so that’s a given. Half of your work is done for you before you even start! But what is often missing is the second requirement: an effective way for the sailing tribe to communicate — and without the connections that this communication affords, your tribe won’t be able to flourish.

But you can’t stop there, because there’s another important ingredient you need, as well: a leader. Here’s what Seth thinks about tribe leadership, and why a good leader is essential:

• A leader can transform the tribe’s shared interest into a passionate goal,
• Provide effective communications tools for its members, and
• Leverage the success of the tribe to help it grow and attract new members.

Let’s look further at these recommendations, and at how they might be applied to doing the work of building a fleet. What are the things we can do to plant the seeds, and nurture them, so that our sailing tribe can succeed and grow? Here are some strategies I’ve found to be effective:

• A regular newsletter during the sailing season, and others sprinkled throughout the year with tips and tricks for getting ready for the season ahead.
• Gathering the tribe after racing, for kudos on a job well done, a debrief for “on-the-water” happenings and rules learning, and just plain getting to know one another.
• Building a shared passion around things like getting ready together to participate in a National Championship or area regatta – everyone helps each other to be as successful as they can be, because it benefits the tribe (not to mention making the fleet’s racing that much more satisfying).
• Connect and inspire your tribe members – through one-on-one conversations, and leading by example. Tribe members will follow your lead and take on some of this work themselves. It takes a village, as they say.
• Create pride and enthusiasm among the fleet for contributing to the success of the sailing tribe – this is what leveraging the success of your tribe looks like. People want to be part of a successful team, and new members will want to join the tribe you’ve built.
• Create the culture you want and stick to the messaging – in a sailing tribe, this is especially important in a sport where self-policing and sportsmanship are expected. Understand what you can’t compromise on.
• Believe in your sailing tribe, and, as the leader, never fail to demonstrate your commitment to the tribe and its mission.
• Be ready when it comes time to let others lead and innovate – no one can stay at the helm too long; new ideas and outlooks are what keep things fresh and exciting.

Every single one of these strategies will positively influence your tribe, and, taken together they will have a huge impact on its growth and connectivity. None of them is especially difficult, though they do require a consistent dose of time and commitment. Start small and branch out – it’s a lot of these smaller actions, accomplished over time, that will provide your tribe with the big pay-off.

As I write this, I’ve recently handed off the leadership of our fleet to two wonderful new leaders, and I know that their ideas and excitement are going to benefit us all. It’s been my absolute joy to do this work, and to have helped people come together to build our amazing community of sailors. Our sailing tribe remains in good hands – and I, for one, can’t wait to see what great things will happen!"

Author: Deborah Bennett Elfers was practically born on a boat, though on a working lobster boat rather than a sailboat. But now she is all about sailing and shares her random musings about things like falling in love with a boat, building a fleet, learning to become a winner, and the beauty of sailing classic boats on legendary Buzzards Bay on her blog – Take the Tiller.

J/24 Tiller & Kites Program Launched In Arizona!

(Lake Pleasant, Arizona)- a new sailing program as described by Juan Mari.

“Based on our commitment to be your direct access to sailing solutions and with the goal of providing the highest level of customer support, MAURI PRO SAILING is pleased to announce that it has selected Tiller and Kites as it representative and On-The-Water technical support for Lake Pleasant and other areas in Arizona.

Tiller & Kites will be operating under the umbrella of Mauri Pro Sailing as ‘Mauri Pro Sailing– Arizona’ while remaining as an independent International Yacht Training accredited sailing school and a sailboat services, repair and reconditioning facility for the Phoenix area.

This new partnership will allow us to provide Arizona sailors with a more personalized service and technical support, as well as a physical location where to go and discuss about how to improve your deck layout, better tune your rig, or simply talk all about sailboats; in addition to picking up all your www.mauriprosailing.com purchases if needed.

Victor Felice, Juan Mauri and all the Mauri Pro Sailing team are excited to start this road together and to provide unique consumer experience, both online and directly at your boat.”

About Mauri Pro Sailing: it is an international group of companies dedicated to provide sailing technical support and to supply sailboat parts and sailing clothing to sailors around the world. With offices in 5 different countries and an infrastructure for global logistics, Mauri Pro Sailing drives on, becoming the global and sailor’s sailing store.  For more Tiller & Kites Program sailing information

For more information, please contact Victor Felice/ Tiller and Kites at email-victor@tillerankites.com or website- http://www.tillerandkites.com.  Also, you can contact Juan Mauri/ Mauri Pro Sailing at email- juan@mauriprosailing.com or website-  http://www.mauriprosailing.com Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Sail Newport Christens New Sailing Center!

(Newport, RI)- Sail Newport, along with a slate of dignitaries, officials and supporters, celebrated the opening of its new Mid-Park Marine Education and Recreation Center today.  Over 200 people joined Executive Director Brad Read for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, including Governor Gina Raimondo, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) Director Janet Coit, former Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, Representative Marvin Abney and Rob MacMillan, co-founder of 11th Hour Racing among other city and state leaders.

"This is a center truly worthy of the Ocean State," Raimondo said. "The state-of-the-art sustainable design will allow Sail Newport to bring the magical experience of being out on the water to more Rhode Islanders. In particular, the center will teach our younger generation that these natural resources are gifts we must protect and preserve for the future."

The 8,500 square foot LEED-compliant building located in Fort Adams State Park was conceived, designed, engineered and built with support and guidance from the State of Rhode Island and many construction and sustainability partners.

In addition to sustainably-resourced materials and a flood-resilient design, the new center operates with energy-efficient heating and cooling, solar power, and a rainwater harvesting system for irrigation, boat wash and restroom water.

"I am thrilled to celebrate the completion of the Mid-Park Education and Recreation Center at historic Fort Adams State Park - a place of profound beauty and culture and home to exceptional recreation, facilities, and marquee events," says Coit. "Beautiful waters and green-spaces, breathtaking vistas, and world-class boating - all of which surround you at Fort Adams- are hallmarks of Rhode Island. They are an intrinsic part of life here. And they attract streams of people and opportunity for our state," she adds.

"Kudos to Sail Newport and all partners involved in making this project a reality and continuing to enhance and promote Fort Adams as a destination. I look forward to the many public programs and opportunities Mid-Park will offer- and the love of sailing and enjoyment of our parks that it will help inspire," Coit adds.

The growth and progress of Sail Newport, which was founded in 1983 after the loss of the America's Cup, prompted the organization's leaders to set a goal five years ago to expand their public access sailing programs and marine education for the community. The new center was designed to facilitate more education with year-round classrooms and restrooms and an upgraded facility in order to offer more public sailing programs and more access to the water for all ages.

"The State of Rhode Island, DEM and many generous donors have brought us to this day," Read says.  "Not only do we now have a sustainable headquarters, this new center will serve the community with more public access sailing programs and access to Narragansett Bay," he adds.

Read notes that the first program to use the new center will be a fourth-grade learn-to-sail educational initiative with the Pell Elementary School which starts on September 18.  The program was developed by Sail Newport and Donna Kelly, a Newport Public School teacher and former board member of Sail Newport, and Superintendent of Schools- Colleen Burns Jermain.

The unique program will align with the public school's fourth-grade core curriculum in the areas of math, science, social studies and art.  In addition to the on-the-water classroom of sailing instruction, the new indoor classrooms will house students for the land-based curriculum portions.

Sail Newport also partnered with 11th Hour Racing for the design of the building to include sustainability at the heart of its sailing center operation and green events and programs. It was announced almost a year ago that 11th Hour Racing granted $1.0 million towards costs for the new center.

11th Hour Racing’s Director MacMillan commented, ”We are thrilled to see the grant that 11th Hour Racing awarded to Sail Newport in 2016 come to fruition, with the new Mid-Park Marine Education and Recreation Center ready to welcome and expand Sail Newport's educational programs, while integrating the message of preservation and maintenance of our ocean and shoreline. Since 2010, 11th Hour Racing has been harnessing the power of sport with an innovative and comprehensive approach, and this new sustainable headquarters is a testament to our core values centered around environmental and social responsibility.”

MacMillan adds, "We exist to provide public access sailing programs and services. The new center will have a positive impact on all of our community-based programs that we provide at low cost or no cost to other non-profit organizations. He adds, "Most importantly," he says, "we hope to inspire all sailors as to the importance of preserving and maintaining our ocean and shoreline." Learn more about Sail Newport here. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Youth J/70 Sailors Sailing Fast Offshore!

(Newport Beach, California)- Tom Garrett reported, “it was a fun J/70 day of racing here in SoCal. Robert Garrett, my son, and his team on Saturday beat a varied fleet of 23 other boats by a wide margin (about 2.5+ miles!).”  Here is their report:

“Newport Harbor Yacht Club on Saturday May 6th held its annual Opening Day Race over a 16 mile course that after a short upwind leg of about 2 miles, from lower Alamitos Bay to the west end light of the Long Beach breakwater, takes the racing fleet homeward to the finish off of the Newport Beach pier. The race conditions were pre-frontal with a gale blowing 40 knots plus 50 miles offshore that resulted in a Catalina Eddy with good pressure on shore. At the time of the starts for the pursuit race the wind was 14 – 16 knots from the WSW and this held down the course with left hand puffs coming in in the 16 – 18 knot range. The angle and velocity proved ideal for a J/70. Robert Garrett and his five man youth team (two of whom were part of his crew in winning this year High School Keelboat Championship in J70s, hosted by St. Petersburg Yacht Club last November) came out on top by a wide margin.” Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Annapolis Growing Sailing Sport With Kids!

(Annapolis, MD)- Accepting responsibility for the sport and exposing young people to all forms of sailing improves the likelihood they will stay in the sport.

Embracing this reality is Annapolis Yacht Club (Annapolis, MD) which has announced a youth initiative in conjunction with its popular Wednesday Night Racing (WNR) keelboat series.  Note- many of these supporters are part of the large J/Boat owners contingent on the Chesapeake Bay!

The goal of the Junior Sailor Streamer Program (JSSP) is to pair juniors with boat owners who would like help sailing their boats during the 2017 WNR Series which runs from April to August.

“WNR is already a hallmark of AYC,” said Robert Shapiro, a former AYC Sailing Director who is now a Club member and Junior Fleet Committee Chair. “Now to include and reward the Junior Fleet sailors, I think it raises the game even more.”

JSSP sailors will be given their own 4-inch by 30-inch streamer that features the AYC Burgee and 20 inches of space for the juniors to proudly personalize their streamer to make it visible to WNR competitors and the Race Committee.

Each streamer is professionally made and will affix to the backstay with Velcro so the boat is recognized as not only a participant, but also a supporter, of JSSP. The junior sailor maintains possession of their streamer as they might sail on different boats during the WNR series.

The streamers for this inaugural season of JSSP have been purchased and donated by AYC member Dr. Pen Alexander, a staunch supporter of the Junior Fleet and a cofounder of JSSP.

Dr. Alexander, who, along with fellow AYC member Dick Neville, cooked up the idea of formalizing what had been a decades-long informal practice of juniors assisting boat owners during races, simply wanted to ensure that junior sailors are given the tools and opportunities to remain in sailing beyond their junior years.

“The idea is to give a little credit to the boaters who are taking juniors out, and have the kids stick with sailing,” Dr. Alexander said. “We need to accept responsibility for growing and maintaining the sport. It’s critically important to support the juniors and make them stay.”

Mr. Shapiro agreed: “We’ve tried all different elements and, in some ways, it did get kids out on boats, but never in a way that rewards boaters for bringing out juniors.”

Adding to the excitement of the program will be the creation of a new JSSP annual award to be presented at this year’s WNR Awards Ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, September 13. Boat owners will be recognized for their commitment to growing the participation of juniors in keelboats.

The award will be given to the owner with the most JSSP participants aboard their boat over each of the three WNR Series. The tally will be counted by the Race Committee at the series finish simply by adding the number of streamers flown off the backstay by each boat entered in the program.

“There’s a whole lot that kids can get out of this,” Dr. Alexander said. “If this program catches on, it can be really special.”

A WNR boat owner will communicate with the junior on where the boat is docked, boat call time, and a “rough” idea on when racing will be completed to allow the junior to coordinate their ride home. Juniors will be required to bring their own Personal Floatation Device, wear it always while aboard a boat, report to their boat on time, and hold to their commitment of sailing with the boat owner.

Sailors who are members of the Junior Sailing Program at Severn Sailing Association are eligible to participate in the AYC JSSP. Dr. Alexander, who was a junior sailor at his hometown California Yacht Club, used to read about SSA and what he calls the club’s “longstanding reputation.”

“There is a lot of respect for the tradition and heritage at SSA,” he said. “Among yacht clubs, it’s pretty neat to have an institution that cares enough about an initiative to extend that to its competition. That’s big boy stuff.”

Information and availability will be collected from the juniors through an online registration form. The information will then be used to help pair a junior sailor with a boat owner. Boat owners can contact the Junior Fleet office — (410) 263-9267 or juniorfleet@annapolisyc.org — to indicate whether they have a need for crew for one race, a series, or for each of the WNR races.

The online registration for the juniors will include a waiver that may be signed electronically by the sailor and parent/guardian, which includes the junior’s personal and emergency contact information.

Any questions can be sent to AYC Sailing Director Jane Millman, jmillman@annapolisyc.org. Registration for junior sailors can be found on the WNR Series event page.