ALEXANDRIA, Va., December 15, 2008 – The premier sailing seminar for women will reach a milestone February 7 when the Southern California Yachting Association holds its 20th annual Women’s Sailing Convention.  The day-long educational and networking event was started in 1989 by a group of Southern California women sailors and racers with the backing of Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) as the primary sponsor.  For 2009, the convention moves back to its homeport at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, CA.

The event is open to all women from novices to experts, and the 20^th anniversary program is packed with 26 workshops to choose from — both on the water and classroom — including: Suddenly Single-handed, Offshore Sailing, Cruising Preparedness, Beyond Band-Aids, Spinnaker Rigging, Dabble in Diesels, Weather, New Racing Rules and Marine AC/DC Systems.  All of the workshops are presented by top women sailors from all over Southern California, many of them Coast Guard-licensed captains.

To cap off the evening, the dinner guest speaker will be Lynn H. Reister, often called “The Boat Whisperer,” an Accredited Marine Surveyor and member of Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors based in Seattle.  Reister has traveled worldwide for clients in the purchase of their new and pre-owned vessels, both wood and fiberglass, and has been featured in PassageMaker Magazine, Practical Sailor, and others.

"Even after 20 straight years, this event sells out because women are hungry to learn more and improve their boating skills and knowledge,” said Gail Hine, founder/chair of the event. “It’s unique because it’s a no-pressure learning opportunity, and many who attend find the networking with other women boaters equally valuable,” she added.

Led by the efforts of Hine, a former a board member and president of Recreational Boaters of California, the event became an instant success and paved the way for similar women’s events in Marblehead, MA, and Port Townsend, WA, which are also sponsored by BoatUS.  Over 6,000 women have attended the events over the years.

An annual sell-out, registration is limited to 280 and cost is $160, which includes continental breakfast, box lunch, banquet dinner, all workshops, handouts, and a skipper’s bag.  Jan. 30 is the registration deadline.  To find out more, go to http://www.BoatUS.com/women or http://www.SCYA.org or contact Gail Hine at Hine@scya.org.  Online registration will be available after December 20 at http://www.SCYA.org

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About BoatUS:

BoatUS – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 650,000 members with government representation, programs and money saving services.  For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.