Sponsored by Boat Owners Association of The United States

The premiere sailing convention for women is set to launch on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, CA. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) will again be the primary sponsor of the 17th Annual Women’s Sailing Convention, presented by the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA).

The event is open to all women from novices to experts and the 2006 program is packed with workshops to choose from - both on and off the water - including: suddenly single-handed, pressure in the galley, provisioning, AC/DC de-mystified, diesels for dummies, buying your own boat, basic navigation, going up the mast, anchoring/docking, using GPS, and rigging spinnakers.

To cap off the event, the evening dinner’s guest speaker will be well-known journalist Betsy Crowfoot who has written for Sailing, Santana, and other media outlets. Crowfoot, who has extensive cruising experience and has participated in several Transpac races with an all-female crew, will recount some of her more interesting and exciting adventures.

"Whether you race, cruise or day sail, this event gives women an opportunity to meet many other women sailors, expand their networking opportunities and learn new skills from female instructors, many of whom are licensed captains,” said Gail Hine, the event’s organizer.

An annual sell-out, participation at the convention is limited to 260 and registration is $130 ($150 after January 27), which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all workshops and handouts. To find out more or to register, go to http://www.BoatUS.com/women or http://www.SCYA.org or contact Gail Hine at 23863 Nutwood Way, Murrieta, CA 92562; phone 951-677-8121; email hine@scya.org.

BoatU.S. – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 630,000 members with a wide array of consumer services including a group-rate marine insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel, slips, and repairs at over 825 Cooperating Marinas; boat financing; and a subscription to BoatU.S. Magazine, the most widely read boating publication in the U.S.