Training
and Seminars
2008
Women's Sailing Conference to be held June 7, 2008 in Marblehead, MA
Organized
by the National Women's Sailing Association and The Corinthian Yacht Club
of Marblehead, Massachusetts and sponsored by BoatU.S., this is a day-long
conference for women designed to introduce them to and/or enhance their
skills in recreational sailing through seminars on water and on land.
Tentative topics include introduction to navigation, sailing, racing,
and spinnakers; cruise preparation, knots, crew overboard, diesel engine
troubleshooting, boat systems, suddenly single-handed, going up the mast
and electronic navigation. A continental breakfast, lunch, dinner,
raffles, and guest speaker complete the day.
The
2008 Women's Sailing Conference furthers the National Women's Sailing
Association's goal of enriching the lives of women and girls through education
and access to the sport of sailing. A multi-dimensional sport,
sailing provides opportunities to develop skills and confidence in everything
from boat handling and safety to navigation and teamwork.
Early
registration deadline is May 15th, $115 NWSA members
/ $150 non-NWSA members. After May 15th, $15 will be added to both
member and non-member fees. The Corinthian Yacht Club is located at One
Nahant Street, Marblehead, MA.
To
register contact Joan Thayer at joan_thayer@comcast.net
or by phone: 401-682-2064
NWSA
e-mail: wsf@WomenSailing.org Web
site: www.WomenSailing.org
2007
Women’s Sailing Conference A Sellout; Janet Baxter
Honored For Leadership In Women’s Sailing
June 2, Marblehead, MA ‹ Janet Baxter, center, is presented
with the 2007 Leadership in Women's Sailing Award by Elaine Dickinson
of BoatU.S., at left, and Valli Cook president of the National Women's
Sailing Association, at right, co-sponsors of the award. Baxter
is an avid racer, racing judge and served as the first female president
of the US SAILING. |
With near-perfect weather and a capacity
crowd, the sixth annual Women’s Sailing Conference sponsored by BoatU.S.
filled the Corinthian Yacht Club in scenic Marblehead, MA, with a lively
day-long series of classes and workshops. The conference organized by the
National Women’s Sailing Association (NWSA) gives women sailors, from
novices to experts, an opportunity to network with other women while learning
new skills or brushing up on old ones.
A highlight of the day’s events was the presentation of the Leadership
in Women’s Sailing Award to Janet Baxter, a Chicago-based racer, sailing
judge and the first woman to be elected president of United States Sailing
Association, the national governing body of the sport in the U.S. Baxter
was instrumental in preparing US SAILING for the 21st century with a comprehensive
reorganization of the group. In accepting the award, Baxter spoke graciously
about how sailing has enriched her life and cemented friendships that last
a lifetime. She’s raced in 27 Chicago-to-Mackinac races and excelled
in racing Lasers, Etchells, as well as offshore boats. She is a member of
the Chicago Yacht Club.
The award is co-sponsored by BoatU.S. and NWSA and honors a male or female
who has a record of achievement in giving something back to the sport of
sailing as well as inspiring and educating women. “Janet Baxter, in
taking such a high-profile leadership position at US SAILING, shows that
women can excel at every level — both on the water and in the board
rooms,” said Elaine Dickinson of BoatU.S. in presenting the award
with NWSA President Valli Cook.
The June 2 Women’s Sailing Conference ran like clockwork as women
took to the water for hands-on training sessions in crew overboard, racing
skills, spinnaker and up the mast. Land-based workshops included diesel
engines, knots, anchoring, marine electronics and cruising preparation.
With nearly 100% female instructors, many of them U.S. Coast Guard-licensed
operators, this year’s students showed the same enthusiasm as in years
past.
Following a gala dinner, featured speaker Maureen McKinnon-Tucker described
how she found a way to hold onto her passion for sailboat racing even after
she suffered a paralyzing accident. She is the first woman named to the
US Disabled Sailing Team and is vying for a berth in the 2008 Paralympic
Games in China. Some 60 prizes were raffled off, including an inflatable
boat donated by West Marine. The raffle raised $2,500 for the AdventureSail
program for at-risk girls and boys, which NWSA also sponsors.
2006
Women's Sailing Conference A Success Despite The Weather - June 3
Hosted
by Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA
Frequent
downpours and 20-knot winds did not dampen the success of the 5 th annual
Women's Sailing Conference in Marblehead, MA, on June 3 as over 100 women
enthusiastically joined in both on-the-water and land-based workshops
at the Corinthian Yacht Club.
Boat
Owners Association of the United States (BoatU.S.) is the primary
sponsor of this annual Take the Helm® program of the National
Women's Sailing Association (NWSA) which offers women sailors, from
novices to experts, a chance to hone their skills, learn new ones and
network with other women sailors in a lively day-long seminar. Surprisingly,
the bad weather forecast did not result in any no-shows and participants
hailed from as far way as Washington and Florida. While several on-water
sessions were shortened and held in creative ways on land, a contingent
of women in foul weather suits were able to get out on boats to practice
Crew Overboard, Take the Tiller/Wheel, and Introduction to Sailing classes.
“The
women who sailed and got soaked had a blast, as did everyone who turned
out for this unique day of learning and camaraderie,” said Elaine Dickinson
of BoatU.S. who demonstrated a wide selection of life jackets, including
inflatables, as part of a boating newcomer's session.
Workshop
topics included hands-on charting and navigation, preparing for a cruise,
knot tying and splicing, heavy weather sailing, being suddenly singlehanded,
maintaining winches, first aid at sea, and diesel engines.
The
gala dinner included a featured speaker, US Sailing Disabled Team Coach
and champion sailor Betsy Alison, who gave an inspirational talk on her
rise to the highest ranks of the sport and several especially harrowing
offshore passages. Also in the evening, Nancy Erley, a world cruiser and
instructor from Seattle, was presented with the Leadership
in Women's Sailing Award, sponsored jointly by BoatU.S. and NWSA.
It recognizes those who have gone the extra distance to advance the sport
for women.
2005
Women’s Sailing Conference A Sellout
 With
picture-perfect weather and a capacity crowd, the fourth annual Women’s
Sailing Conference sponsored by BoatU.S. filled the Corinthian Yacht Club
in scenic Marblehead, MA, with a lively day-long series of classes and
workshops. The conference organized by the National Women’s Sailing
Association (NWSA) gives women sailors, from novices to experts, an opportunity
to network with other women while learning new skills or brushing up on
old ones.
Included among the team of
expert women instructors was Ruth Wood, president of the BoatU.S. Foundation
for Boating Safety and Clean Water and experienced racer who presented
the “Welcome Aboard” sessions for women new to boating, along
with Marcia Bennet and conference co-chair Joan Thayer. Wood also gave
a hands-on demonstration of the latest in inflatable life jackets, showing
how different models operate. Many women, particularly those new to boating,
are unfamiliar with inflatable life jackets.
“The conference went
like clockwork and I was amazed with the enthusiasm of both the participants
and the instructors throughout the day,” Wood said. “Corinthian
Yacht Club could not have been more gracious in letting us take over their
facilities all day and evening.”
The
day’s workshops included numerous on-the-water clinics to give participants
a chance to get their hands on everything from man-overboard drills to
spinnaker sets, racing starts and using emergency equipment. The land-based
sessions covered navigation, diesel engines, jury-rigging at sea, and
first aid. The day concluded with a gala dinner and guest speaker Nancy
Erley, of Seattle, WA, describing how she turned her passion for sailing
into a career with her own sailing school. Some 60 prizes were raffled
off, including a kayak and other prizes donated by West Marine. The raffle
raised several thousand dollars for the AdventureSail™ program for
at-risk girls, which NWSA also sponsors.
BoatU.S.
also supports a West Coast women’s sailing seminar, the BoatU.S.
Santa Maria Cup, and other services including a women’s boating
Web site at http://www.BoatUS.com/women. The date for next year’s
Marblehead conference is set for June 3, 2006.
2004
Third Annual Women’s Sailing Conference Is Smooth Sailing
 June
5, 2004 — With the good fortune of fresh breezes and brilliant sunny
skies, over 120 women sailors enjoyed a day of workshops, coaching sessions,
demonstrations, and networking with many accomplished and energetic women
at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA.
This was the third Women's Sailing Conference, a program of the National Women's
Sailing Association (NWSA) and sponsored for the third year by BoatU.S. Once
again, the unique event for women-only was a virtual sellout.
The weather was perfect for the on-the-water sessions that included introduction
to sailing, take the helm, spinnaker practice, introduction to racing, crew
overboard drills and docking a boat under power. Private owners and clubs donated
the use of their boats for the on-the-water sessions. The on-land workshops
included knots, diesel for damsels, navigation and GPS basics, weather, basic
sailing terminology, knots and first aid.
Diandra Longhurst of Swampscott, volunteered for a second year to go into
the chilly water for the crew overboard demonstration at the CYC floating dock.
The women then went out on four separate boats to practice the entire drill
hands-0n.
 The
Leadership in Women's Sailing Award, co-sponsored by the national Women's
Sailing Association and BoatU.S., was awarded to Doris Colgate, CEO and
co-owner of Offshore Sailing School, based in Ft. Myers, Florida during
the gala evening dinner.
The award is given
annually to a person who has a record of achievement in inspiring, educating
and enriching the lives of women through sailing. Doris was the president
of NWSA in 2000 when the award was initiated.
Elaine Dickinson, Managing Editor
of BoatUS Magazine, was on hand to make the award along with NWSA Vice President,
Valli Cook, of New York. "I
have been waiting four years to make this presentation. It gives me great pleasure
to come full circle with the award to Doris this year," Dickinson said.
Colgate was the evening speaker as well. After her first sailing experience
as an adult, Doris was hooked. From that point on, Doris has devoted her life
to sailing and to providing women an opportunity to enjoy it as their sport,
not part of someone else's. Sailing changed her life and she is still sailing.
"Sailing is a lifestyle that women can enjoy, but only if they want
to. Once that decision is made, a woman needs to learn in her own way and in
her own time," Colgate said.
Colgate founded the National Women's Sailing Association, to offer an organization
that would provide opportunities for women to learn in an all women environment
free from the pressures of relationships.
 The
evening ended with the distribution of a well-stocked table of raffle
items and a silent auction. Co-chair Sue Corl was also sponsorship chairman
for the third year. All proceeds will go to AdventureSailÔ, the
NWSA's nationwide program for young girls at risk.
The organizing committee was co-chaired by Sue Corl and Joan Thayer and included
Marcia Bennet, Grace Blanchard and Betsy Fermano, of Marblehead, and Pat Dieselman
of Ipswich The primary sponsor of the event for the third year was BoatU.S.
Participating sponsor was West Marine. Additionally, there were many local
and regional sponsors.
The National Women's Sailing Association is a 501(c)3 organization, which
is dedicated to enriching the lives of women and girls through education and
access to the sport of sailing.
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2003 Women’s Sailing Conference Another Hit
The cool, rainy weather
did nothing to dampen the enjoyment and learning opportunities for over
100 women who converged upon the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead,
MA, June 7. The event was the second annual all-day Women’s Sailing
Conference sponsored by BoatUS and organized by the National Women’s
Sailing Association.
Aided
by dozens of volunteer instructors and available boats for on-the-water
session, women from teens to grandmothers took sail trim and man-overboard
clinics, knot tying, GPS, weather and racing rules classes to name a few.
BoatUS put on a lunchtime inflatable life jacket demonstration.
At
the club during the day and as keynote speaker for a gala dinner
was world class sailor Dawn Riley who was presented with this year’s
Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award, sponsored also by BoatUS
and NWSA. Riley has sailed in Whitbread and America’s Cup
races and has broke many a teak ceiling for women sailors. She’s
also currently president of the Women’s Sports Foundation
and CEO of America True, her own foundation for young people.
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