Bits and snips from AdventureSail® Day
Lake Pontchartrain Women’s Sailing Association hosted an AdventureSail Day at Community Sailing New Orleans for Girl Scouts from southeast Louisiana. Ten young ladies experienced sailing for the very first time. After welcoming the girls with pastries and fruit, they were instructed on the basics of sailing — how to look for the wind, parts of the boat and points of sail. Then under blue skies and a light breeze, the girls took turns trimming sails and helming the boats. After the fun on the water, they walked to the nearby JBs Fuel Dock for a pizza party and social time.
Womens Sailing Association-Orange County partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of San Clemente to provide a day of fun and activities. Eight young girls were treated to a one-hour behind-the-scenes educational tour of the Ocean Institute in Dana Point where they got to have some hands-on time with baby sharks and other sea animals, and learned about factors that affect our oceans today. The girls enjoyed lunch with an ocean view, and were provided with goodie bags filled to the rim with donations from WSA-OC members. The girls set out on a two-hour sail to learn about sailing and have an opportunity to be a part of the crew. Many of the girls came back talking about how they wanted to learn sailing and come do AdventureSail again next year!
Due to weather concerns from Hurricane Debby the Mattituck Yacht Club rescheduled their always excellent event for August 17. AdventureSail can happen whenever women sailors take girls for a sailing adventure.
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In Louisiana we are in the “dog days of summer”. According to National Geographic, “to the Greeks and Romans, the “dog days” occurred around the time Sirius appears to rise
alongside the sun in late July in the Northern Hemisphere. They believed the heat from the two stars combined is what made these days the hottest of the year”. So if you have taken celestial navigation, you probably understand this origin better than others. All I know is that it is HOT. I hope you are finding some relief on the water.
As you can see in this newsletter, there are plenty of opportunities for women specific events coming up. Let’s get out and support them if possible.
I’m hoping everyone weathered Hurricane Debby without too much trouble.
Let’s go Sailing!
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Save The Date!
2025 National Conference – June 6–8 in Tampa, Florida
We are happy to announce an expanded 2025 NWSA National Conference which will be in St. Petersburg, Florida June 6 to 8. Tampa Bay is home to a vibrant sailing community with many waterfront clubs and marinas. The conference will have new fun and educational opportunities. We are planning classes and adventures for all levels on a variety of sailboats and in the classroom. Join our newsletter mailing list and follow us on Facebook to be the notified of the class schedule and special events including early registration dates in the Spring.
Come early to enjoy the area cruises, tours, parks, music, restaurants and museums. St. Petersburg is home to the great Ft. De Soto Park, sugar sand beaches and the St. Pete Pier.
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2024 BoatU.S. / NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award
The Honor goes to Jerelyn Biehl
San Diego Yacht Club, San Diego, CA, August 10, 2024
Jerelyn Biehl was awarded the 2024 BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing award in-person at her home club the San Diego Yacht Club. The yacht club’s women’s group hosted the presentation of the award during a festive luau. Jerelyn was announced as the recipient at the 2024 NWSA Conference at Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans on June 8, while Jerelyn was cruising in Alaska. Congratulations to Jerelyn! Photo: VP Debbie Huntsman with Jerelyn Biehl at the San Diego Yacht Club READ MORE
Houston Yacht Club’s WSA Women’s Regatta Weekend
Galveston Bay, June 22-23, 2024
After a week of miserable weather and questioning whether they could race, there was perfect weather for the whole weekend. This annual event featured two separate regattas.
The Catherine Spiller Regatta honors a woman who stood up and said women can sail at a time when men thought otherwise. The Fairfax Moody Regatta honors a woman who wanted to skipper a boat in a national race. She was initially denied, but persisted and was allowed to skipper a boat. The descendants of these two women typically attend the events and have long been supporters.
The Catherine Spiller Regatta was distance races with women helming and mixed crew. Many teams sailed with all women, including the winner Elizabeth Hudson on a J24 called Two Shots. The second-place winner was Ginny Holland on a J24 called Brew Ha Ha. The third-place winner was Megan Pesch on Bon Bon, a J105. It was a J-Day.
The Fairfax Moody Regatta was windward leeward races with all women crews. Once again, Elizabeth Hudson and her crew won the day. Second and third were Megan Pesch on Bon Bon and Andrea Hanson on Rocky, a J105. Elizabeth Hudson and team are heading to the J/24 Worlds, September 28 – October 5, at the Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle in Washington. Good luck to the team!
The HYC Women’s Sailing Association hosts Windward Bound a women’s sailing camp with women instructing women on beginner to advanced racing skills. Three of the campers sailed with coach Terry Eukel in the Catherine Spiller Regatta.
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If you really want to sail, don’t let anything stop you!
Meet Lynne Lupien — NWSA August 2024 Member of the Month
Lynne Lupien has always loved the water. As a child, at every family camping trip, if there was a kayak, canoe, or peddle boat to rent, young Lynne would beg her parents to let her try. Even though Lynne never had the opportunity to try a sailboat, she nonetheless put sailing on her bucket list. Finally, as an adult, she treated herself to a private intro to sailing lesson at the Boston Sailing Center.
Lynne added more sailing to her bucket list. She was hooked. Shortly after her taste of sailing, she took ASA 101 at Boston Sailing Center (BSC). She worked her way through 103, 104, and then 105. She became a member of BSC to gain experience on Sonars and Solings. She moved up to 30- and 35-foot cruising boats.
Lynne was serious about owning her very own sailboat. After tons of boat research and an online boat buying seminar during COVID, in early 2022 Lynne decided to look at Gozzards. She also found a co-owner to share the cost and the joys of boat ownership. It has worked out really well. Lynne says, “It all happened like magic, and we took delivery of a 1997 Gozzard 36 in July 2022!”
She enjoys continuing to learn about sailing and now about boat systems, like engines and brightwork. (She has so much brightwork!) We asked Lynn a few questions…READ MORE
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Youth Sailing Scholarships Available
Girls who attend an AdventureSail in 2024 can apply to receive a Learn to Sail Youth Scholarship. AdventureSail participants must apply for the scholarship within one year of their participation. The scholarship for up to $500 can be used at any recognized sailing program.
Apply. Ask for a letter of recommendation. Write an essay. Submit your application. Learn to sail!
— OR —
Women’s Sailing Foundation offers a Sue Corl Youth Sailing Scholarship for an enhanced sailing experience or program for a teenaged girl.
Apply before midnight (Eastern) on April 15.
This special scholarship is offered to girls between the ages of 14 and 19 with a financial need to broaden their sailing experiences. The opportunities to which the scholarship may be applied include, but are not limited to, enrolment in:
• An advanced sailing program
• A racing program
• A tall ship or live-aboard experience
• A marine or maritime-related program
Sailing-related programs will take precedence. The successful applicant will receive $500 in scholarship funds payable to their program. A person can only receive the Sue Corl Youth Sailing Scholarship once.
Direct questions to SueCorlScholarship@womensailing.org
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Ame Flynn joins board as WSF/NWSA Treasurer
Ame Flynn was born and raised in the Honey Island swampland of South Louisiana, a region located to the northeast of New Orleans, where boating is plentiful, but navigating sailboats is troublesome due to the natural, vast and luscious hardwood tree canopy. In 1998, Ame moved into the city of New Orleans proper and began seeking opportunities to feed her yearning for the tranquility of being out on the open water. In 2012, she connected with the sailing community of New Orleans and was instantly intrigued. Ame today still considers herself a novice sailor, and very much prefers cruising over racing. As she moves toward the retirement years, she is excited to advance her knowledge of sailing and cruising on smaller vessels (vs. cruise ships).
Ame has spent the majority of her professional career and life in banking and finance, and has always had an appetite for volunteering. She’s served as a volunteer for New Orleans’ public radio station, WWOZ 90.7FM, for over 20 years. Ame joined the Lake Pontchartrain Women’s Sailing Association (LPWSA) in 2012, and has volunteered to assist with many of the associations events, including the annual Pink Ribbon Regatta.
Ame also enjoys music, festivals, museums, theatrical events, nature and international travel – hiking a 10 km section of the Great Wall of China back in 2011, and experiencing the volcanic wonders of Iceland in 2018 were particularly invigorating and noteworthy for Ame.
Welcome Ame! Thank you Linda!
Many thanks to Linda Cook who worked diligently as the NWSA/WSF treasurer. Linda assured everything was ship shape for Ame Flynn to step in to replace her as treasurer.
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The Olympics and the BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award are both in the news
A great time to feature the She Sailor Sea Story video of Cory Sertl. Cory was the BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award honoree in 2005. She recalls her Olympic history and how sailing enriched her life with special relationships, especially with her daughter.
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UPCOMING WOMEN SAILING EVENTS!
Mermaid Regatta
August 24, 2024 – Houston Yacht Club, TX
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29th Annual Pamela Sintes Memorial Regatta
Saturday, August 24, 2024 at New Orleans Yacht Club
PHRF racing to raise funds and awareness about domestic violence.
The women’s regatta was founded in memory of Pam Sintes. She was a loving mother,
a beloved member of the Lakefront sailing community and a victim of domestic violence. Pam’s life was cut short in 1993. Funds raised provide support programs, hygiene products, clothing, school supplies and necessities for women and children who fled violent situations. Donate here.
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Long Beach Sailing Foundation presents
Sea Gals Catalina 37 Clinic
Sun, Sept 8, 2024 – Long Beach, CA
Sea Gals offer a unique women’s experience for every level of sailing, from novice to advanced spinnaker trim instruction in a non-competitive environment.
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South Beach Yacht Club presents
The All Women’s Red Bra Regatta
Sat, Sept 21, 2024 – San Francisco, CA
Open to J105, J24, J88, Moore 24, Express 27, J70, Santana 22 and Wabbit classes and keelboats with valid PHRF rating.
Female skippers / crews.
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Northern California Women’s Sailing Seminar
Fri – Sun, Sept. 27-29, 2024 – Alameda Marina, CA
Delivering high-quality women’s sailing classes and training by women instructors this Northern California’s popular and enduring annual women’s community
sailing event.
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SCYA 33rd Annual Women’s Boating Event
Sat-Sun, Sept. 28 & 29 + Oct. 5-6 – Marina Del Rey, CA
Workshops for beginners on Sept. 28.
Intermediate-advanced workshops Sept. 29.
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Plus US Sailing sanctioned International Safety at Sea
Oct. 5 with hands-on training Oct. 6.
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Prepping for Puig
Women’s America’s Cup
October 5-10, 2024
Beach Waterfront, Barcelona, Spain
The inaugural Women’s America’s Cup will have 12 entrants – six teams supported by America’s Cup campaigns and six independent crews. Racing in each event will take place on the foilling AC40, one-design monohulls. Skill, talent, perfect racing intuition, and exciting foiling action will prove who will ascend the ranks through fleet and match racing. Currently, women are in Spain spending considerable time on the new AC40 simulator in preparation for getting on the boats. LEARN MORE
Ponder this!
Arizona Yacht Club was founded in 1958 by the 1st sailboat dealer in Arizona, Ruth Beals, a woman!
Watch video — Ruth Beals founder of AYC in 1958!
Ruth Beals Cup Arizona Yacht Club
Saturday, October 12, 2024 at Lake Pleasant, AZ
The Ruth Beals Cup, a women-on-the helm event honoring AYC’s woman founder, is a fun distance race featuring variable winds and scenes of saguaros.
Bring your boat for PFRH or be matched with a boat to race.
Registration opens soon at Arizona Yacht Club
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Let us help you spread the word to Share your Sailing!
Send NWSA your women serving sailing events with dates, times and contact. We will include them in our calendar. Each Take the Helm newsletter will feature select events including; seminars, conferences, regattas and races for women sailors.
Send info early for the best exposure
SHARE YOUR EVENT WITH secretary@womensailing.org
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Thanks to the 2024 NWSA Conference sponsors
TITLE SPONSOR
ADMIRAL SPONSOR
CAPTAIN SPONSOR
SKIPPER SPONSORS
GULF COAST BANK & TRUST COMPANY
PONTCHARTRAIN YACHT CLUB
CREW SPONSORS
OFFSHORE SAILING SCHOOL
LOUISIANA SAILING SCHOOL
MANTUS MARINE
MUSTANG SURVIVAL
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