Take The Helm: Issue April 2024

Ahoy! I hope you are enjoying the spring. Here’s a glittering view of Southern Yacht Club (SYC) under the fireworks celebrating the opening night of New Orleans Yacht Club Wednesday night racing. The fireworks were sponsored by Gulf Coast Bank & Trust, also a sponsor for the National Women’s Sailing Association Conference. SYC will be the primary venue for the Conference on June 8 presented by Allstate Sugar Bowl. You can pick from on-the-water, classroom seminars and workshops all taught by women. Cap the day of learning off with a sailor’s silent auction, raffle fundraiser and social hour to benefit girl’s scholarships and AdventureSail^® program. We will provide breakfast, lunch and appetizers to sustain you during the exciting and full day.

Sunday, June 9 is a network brunch at New Orleans Yacht Club. Everyone – including guys — are invited. Hear about Going the Distance from two notable women distance racers; Haley Lhamon, R2AK Sail Like a Girl skipper and Beth Berry, skipper of KYRIE.

The goal of AdventureSail is to allow girls who would not likely have the opportunity to go sailing to experience our wonderful sport. We then have scholarships available for these girls to enroll in a formal sailing camp. We also offer the Sue Corl Youth Sailing Scholarship for an advanced sailor to fund a program to expand her experience and skills — Applications are due on April 15.

Help us spread the word about these opportunities. Let’s go Sailing!

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Conference model designer to be honored 
June 8 in New Orleans at Southern Yacht Club

NWSA is honored to present Gail Hine as the keynote speaker on June 8 at the Southern Yacht Club for the 2024 National Women’s Sailing Association’s Conference presented by Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Gail Hine’s Sailing Convention for Women model has been used by other women’s sailing organizations throughout the country. Over eight thousand women attended her conventions alone. Her stellar model always included well considered on-the-water, dockside and classroom sessions of what women sailors wanted to learn.

The Convention gave aspiring women instructors opportunities to collaborate, learn and instruct women sailors in a supportive environment. Perhaps most importantly, through Hine’s efforts, women sailors have given back to the sport while connecting with like-minded collaborators. Lasting friendships formed. Gail Hine’s commitment to the value of women teaching women spread across the country, first to Marblehead, Milwaukee and Alameda. But none could match the Sailing Convention for Women bringing an average of 256 women sailors together, year after year, for over three decades. None could surpass Gail Hine’s attention to detail, creativity and consistent quality. In universal deference to Gail none were called a convention. There has been only one Sailing Convention for Women.

As a means to thank Hine, who left a wake for women’s organizations to follow, and to continue the legacy of this incredible woman sailor, the National Women’s Sailing Association has established the Gail Hine Scholarship for Women. Details will be announced on June 8.

Read The Full Post About Gail Hine

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Donated products and experiences will be on display at the silent auction and raffle to benefit NWSA Scholarships and AdventureSail®.