Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Adaptive Sailing: Building a Program

by Cristina Rubke, Maureen McKinnon, Betsy Alison and Joe Harris

Why Adaptive Sailing?

• Creates a positive difference in many lives
• Increases your membership and outreach base
• Increases access to funding opportunities
• Creates new Partnership and sponsorship opportunities
• Provides full inclusion to your community
• Improves community relations

Learn more about the advantages of establishing an adaptive sailing program at your sailing organization. In this Sailing Leadership Forum presentation, you will learn about adaptive facilities, equipment, designs, staff training tips, recruitment, resources and funding.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

College Sailing's Chalk Talk - April 24, 2014



Should college sailing be governed by the NCAA? Should Nationals always have representation from every conference? In this special regular season finale, the gang interviews coaches and ICSA President Mitch Brindley about the growing number of teams in the top performance category of ICSA and what that could mean for the future structure of the league.

We're off the air for the end-of-season break in competition, but we'll be back for three special episodes during Nationals, starting at the end of May. Follow us at http://facebook.com/collegesailingchalktalk to find out when the episodes will air.

US Sailing’s Drysuit Instagram Contest
Need a new drysuit? Enter US Sailing’s Drysuit Instagram Contest for your chance to win a new Gill Drysuit! All you have to do is...
  • take an Instagram video that explains why you need a new drysuit. 
  • In the caption, tag @ussailing1 and @gillgear, and...
  • be sure to use the hashtag #drysuitcontest.
The three finalists will be posted to the US Sailing Facebook page on Monday, April 28 for fan voting. The video with the most likes after 48 hours will be crowned the winner of a new Gill drysuit and will be invited to join Chris, Zeke and others on Chalk Talk.

Time to get those cameras rolling and let’s get creative! This contest is open to all sailors.

Attention College Sailors!
  • US Sailing offers a four year college membership for $95.
  • Savings of 60% off the basic individual membership price.
  • This special membership is good for four years from the date of purchase regardless of when you graduate.
  • Remember... Certified Instructors (Levels 1 and 2) are required to have an adult membership for insurance purposes, and a US Sailing college membership fulfills this requisite.
  • Get your US Sailing college membership today
Chalk Talk is presented by US Sailing with support from Zim Sailing and produced by Chris Love Productions.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

College Sailing's Chalk Talk - April 17, 2014



In this week's edition of Chalk Talk we focus on women's racing. Zeke and Chris talk you through the seven women's conference championships coming up over the next few weeks that determine who advances to the National Championships.

US Sailing’s Drysuit Instagram Contest
Need a new drysuit? Enter US Sailing’s Drysuit Instagram Contest for your chance to win a new Gill Drysuit! All you have to do is...
  • take an Instagram video that explains why you need a new drysuit. 
  • In the caption, tag @ussailing1 and @gillgear, and...
  • be sure to use the hashtag #drysuitcontest.
The three finalists will be posted to the US Sailing Facebook page on Monday, April 28 for fan voting. The video with the most likes after 48 hours will be crowned the winner of a new Gill drysuit and will be invited to join Chris, Zeke and others on Chalk Talk.

Time to get those cameras rolling and let’s get creative! This contest is open to all sailors.

Attention College Sailors!
  • US Sailing offers a four year college membership for $95.
  • Savings of 60% off the basic individual membership price.
  • This special membership is good for four years from the date of purchase regardless of when you graduate.
  • Remember... Certified Instructors (Levels 1 and 2) are required to have an adult membership for insurance purposes, and a US Sailing college membership fulfills this requisite.
  • Get your US Sailing college membership today
Chalk Talk is presented by US Sailing with support from Zim Sailing and produced by Chris Love Productions.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Advantages of US Powerboating’s Safe Powerboat Handling Courses

By Rob Crafa and Lynn Lynch


There are so many benefits for hosting and taking US Powerboating's Safe Powerboat Handling Course. Find out how this course can improve the quality of your club's programming:
  • Hands-on, on-the-water–, practical application of all skills
  • Professional textbook & online / digital teaching aids
  • Boaters with no experience quickly gain confidence
  • Experienced boaters correct bad habits & learn new skills
  • Nationally and state recognized (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators Approved; State Certificates in many states)
Benefits For Host Facilities:
  • Be a leader
  • Improve safety
  • Better trained staff - increase confidence
  • Better maintained boats
  • New program for existing members / customers or attract new ones
  • Generate revenue
Benefits For Adult Participants:
  • Emphasize skills most relevant to their needs
  • Achieve state boating certificates
  • Insurance discounts
  • Operate club-owned boats
  • Additional member value
  • Race Committee support!
For Younger Participants:
  • Keep younger club members involved
  • Satisfy the safety boat knowledge & skills to become a US Sailing Certified Sailing Instructor
  • Achieve the skills to become a member of the race support team
  • Part of the development system for future instructors
  • They love driving the coach boats
Learn more about creating a powerboat program for all ages.

US Sailing at Charleston Race Week


US Sailing had a blast last week with the competitors and organizers of the Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week. Here is a rundown of US Sailing’s participation in Charleston:
  • Groupe Beneteau sponsored scholarships for 21 educators working in at-risk schools in Charleston and Marion County South Carolina for the US Sailing STEM Educator Course held last Saturday in association with Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week.
  • At the welcome reception, US Sailing Executive Director Jack Gierhart discussed the benefits of Reach and the program’s long term goals. 
     
  • US Sailing served free coffee and espresso to competitors each morning at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina's Reel Bar. US Sailing President Tom Hubbell was on-hand meeting sailors. Coffee and espresso was provided by Francisco Davila’s Coffee Roasters of Charleston. US Sailing members were given one pound of fresh roasted coffee. We served 970 cups of coffee over three days!
     
  • Race committee volunteers Carol and Ken Small of Oriental, N.C. won the the GoPro Hero3 raffle prize.
Check out our photos from Charleston Race Week on Instagram.
 

Learn more about Charleston Race Week.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

College Sailing's Chalk Talk - April 10, 2014



This week's edition of Chalk Talk focuses on team racing and an in-depth look ahead to the National Championships.

Chalk Talk is presented by US Sailing with support from Zim Sailing. Produced by Chris Love Productions

Attention College Sailors!
  • US Sailing offers a four year college membership for $95.
  • Savings of 60% off the basic individual membership price.
  • This special membership is good for four years from the date of purchase regardless of when you graduate.
  • Remember... Certified Instructors (Levels 1 and 2) are required to have an adult membership for insurance purposes, and a US Sailing college membership fulfills this requisite.
  • Get your US Sailing college membership today!


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Reflections from the President

By US Sailing President Tom Hubbell

Prepared For the Future

Prepared to gybe
I’m not sure just exactly how I managed to fall out of the boat. A Thistle on her side, spinnaker nicely woven through the standing rigging, it’s not pretty. We accepted help to retrieve vital gear and a DNF in that race at Thistle Midwinters East. In the debrief, we realized why we got to swim. I had called the gybe but did not allow time for us to prepare. To my team’s credit, we literally shook off the big negative and 30 minutes later had our best race of the week.

Prepared to support the sport
There’s another message in that story. US Sailing has had a few blown gybes in its history and it has had some great come-backs. Coming in as president and taking the helm of US Sailing, I did prepare and so did the team. I’ve witnessed four presidents up close. But, as much as one can learn about US Sailing, there seems always another layer of detail, another avenue of engagement, another deeply committed volunteer, and another area of expertise among the staff.

You should be confident in knowing that our current board of directors actively engages to steer the organization and the sport to take the lead at the top mark. We won’t be capsizing. The leadership is dedicated, prepared, and knows the sport. US Sailing is looking for teammates to be a part of the 21st Century growth of sailing. The sailing community needs all of us on board as supporters of our national sailing organization. Every sailor needs to hike-out to keep this boat on her lines and going fast.

Sponsorship Request Tips

Trying to build your club's sponsor portfolio for an upcoming event? Here are some helpful sponsorship request tips from Whitney Peterson, VP of Marketing at Gowrie Group.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

College Sailing's Chalk Talk - April 3, 2014



In this week's edition of Chalk Talk, co-host Katy Nastro goes on site with sailors and coaches at the Marchiando at MIT - the last interconference team race event before the National's Qualifiers this weekend... Hosts make their predictions!

Chalk Talk is presented by US Sailing with support from Zim Sailing.

Produced by Chris Love Productions

Attention College Sailors!
  • US Sailing offers a four year college membership for $95.
  • Savings of 60% off the basic individual membership price.
  • This special membership is good for four years from the date of purchase regardless of when you graduate.
  • Remember... Certified Instructors (Levels 1 and 2) are required to have an adult membership for insurance purposes, and a US Sailing college membership fulfills this requisite.
  • Get your US Sailing college membership today!