NWSA in 2018
Winter workshops kicked of 2018 with women-only, hands-on learning experiences taught by women. At the same time NWSA adopted a more user-friendly Wordpress website with mobile device capability, a blog and on-line forms. The upgrade was long overdue.
National Women’s Sailing Association hosted a series of workshops along the Eastern seaboard: diesel, marine systems and electrical. Each workshop sold out then got high praise for the quality and value.
In cooperation with US Sailing NWSA’s Susan Epstein chaired the first Coastal Safety at Sea at the MIT Sailing Pavilion. The US Sailing moderator was Sheila McCurdy, one of the most knowledgeable women sailors anywhere. She championed the Safety at Sea program during its development. Board members Epstein and Huntsman were also presenters. NWSA volunteers, Joan Thayer, Reen Duffy and Maia Yulov helped provide a continental breakfast, a very nice lunch, as well as preforming plenty of tasks to make the event pleasant for instructors and participants alike. One male skipper brought his crew of six women sailors. Two Coast Guard rescue swimmers offered invaluable in-the-water survival exercises.
Successful 17th annual National Women's Sailing Conference in Marblehead
More than 100 women sailors, from amateur day sailors to experienced offshore cruisers, arrived at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, Massachusetts, on Saturday June 2 to share their expertise and learn new skills. Participants, who came from 12 states, chose from 20 different classroom and on-water workshops.
The Dinghy Captain workshop was a very strong favorite. We introduced that coaching situation in 2017. in 2018 it had a waiting list. Women realized when they are cruising they need to get on land from the mooring. Being compitent in the dinghy instantly gave them more independence! We had three dinghies at our disposal.
On-land, the workshops ran the gamut from Sailing 101 and How to Toss a Line to Plotting Your Course and How to Prepare for Offshore and Extended Cruising. There was learning about safety equipment including hands-on flare use and fire extinguisher practice on the beach and learning to splice a line. For the more advanced women sailors the Marine Electrical Wiring and Advanced Docking were popular.
The keynote Speaker, Sheila McCurdy was awarded the 2018 BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award. McCurdy has a tremendous amount of sailing experience at all levels and she is also very involved with promoting sailing for all, especially opportunities for women. She spent the entire day at the conference. Her presentation was “Sailing is a Metaphor for Everything”.
Proceeds from the raffle ticket sales and silent auction benefited the Women’s Sailing Foundation for the AdventureSail® events for underserved girls and educational workshops for adult women.
Joan Thayer named emerita board member
Thayer has been active in NWSA since 1995. She co-chaired the inaugural Boston AdventureSail® in 1996 and has been the force behind the Women’s Sailing Conference from 2001 through 2019. Thayer became a Board member in 2000 retiring in 2018. She has served as treasurer, vice president and as president.
Joan Thayer grew up in Marblehead, MA, where she began sailing in an after school program in the fourth grade. Joan enjoys racing in one-design boats and has owned a 210, Shields, Sonar and a Rhodes 19.
Over the years, Joan has been involved with sailing at the local, regional and national level. She is a member of the Corinthian Yacht Club and its race committee, MASS Bay Sailing, US Sailing and America’s Boating Club Beverly-Marblehead Sail & Power Squadron. Joan chaired the Centennial Marblehead Race Week in 1989 and received the Massachusetts Bay Distinguished Service to Sailing Award that year.
NWSA 2018 Board
Debbie Huntsman
President
Kim Lyons
Treasurer
Joyce Hersh
Secretary
Linda Newland
Past President
Valli Cook
Susan Epstein
Gail Hine
Elise Read
Wendy Swanson
Linda Thompson
Susannah Winder