October 13, 2025
National Women’s Sailing Association Elects New Board Members
Sailing educators bring a variety of experiences to women sailing
October 13, 2025 - National Women’s Sailing Association is a program of the Women’s Sailing Foundation with a mission to enrich the lives of women of all ages through education and access to the sport of sailing. Founded by Sailing Hall of Fame inductee, Doris Colgate, now in the association’s 35th year, they welcomed three new board members at their August Annual Board of Director’s Meeting where the previous year was reviewed and future goals were set. President Debby Grimm explains, “They bring a wide range of expertise in cruising, racing, teaching, organizing, club management and serving in the marine industry.”
Captain Kim Walther
Captain Kim Walther is a sailing instructor at Florida’s St. Augustine Sailing. Her passion for the ocean and sailing is evident in her writing on her lifestyle blog, “Deep Water Happy,” and she has sailed the East Coast from Maine to the Caribbean.
Kim holds a 100-ton near coastal (offshore) USCG master's license with sailing and towing endorsements. Having taught for over 30 years and over 3,000 students, she attributes her mastery to diverse experiences and continual skill refinement. Certified as an American Sailing instructor at multiple levels, she was honored in 2019 as American Sailing Instructor of the Year.
Kim's passion for sailing extends to classes, charters, deliveries, and races (inland and offshore). She has experience operating a wide range of vessels. She teaches sailing at the WoodenBoat School in Brooklin, Maine, serves on the board of Saint Augustine Sailing Sisters, and hosts international webinars covering sailing skills several times a year through American Sailing. Kim pointed out, “Attending my first NWSA Conference as an instructor, I met enthusiastic sailors and instructors from all over the country. This sailing community reminded me how powerful it is when women support each other through a shared love of sailing.
Captain Kathleen Seero
Kathleen Seero began sailing at eight and lived aboard as a teenager, and raced extensively throughout New England. Involved with almost every youth or adult sailing program in Boston Harbor, Kathleen founded the annual, Boston Harbor Ladies Challenge in 2023, now Boston’s largest all-women’s regatta. She says, "I want women to see themselves not just sailing, but truly owning the helm. Every boat steered by a woman opens the door for the next one."
Kathleen holds a 25-ton Merchant Marine License, and instructor certifications from US Sailing and American Sailing. She is a member of the South Boston Yacht Club and the Savin Hill Yacht Club where she proudly skippers her Thunderbird 26, Dirty Bird, which she rebuilt, and she is the only woman-owned/driver in a fleet of twenty. She winters aboard her Passport 40 LouLou exploring South Florida and the Bahamas, with plans to expand her cruising horizons, and also enjoys diving, running, and cycling.
Kendall Borchardt
Kendall Borchardt learned to sail on Lake Lanier, Georgia, on her first sailboat, a Catalina 27. She joined a sailing club and got immersed in the sailing community, serving as Treasurer of the club for several years. Later, she bought a Cal 31 with her partner and raised their son on that boat, followed by a Hunter 36. In 2023, they moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, and bought a cruiser, a Beneteau 45 Oceanis Elysium. Elysium means “a state or place of ultimate happiness”. Kendall proclaims, “A bad day sailing is 100 times better than a good day at work”.
In St. Pete, they attended a Women Who Sail Tampa Bay event and immediately got linked into the amazing network of women sailors. Between the occasional race, they have done various charters over the years, mostly in the Caribbean including a favorite in Tahiti.
Outside of sailing, Kendall loves to travel, play pickleball, hike, coach Special Olympics sports for her son, and really any outdoor sports. Her professional career is in the Wealth Management and Investment Advisory business.
All of the volunteer board members contribute in different ways. There are several ways for members to participate in NWSA work, through committee collaboration and offering expertise. For more about NWSA, visit https://www.womensailing.org/about.php
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About National Women’s Sailing Association: Founded in 1990 by National Sailing Hall of Fame sailor Doris Colgate, the National Women’s Sailing Association is a program of the Women’s Sailing Foundation, Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the U.S. It maintains the mission of providing education, programming and support for women sailors of all ages and backgrounds. The organization seeks to help women find community and mentorship among their peers, as well as create leadership and education opportunities. Through membership, donations and sponsorship, they continue to maintain AdventureSail®, a program designed for girls who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to discover the joys of sailing, the Learn to Sail Youth Sailing Scholarship, the Sue Corl Sailing Scholarship, Gail Hine NWSA Conference Scholarship, and the BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award. For more information visit WomenSailing.org. Follow on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIN.