NWSA Women's Sailing Conference
Our annual National Women’s Sailing Association Conference kicked off 25 years ago, responding to the growing need for sailing education specifically for women, all taught by women.
The NWSA Conference is a fantastic event filled with top-notch sailing experiences and insightful seminars.
We offer a range of workshops at affordable prices for everyone who attends. Some of these workshops are being used to create an online video library with content tailored for women sailors. These initiatives to share sailing with women and girls rely on the hard work of dedicated volunteers, our small membership fee, generous individual donors, and supportive corporate sponsors.
The Conference is designed for women of all ages and abilities, and it’s always been a hit. Women are excited to learn or improve their sailing skills in fun workshops that take place both on land and in the water. No prior experience is needed.
Since 1989, the annual conference had been held at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA.
The pandemic-induced societal disruptions in early 2020 meant we had to quickly change the format of our event. Instead of having no conference—an event that women sailors look forward to every year—we hosted a virtual event.
On June 6, 2020, for the first time, women from around the nation—and world—had access to a quality On-Line Expo (“OLÉ”), which was designed for women sailors and presented by women sailors. The two-day OLÉ event was not constrained by the capacity of a club and enjoyed an audience of about four thousand.
OLÉ highlighted concepts of diversity in sailing, reaching beyond gender, and set NWSA on the course for the 2021 conference in Chicago. Still under the impact of the pandemic in September 2021, we used our 20+ years of experience to modify the conference to provide a limited participation outdoor event coupled with robust online content. The 2021 conference attracted the most diverse audience ever for this event.
We will continue our efforts in the promotion of diversity in sailing to include all women sailors.
EVENT OVERVIEW
- Gain valuable experience on the water with our program, designed for women sailors of all skill levels!
- We blend practical chalk-talk sessions with hands-on activities to boost your general knowledge, technical skills, and leadership abilities.
- Join a supportive community where camaraderie and a spirit of giving back are celebrated.
- Plus, we’ll help promote local women’s sailing groups in the area.
All workshops are led by enthusiastic and highly skilled women sail instructors and captains who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and expertise with you.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2027 CONFERENCE SPONSORS
Admiral Sponsor
Captain Sponsor
Skipper Sponsors
Crew Sponsor
Deck Sponsors
2027 In-Kind Conference Supporters
AdventureSail Silent Auction and Raffle Fundraiser Donors
Subscribe to our NWSA newsletter
From event announcements to scholarship info and more!