National Women's Sailing Association - Celebrating 35 years

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 GAIL HINE NWSA CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP   
DEADLINE: Two Days before early registration deadline, Date TBA, 2026, AT MIDNIGHT EST



Gail Hine was the director and producer of 32 sailing conventions for women— 27 presented under the Southern California Yachting Association, the last five produced and presented under her own well-respected name. Hine was a competitive sailor who wanted to share her love of sailing with other women. 


In Marina del Rey, Hine dominated inshore races on her beloved Wylie designed Nightingale 24 Hummer. She came into wider sailing notoriety after winning the 90-mile Marina del Rey to San Diego race in June 1984. Hine beat all 300 boats in the overnight race.


Hine loved the competitiveness of sailboat racing. She began helping other women gain confidence to sail and eventually skipper their own boats. Gail Hine’s Sailing Convention for Women model has been used by other women’s sailing organizations throughout the country. Over 8,000 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. She was the first woman to be recognized for her contributions to the advancement of women sailors by becoming the first SCYA Peggy Slater award winner in 1990.


Gail Hine is a former long-time editor of NWSA’s Take the Helm® newsletter and an emerita Women’s Sailing Foundation (WSF)/National Women’s Sailing Association (NWSA) board member. She was also the 2002 Leadership in Women’s Sailing honoree. The Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award (LIWSA) was established and co-sponsored by NWSA and BoatU.S.® to honor an individual with a record of achievement of inspiring, educating and enriching the lives of women through sailing. 

In honor of her contributions, the WSF/NWSA board established the Gail Hine NWSA Conference Scholarship in 2024 to support a deserving woman sailor.


About the Scholarship

The Gail Hine NWSA Conference Scholarship provides an individual with the opportunity to attend the NWSA Annual Conference. This scholarship is open to all women sailors who demonstrate financial need and a passion for broadening their sailing experiences.

The scholarship will cover the 2026 conference registration only which includes: Friday reception and the full Saturday and Sunday program of educational seminars with breakfast and lunch. Recipients are responsible for their own travel and housing. Recipients may purchase the additional event tickets for the Saturday and Sunday dinners.

Don’t miss this opportunity to honor Gail’s legacy and take the helm of your sailing journey.

The application process requests a letter of recommendation from an individual (not a family member) or community association or center advocating for your participation, as well as an essay expressing interest in attending the conference and financial need.

The application will be available when registration information is posted, approximately mid to late December, 2025.

Click here to apply.

The 2026 conference information page is here. For questions, please contact us at Communications@womensailing.org.