National Women's Sailing Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NWSA Press Room at  https://www.womensailing.org/press_room.php
NWSA Press Contact: Claire Wyngaard, 703-304-9152, Communications@WomenSailing.org

National Women’s Sailing Association to Bring Education, Leadership and Community
to the 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show

Women sailors, educators and leaders will connect through panels, hands-on instruction
and an Aqua Map-sponsored social hour, October 15-18


ANNAPOLIS, Md. — September 18, 2026 — The National Women’s Sailing Association (NWSA), a program of the Women’s Sailing Foundation (WSF), will participate in the 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show, taking place October 15–18 at City Dock in Annapolis, Maryland. The show brings together sailors, educators, exhibitors and friends for four days of boats, equipment, education, demonstrations and opportunities to build lasting connections on and off the water. NWSA ticket discount code 26NWSA provides $5 off tickets. Event information is available at https://www.annapolisboatshows.com/sailboat-show/.

NWSA Social Hour Sponsored by Aqua Map—with Door Prize 
After a full day of exploring the show, NWSA friends and fellow women sailors will gather for the NWSA Social Hour sponsored by Aqua Map on Friday, October 16, from 5–6:30 p.m., at the Seminar Tent. This informal gathering offers an opportunity for longtime NWSA members, first-time attendees and anyone interested in connecting with women sailors to reconnect, meet new sailors and continue conversations sparked by the day’s activities. NWSA acknowledges Aqua Map as sponsor of the Social Hour. A Mustang Survival Life Jacket will be the door prize.

Kris Self Joins Women’s Panel at Cruisers University and Show Panel
On Friday, October 16, 12:30 – 2 p.m., Kris Self will join “Women’s Panel: Ask Expert Sailors Your Most Pressing Boating Questions” at Cruisers University at the Historic Inns of Annapolis. Led by Capt. Hilary Howes, this Beginning 101 session offers a welcoming, judgment-free setting for practical questions and discussion with experienced women sailors. The discussion will explore the realities of cruising and life on the water, including maintaining friendships, health and fitness, social connections and the questions that arise as women build confidence and experience aboard. Self, an WSF board member, has been sailing since the early 1980s and currently owns a 41-foot Gulfstar. She is a passionate advocate for helping more women get on the water, particularly aspiring boat owners and women who sail with their spouses. She also founded the Women Who Sail Tampa Bay community. 

Kris Self to Participate in Conversation for Beginners Panel Presented by American Sailing
On Saturday, October 17, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., at the Seminar Tent. Kris Self, WSF board member, will join panelists to accept questions from those new to sailing. Join them for “Curious to Confident: A Guided Conversation for Beginner Sailors” presented by American Sailing

Meet Capt. Debbie Huntsman at the Aqua Map Booth 
Attendees can meet Capt. Debbie Huntsman at the Aqua Map area, Tent City 40, on Sunday, October 18, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Huntsman brings extensive experience as a sailing educator, boating-safety advocate and leader in women’s sailing. She has been certified to instruct for US Sailing, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the National Safe Boating Council and several state boating programs. Her leadership has included serving as a moderator for US Sailing's Safety at Sea program, serving on NWSA board of directors including as president, Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Commander and as a District Public-Affairs officer. Huntsman has recently volunteered to train through the US Naval Academy's Command Seamanship Training Program. Through her work with the Lake Pontchartrain Women’s Sailing Association, Huntsman, introduced NWSA's AdventureSail® and L.A.S.T. programs to the Gulf Coast. She will share details about the upcoming US Sailing International Offshore Safety at Sea hosted by NWSA for women by women, on June 10, 2027, in Boston. Huntsman will co-moderate with the esteemed Capt. Sheila McCurdy, with Lili Colby of Mustang Survival also presenting to instruct sailors on an array of seamanship, prevention, and safety skills during the one-day hands-on course. As a certified US Sailing instructor, Safety at Sea moderator, and NASBLA course reviewer, Huntsman has spent over three decades teaching seamanship, prevention, and safety across the U.S. Read more about NWSA’s Safety at Sea here. https://www.womensailing.org/international_safety_at_sea.php 

Links:
Attendees are encouraged to stop by the Women’s Panel at Cruisers University, join the Aqua Map Social Hour and connect with NWSA leaders and fellow sailors throughout the show. 
Women’s Panel at Cruisers University: https://cruisersuniversity.com/course/womens-panel-ask-expert-sailors-your-most-pressing-boating-questions/  
Debbie Huntsman’s Bio: https://www.womensailing.org/about.php 
Annapolis Sailboat Show: https://www.annapolisboatshows.com/sailboat-show/

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 Youth 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.