American Sailing Journal - Volume 36, Issue 7, July 2019

American Sailing Journal

If you're unable to read this e-mail please click here

Volume 36, Issue 7

July 2019

We hope that your summer is off to a great start and that you are getting out on the water as often as possible. This July ASA is celebrating National Learn to Sail Month by encouraging as many people as possible to get out on the water and learn to sail. We are tying learning to sail with our ongoing marine environmental work by making a charitable donation to Sailors for the Sea in the name of every person registering to take sailing lessons at an ASA school in the month of July. Sailors for the Sea is a non-profit organization that is nearly 12 million strong and is a community that loves and is passionate about protecting the ocean.

Is there a better time to get out on the water and expand your sailing education? We don’t think so!

Cindy Shabes, ASA President

July is “National Learn To Sail Month”

I had ridden a bike past these boats for years. I had looked across the forest of masts every Saturday for as long as I could remember. I had spoken the words countless times, “I need to learn to sail.” Naturally, I bought a boat before I knew how to operate it. It was a Catalina 27 and it might as well have been a mega-yacht because the moment I bought it I was hooked and I knew I would always be a sailor.

That’s my story; what will be yours?

Women On The Water

ASA Instructor Stacey Brooks

Stacey Brooks seems to always be on a boat. She recently completed a sailing adventure in Cuba. Her school, Sea Dog Sailing is based in The British Virgin Islands. If there was ever a person who personifies what ASA is trying to promote with the “Women on the Water” campaign it is captain Stacey Brooks and her ever valuable first mate Allison Beauvais.

Robin Charters Said Yes

Finding a qualified crew is a challenge for the offshore cruising community. Qualified is not always defined as experienced or trained in sailing skills. It is really about personality and the ability to exist together for extended periods of time aboard a moving sailboat. As we prepared for our journey we decided to select crew from my extensive list of ASA graduates.

Environmental Tip

Sunscreen is a sailing essential any time of year, but the upcoming summer rays mean it’s time to break out the good stuff. There’s nothing like relaxing on deck with some good music and lathering up with tropical scented potions to get that sun-kissed glow. But what happens once we shower off or go for a dip? Our goos and sprays quietly enter our waterways and air, about 14,000 tons per year according to the National Park Service. Many of these products can do serious harm to marine animals, as well as to our own health.

Let’s Go Sailing

These are five spots where you will encounter the right amount of wind, the right size boat and the perfect place for you to test out the sailing skills that you gained in ASA 101.

Discover More >>

The Cost of Learning to Sail

While price is a factor, what comes in the sailing course package is more important. For example, if you consider the time spent on the water versus the time spent in a classroom you might find that paying a little extra for more time on the water will make you a better sailor.

Summer Sailing Tips

Summer approaches and all you can think of is the warm weather and being on the water. Yes, that is exactly how we feel. If you are looking to optimize your time on the water we want to help you find the resources to spend as much time on a sailboat as possible.

NEW EPISODE! ASA’s Inside Sailing

We had the pleasure of interviewing ocean racer Tracy Edwards in anticipation of a fantastic new sailing documentary called Maiden that tells the story of Tracy and her all-female crew racing around the world in the Whitbread Round the World Race back in the late 80s, early 90s. It’s an action-packed film that is as much about sailing as it is about the evolution of a society’s attitudes and mores towards women.

Watch Now >>

You can find more online resources to improve your sailing skills & knowledge on our Sailors Resources page.

KEEP IN TOUCH...