The premier sailing convention for women is set to launch on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Del Rey YC in Marina del Rey, Calif. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) will again be the primary sponsor of the 19th Annual Women’s Sailing Convention, presented by the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA).The event is open to all women from novices to experts and the 2008 program is packed with workshops to choose from – both on and off the water – including: Welcome Aboard (for beginners), Suddenly Single-handed, Sail Trim, Cruising Preparedness, Provisioning, Racing Tactics, Dabble in Diesels, Basic Navigation, Anchoring, Spinnaker Rigging and Going Offshore. A Better Boating Partnership workshop will discuss how to improve your boating relationship with your partner and enjoy boating more. All of the workshops are presented by top women sailors from all over Southern California, many of them Coast Guard-licensed operators.”The workshops have something for everyone whether you race, cruise or day sail, and this year we’ve added some new areas of instruction,” said Gail Hine, the event’s organizer. “Besides the no-pressure learning opportunities, many women find the chance to network with other women boaters equally valuable,” she added.To cap off the event, the dinner guest speaker will be Capt. Linda Newland, who holds a 100-ton license in addition to being a maritime attorney and ASA instructor. She’s also a singlehanded sailboat racer who holds the women’s singlehanded Transpac speed record and skippered the all-women 1997 Transpac team.An annual sell-out, participation at the convention is limited to about 220 this year due to a change in venue, and registration is $160 which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, all workshops, handouts, and a skipper’s bag. To find out more or to register, go to http://www.BoatUS.com/women or SCYA.org or contact Gail Hine at 23863 Nutwood Way, Murrieta, CA 92562; phone 951-677-8121; E-mail Hine@scya.org.
