Returning to San Diego Bay from June 26-28, the Warrior Sailing program will introduce twenty-one new wounded veterans to an intense three-day sailing course using their most natural abilities, teamwork and competitive drive, despite their physical injuries.
Through a partnership with the Armed Services YMCA and the San Diego Yacht Cub, Warrior Sailing returns to San Diego, a beautiful setting to learn how to sail. The program was founded with a mission to introduce active military and veterans with disabilities to the sport of sailing, with opportunities ranging from introductory level sailing to world championship competition.
The program offers the Basic Training Camp at no cost to participants. They come from all branches of the military and have varying injuries that range from limb loss, traumatic brain injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, to name a few.
SDYC hosted the Star Trials for the '68 Olympics
The 35-boat fleet included many champion sailors including several from the San Diego Bay Star fleet: Lowell North with crew Peter Barrett, Malin Burnham with crew Jim Reynolds, Alan Raffee with crew Dennis Conner, Pete Bennett and Kim Fletcher among others. World-class sailors traveled from around the country to SDYC including Bill Buchan, Don Trask, Hilary Smart and Dick Stearns. As a young SDYC junior Sabot sailor (and now the US sailor with the most Olympic medals) Mark Reynolds recalls “cleaning boat bottoms for $1/day” during the Trials.
The first #1 (of 3 scheduled) West Coast 2018 United States Match Race Championship (USMRC) Qualifying Events was held at The St. Francis Yacht Club last weekend. Unlike the last scheduled match racing event up there, (that resulted in no racing due to insufficient winds), this sailing event almost did not happen as well, only this time due to too much wind.
The 29er Fleet in the United States hosts two Mid-Winter Regattas, East in Miami and West in Coronado. Scheduling was challenging as they occurred this year on back to back weekends in March. We participated in both events this year. Traveling to Miami meant an opportunity to connect with former SDYC Head Coach Maru Urban for some coaching in Biscayne Bay. With shallower bay conditions the traditional Miami Chop was certainly in effect along with light and shifty winds. As with many “trapping” boats like the 29er, shifty conditions put extra complexities on both the skipper and crew.