Women Capture the Power

October 4, 2011

Last weekend marked the nineteenth annual Northern California Women's Sailing Seminar at Island YC, where "Women Capture the Power" – of sailing.

Docking and departing practice aboard the Islander 30 Wuvulu. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

"Between Saturday and Sunday we had 67 students attend, 18 instructors, and 11 boats," reports organizer Dawn Chesney. "The objective is for the students to do all of the hands on the boat; instructors step in only for safety. Our biggest goal is to empower the women so they will continue to get on the water, hence our tag line 'Capture the Power'. And I'd say we did – the energy at Island YC Saturday and even more so Sunday was tangible.

Spinnaker training at the dock aboard the Santana 22 Ahi (foreground) and the Santana 525 Razzmatazz. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Saturday's schedule is divided up into mostly classroom and dockside classes in the morning, and on-the-water classes in the afternoon.

Margaret Fago teaches a navigation class. ©2011 Rich Ahlf/Island YC

Spinnaker practice aboard Wuvulu. ©2011 Rich Ahlf/Island YC

"There is always some on-the-spot juggling," said Dawn. "One of the boats that was being loaned to us learned on Saturday morning that their outboard engine had been stolen. We borrowed an engine from another boat only to learn it was a short shaft and we needed a long shaft. In the end we switched the crews and had another boat go on the water for crew overboard, since they needed an engine the whole time, and used the short shaft engine boat for spinnaker on the water since they only had to get to and from the dock. And when I say crew overboard, I mean it. Kristen Soetebier wore her wetsuit and would end up in the water unannounced. The students pulled her out with the lifesling.

Kristen plays dead (well, unconscious) for the crew overboard class. ©2011 Rich Ahlf/Island YC

The victim was rescued and survived. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

"The sailing community was especially generous again this year with MANY sailing schools donating lessons for the raffle. We made sure every student won something. The food was fabulous, prepared by two of IYC's members, people were asking if we had it professionally catered.

Saturday's post-lunch raffle drawing. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Sunday's schedule started out with yoga sessions courtesy of Bow Yoga. Then the Catalina 36 Interlude took two instructors and nine students out cruising. Owner Mike Joyce made them home-made biscuits and tea during the sail. They had such a good time they were late getting back to the dock.

Checking out sail trim on Interlude. ©2011 Rich Ahlf/Island YC

"We also had six Santana 22s compete in three races on the Estuary Sunday," said Dawn. "We had both spinnaker and non-spinnaker divisions, with more prizes for everyone back at the club."

Saturday's instructors. ©2011 Rich Ahlf/Island YC

For more information, see www.iyc.org/wss.html.