FEBRUARY GENERAL MEETING

Mark your calendar for February 10th from 6:30 to 8:00pm for the next OWSA General Meeting! Our topic will be on the exciting subject of Racing and will be led by our Race Captain, Stephanie Walker and the race group she has assembled. There has been widespread interest in racing within OWSA  and you will be able to learn all the upcoming details for 2021. All are welcome so please join us to learn more!!

Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95012950880

ARE YOU READY TO UP YOUR SAILING GAME? Apply for BOAST!

Consider participating in the OWSA BOAST program if you are ready to up your sailing game and experience.  The application can be found on owsa.net under the Member Portal - yes, you do need to be an OWSA member by March 1st of the previous year to participate!  You can also find general information about the BOAST program on our website under "Opportunities". Send your application or any questions to our 2021 Boast Chair, Melissa Cearlock at boast@owsa.net.  The application is due by February 20th, so get your questions answered and apply as soon as possible.  

The BOAST (Boat Owner and Skipper Training) program provides an exciting opportunity for women sailors to advance from a beginning to intermediate sailor or for intermediate sailors to continue to advance their sailing skills.  In this two-year program participants are granted the responsibility to maintain and the freedom to use a boat from the OWSA fleet, both with their team and individually.  During their first year of participation, women learn rigging, practice boating skills and improve sailing skills as a team of four on a boat from OWSA’s fleet.  During their second year, team members gain experience as a skipper and learn more about the maintenance involved in ownership of a sailboat.  Throughout the program experienced women sailors act as mentors to make the learning experience safe and comfortable as participants gain confidence and skills in this on-the-water learning opportunity. The fees for this program are very competitive and you can pay a monthly fee or receive a $50 discount if you pay for the full year.

MEMBERSHIP RENEW

 Please be sure to renew your membership as soon as possible so you don't miss important communication in the incoming year.   Benefits of membership:

1) be a part of our community of lady sailors, and the greater Portland sailing community 2) affordable on water “classroom” experiences aboard sailboats 3) learn to communicate with others 4) learn to work as a team 5) learn to respond to situations  6) knowledge and encouragement shared among members

Membership fees support General Meetings, Wednesday Night Sails and all of the other fun activities we get to do during the year.  Go to the Membership Portal and select "Renew Membership".  Membership for 2021 is only $50 for the year.

MEMBERSHIP PUSH PRIZE WINNER!

Carol Baker won the $25 shell gas card from our membership push that ended 12/31/20! Congratulations Carol and than you so much for continuing your membership with OWSA!!

Pre-orders for the New Year's OWSA shirt have closed and for those of you who have ordered, they are currently being printed and we will be reaching out to you in the next few weeks to schedule pickup or delivery.  

For those of you who missed the boat, there is still plenty of cool OWSA gear available on the website so be sure to check it out and support OWSA in style!

ISC SCHOLARSHIP

Due to the Pandemic, the 2020 Scholarship winners did not get to take advantage of the Island Sailing Club scholarship, so their scholarships were rolled over to 2021.  One of the winners declined due to the Pandemic, so OWSA would like to encourage you, if you have been a volunteer member of OWSA for at least a year, to check out the guidelines on our website and submit your application by 2/20/2021 to rearcommodore@owsa.net.  We appreciate our volunteers and are excited to be able to extend this opportunity to a deserving volunteer.

The Island Sailing Club Scholarship is a one-year membership to Island Sailing Club (ISC) provided by ISC and OWSA.  This is an amazing opportunity, so please check out the OWSA Website today for details:
https://owsa.net/opportunities/island-sailing-club-scholarship

We are grateful to Island Sailing Club for their partnership in extending this opportunity to OWSA members!  

NAUTI DRINKS

Join us virtually on February 12 for our Valentines Celebration. Tune in to hang out with awesome ladies! 

February 12, 6:30-7:15pm, 

Login: https://zoom.us/j/93218883472

Meeting ID: 932 1888 3472

VOLUNTEER OPENINGS

We are looking for a few more fun-loving volunteers to help steady our keel.  Learn the inner workings of OWSA, connect with others and help pass the joy of sailing on to your sisters! The current list of opportunities are as follows:

-Class Registrar

-Webmaster

-Marketing Chair

-Merchandise Coordinator

If you are interested in volunteering, please email Oshra at volunteer@owsa.net.

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We are also looking for Board Members to fill vacancies coming in 2022.  Open positions are as follows: 

-Vice Commodore

-Education Director

If you are interested in volunteering for a seat on the Board, please email Jen at commodore@owsa.net.

OWSA BUDDIES

In an effort to form more personal connections we are switching up the Fireside new member orientations- this year we are launching OWSA Buddies to help new members get connected.

Here is how it works: You would be matched with a new member, schedule an on boarding phone call with them, go through the opportunities (don’t worry, there will be an accompanying pdf guide), invite them to OWSA happenings, introduce them to other ladies in OWSA and check in on them periodically. 

If you are interested in being an OWSA Buddy for a woman in her first year in OWSA, please email social@owsa.net.

SAILING BASICS

The first OWSA sailing class of 2021, Sailing Basics 5-week Course,  is now up and open for registration/enrollment on our website.

Beginning 20th February 2021, and continuing 2/23, 3/2, 3/9, and 3/16.

2021 Sailing Basics 5-Day Course Prerequisite: STUDENT MUST HAVE HER OWN MEDIUM POWER FAN for online theory portions of the course. 

Explore sailing terminology, knots, points of sail, weather, tides, boat maneuvering, basic navigation rules and introduction to charts. Course includes Basic Keelboat textbook by US Sailing and a model sailboat. Upon on registration, location of the first class, outdoor on the dock, on Saturday (2/20) and additional details will be provided. The following 4 Tuesdays evening classes are on-line via Zoom. Optional Saturday sails may be offered if COVID conditions permit. 

Please change to a pic of Robyn Vandever

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Melissa Cearlock has been sailing since she was 6 years old and has been a member of OWSA since 2014.  She is always continuing to enhance her sailing skills on and off the race course, and making new friends along the way. 

Melissa has volunteered in many positions within OWSA and is currently serving as our BOAST Chair. 

In any position Melissa acquires, we are extremely lucky to  have her experience and knowledge on board.  Please help congratulate and welcome Melissa as she enters the BOAST Program. 

Thanks Melissa! 

BOAT SHOW

Due to the current COVID-19 climate and the health and safety of our volunteers, OWSA will not be participating in the BOAT Show this year.

A new committee is forming to market the club and grow community participation.  Join this committee for monthly 1 hour virtual meetings where we will brainstorm ideas for future events to increase club visibility & participation. 

These activities might include sailing as a fundraiser, building a boat for OWSA, bingo nights, pirate parties, sailing games on the water,  and whatever you might think of. We will review old club activities for future ideas. 

If interested, please contact marketing@owsa.net

"We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us."
—Unknown

Oregon Women's Sailing Association
(meetings are not at this address)
865 NE Tomahawk Island Dr
Ste 102-198
Portland, OR 97217