Ship's Log

News and items of interest on the water and ashore

July 29, 2010
Thank You Seabags!
Sea Bags™, designers and manufacturers of handmade totes and accessories made from recycled sails, has announced it has partnered with SailMaine to create a scholarship fund to introduce and encourage students ages 8-18 to learn the sport of sailing.
Individuals who drop off a sail to Sea Bags will receive a complimentary Sea Bags accessory, or, they can donate their sail to the “Sea Bags Scholarship Fund.” Sea Bags will then donate to SailMaine, made as a quarterly donation. The program started in 2007 and has just been enhanced by this commitment to work together. 
“SailMaine is proud to partner with Sea Bags to help kids experience the Maine coast from the help of their own sailboat,” said Jeff Cummings, Executive Director of SailMaine. “As participants in a wind-powered sport, we think it’s appropriate to join with a local business which recycles old sails into beautiful bags and totes. We’re both creating good experiences and, in our own small way, a better world – one kid at a time.”

July 15, 2010
Junior Olympic Sailing off the Promenade
SailMaine hosted the Junior Olympic Sailing Festival Northeast Tuesday and Wednesday July 13th and 14th. One hundred and seventy seven young athletes raced their Optimists, 420s, Lasers, and Laser Radials in the premier Junior Sailing event of the Maine summer. With the help of many volunteers, and some cooperation from the weather, race committees on three lines kept the kids busy playing the shifts. Our Media page has some video from Chris Love of Sailgroove, who was on hand to record the event, and links to local coverage. James Sheilds took some interesting aerial shots of Optimists in action. Robin Leavitt shot lots of film, capturing every competitor. Full results are here.

June 29, 2010
Summer in the City
includes plenty of sailing opportunities, if the city is Portland.
Junior Sailing is underway on the waterfront, with the first of four two-week sessions starting this past Monday. Lots of kids are discovering the fun of sailing, and learning the ropes. There are still openings in some classes later this summer, so check out our course offerings. Your child can be sailing this year!

Evening sailing in 420s has begun. On Mondays, Team Racers get a chance to compete in a series that runs through August. Fridays are for fleet racing, and for open sailing, with no racing pressure. Follow the links for more information on each of these opportunities.

Want to sail, but don't know how? Our learn-to-sail classes are ready to get you sailing. Adult instruction, including classes for women only, is available throughout the season in a variety of formats. Visit this page to learn more.

Another season of Special Olympics Sailing gets underway tonight, with eight athletes and four coaches in four of our eight Ynglings. With two athletes to a boat, there's room to grow. We're glad to host this wonderful program.

June 15, 2010
And we're off!
SailMaine's started a brand new season with a lot of help from our friends. Around the boating center, 20 motivated volunteers helped us spiff up the boats and buildings at our Spring Cleanup day. Picnic tables were painted, window trim whitewashed, weeds whacked, and stray lumber stowed in preparation for another year of community sailing.

We welcomed 170 new sailors to the waterfront at our third annual Open House May 23^rd. Our Ynglings, 420s, Sea Sprite, Catalina, and a guest J24 plied the waters of Portland Harbor for several hours of a cool but hazy May Sunday, introducing our guests to the quiet fun of boats under sail. With our Adult Sailing classes underway, and Junior Program preparing to launch its first session June 28^th, several participants decided some sailing lessons might be just the thing for the coming summer. Photographer Dean Abramson caught some nice photos of the day on the bay.

A wild and wacky morning of thunder squalls was not enough to dampen the spirits of sixteen Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing crews and dozens of orange-shirted SailMaine sailors participating in the second annual SailMaine Shakedown regatta, co-sponsored by SailMaine and GMORA. After the squalls passed, the assembled fleet waited for the predicted southerly to fill. Though a bit weak, the breeze filled in just enough for PRO Ted Smith to conduct three races for the fleet. Sailing skills burnished, the crews later enjoyed an evening Pig Roast under the regatta tent. Regatta results are here, with pictures here.

The regatta brought some veteran racers and new sailors from Sail Maine's High School, Junior, and Adult sailing programs together for some really great sailing and camaraderie. Thanks to the participants, and to the generosity of our sponsors GMORA, RBC Wealth Management, Pollard Builders, the Price Family, Portland Beverage, Handy Boat Service, and Gritty McDuffs, we raised close to $6000 in support of our educational community sailing programs.

October 19, 2009
Leafer's Last Leg Regatta and SailMaine Soirée help keep SailMaine going.
Click for Regatta Results.
Click for Soirée photo gallery.

The second edition of these fall events brought seven Yngling and 420 teams, four Open 420s, and four J-24s out on the bay the afternoon of October 17th, and SailMaine supporters together later at the Portland Marine Complex for an evening of fun and fundraising. Thanks to the sailors, sponsors, volunteers, and generous attendees and donors who made Saturday a great success.

September 2, 2009
Leafer's Last Leg and SailMaine Soirée coming up Saturday, October 17th

The 2009 Edition of the Leafer's Last Leg Regatta is coming back to Portland Harbor. Eighteen of SailMaine's 420s and our eight Ynglings will be on the water, along with boats and crews from the local J24, Etchells and Laser fleets. After the Regatta, our second annual Soirée featuring a silent auction, cash bar, complimentary hors d'oevres and musical entertainment is happening at Portland Yacht Services. Both events raise funds to support our educational programs for young and old sailors. Visit the event pages for these two great happenings, and save the date!

June 11, 2009
Regatta raises thousands for SailMaine - Racing Results here

Twenty young sailors got an introduction to big boat racing and more than $4,000 was raised to support community sailing at SailMaine’s inaugural big boat regatta last Saturday, June 6. Skippers and crews from the Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing Association (GMORA) fleet invited participants from SailMaine instruction programs for youth, high school and college students, and adults to join them for a day of fun and competition in Portland Harbor.
“We accomplished everything we set out to do with this regatta. It was great to see our students in their bright orange shirts working with crew mates on the big boats from the GMORA fleet,” said regatta organizer Sarah Helming. “And the weather was perfect, with sunny skies and 12-15 knot winds. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.”
Following the race, about 100 participants gathered for a shore side party that included a pig roast and live music.
“We’re grateful to our sponsors (GMORA, Pollard Builders and RBC Dain Rauscher) and all the volunteers who worked so hard to put this all together,” said Helming. “We also appreciate the GMORA skippers and crews who invited SailMaine students aboard their boats. It was a real boost to our mission to promote the sport of sailing in Maine and give new sailors a way to get started through our program.”
The Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing Association is a not-for-profit, charitable corporation formed to act as an amateur athletic organization to promote yacht racing, including international yacht racing in the ocean waters of the Gulf of Maine. GMORA maintains a web site at www.gmora.org.

June 11, 2009
265 set sail at SailMaine's Open House

SailMaine's second annual Open House took place this year on Sunday, May 31st on a sunny and breezy day. Two hundred sixty five newcomers to SailMaine came down and waited in a quick line to enjoy a brisk sail on Casco Bay. Turnout was nearly double last year's, and all who wanted to got some time on the water, despite the lack of SailMaine's largest vessel available for sailing.

Boats that were skippered by experienced volunteer sailors were SailMaine's own Catalina 22, Seasprite 24, four Ynglings, four 420s, and a Pearson 28 made available for the event by a SailMaine coach. Visitors that opted to stay ashore were given rigging demonstrations on two of SailMaine's smallest boats, an Optimist and a Frosty. Some of SailMaine's junior instuctors were on site to teach knots and answer questions about the smaller boats that were fully rigged, sails luffing, on shore.

With the wind ever building and storm clouds looming in the south, SailMaine's thirty volunteers quickly wrapped up the event a little before 3pm, just before a downpour. The day was a great success: new sailors were signed up for classes, and two local news stations aired footage and information about SailMaine following the Open House. We're already looking forward to next year!

April 28, 2009
New England Fleet Racing Championship - Sunday, April 26th, 2009 Results

A great, if shifty, day of sailing for 15 teams. A full regatta report, including video, is here. Thanks to all for coming.

April 23, 2009
New England Fleet Racing Championship - Sunday, April 26th, 2009

SailMaine is hosting the O'Day Championship, also known as the High School Fleet Race New England Championship. Schools from all over New England will be competing to sail in this event. Teams that sail out of SailMaine are: Cape Elizabeth High School, Cheverus High School, Falmouth High School and Portland High School. These teams are hoping to qualify for Sunday's contest in sailing Saturday, April 25th at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, NH.

The racing will take place off SailMaine's Casco Bay Boating Center site located adjacent to Portland Yacht Services, 58 Fore St Portland ME. 04101. The Boating Center is a great spot to watch the action.

April 15, 2009
Hey, Suddenly it's Spring!

SailMaine has a lot to talk about!

The spring High School season is going strong, with teams from Portland High School, Cape Elizabeth High School, Cheverus High School, and our Southern Maine High School conglomerate team practicing daily down at the Casco Bay Community Boating Center. Follow the action from our High School Sailing pages.

We're teaming up with Points East Magazine and Handy Boat Service to host a Crew Match Party Wednesday, May 6th at Handy Boat, 215 Foreside Road in Falmouth, 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Skippers looking for crew, and crew looking for a boat can mix and meet. Complimentary hors d'oevres and refreshments will be available.

Our annual Open House will take place at the Casco Bay Boating Center Saturday, May 31. Boat rides, tours, nautical lessons, and more. Last year, Over one hundred thirty people joined us for an afternoon of sailing, hot dogs, and cameraderie. Wind Game, our Ericson 35, was kept busy all afternoon with full crews of new sailors touring the harbor, in the company of our eight Ynglings and some of our 420s. Come on down to the boating center May 31st and see what SailMaine community sailing has to offer.

The inaugural SailMaine Regatta, co-sponsored by SailMaine and the Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing Association will be held at the Boating Center Saturday, June 6th. Registration information and other details will be posted soon.

January 10, 2009
Early Winter Update

The 2008 Frostbiting series concluded early due to the amazingly bad weather of December 21st. Competition was fierce especially at the top of the fleet, with Andrew Carey's “Sneezy, Wheezy, Grumpy” team just edging out Win Fowler's “Family Unit”. The Family Unit team of Win, his daughter Sherry, and her husband Jim Mason lost by dint of one OCS on the very first race day. All nine teams had a great time out on the water in fine fall weather.

Cheverus Co-Captain Ian Conners led a team of young volunteers in completing an Eagle Scout project procuring and installing a photovoltaic energy supply for SailMaine's shed. In addition, Portland Yacht Services extended its electrical service drop to provide reliable hardwired power to our site. Special thanks from SailMaine to both Ian and Phin Sprague of PYS for lighting us up for this winter and beyond

We've also done a bit of site work here online, as you may have noticed. Our goal was to make the site easier to read, navigate and to present the timeliest information to our sailors with fewer clicks. We're not done yet. Look for more pictures and videos, and some more sailing links to be added as the year goes on.

November 15, 2008
Frostbiting, Leafer's Last Leg Regatta, SailMaine Soirée

The eight edition of frostbiting in Ynglings at SailMaine got underway October 26th, and will run through December 21st. Nine teams are rotating through our eight Ynglings every Sunday afternoon. Come on down to the waterfront to watch. Visit the Frostbiting page to follow the action, see some pictures, and get the scores.

Saturday, November 8th saw eleven 420s and eight Ynglings out in the harbor competing in the Leafer's Last Leg Regatta. Eight 420s joined the Ynglings to form a two division racing team, affording an opportunity for some parents to join their young sailors in some fun competition at SailMaine. Later that evening, the competitors and friends of SailMaine gathered at Portland Yacht Services for the first annual SailMaine Soirée, which featured musical entertainment provided by Richter Ensembles, a silent auction, refreshments, and the presentation of awards for the day's racing. The Soirée and the Regatta raised funds in support of SailMaine's efforts to bring affordable access to sailing to the communities of greater Portland and Casco Bay. A big thank you to all who sponsored the event and to all who attended. Regatta results are here.

August 25, 2008
Season wrap-up, the John Ford Regatta

Casco Bay Junior Sailing wound up a busy and fun season last Friday. 184 young sailors were introduced to the sport, or honed their sailing skills in three 3 week sessions. One highlight of the season was the tenth annual John Ford Regatta, held at SailMaine on Wednesday the 20th. The turn out for racing in our fleet of Frostys was fantastic! Though most of the day was filled with big breeze that even our advanced sailing class couldn't contend with, race committee and sailors alike were pleased to see the clouds part and the wind die down a bit. Sixteen sailors under age thirteen came down to participate, and our Frosty instructor Kyle Randall served as Race Committee and led a great Skippers Meeting that introduced our younger sailors to the race course. All in all, the evening breeze facilitated a great set of races and between the colorful boats and the medals given to all, fun was had by everyone!