Women’s Sailing Association of Orange County members, thank you for supporting our newly appointed Board of Directors for 2026. It was wonderful to see our members reconnect at our January meeting at BCYC, and now we will launch into our 2026 season on the water.
This month, you will have an opportunity to sail, socialize, and enjoy everything that makes our club special. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to sign up for the NWSA/SCYA Women’s Sailing Conference at the Long Beach Yacht Club on March 20-22. Women from across the nation will come together for camaraderie, networking, and to expand their skill sets to continue growing the community and advancing the sport of sailing. Alli Bell (winner of Transpac and a speaker at one of our meetings) and some of our very own WSA-OC members: Barbara Lawler, Maureen Vild, and Colleen Clay were chosen to be some of the instructors!
I encourage you to come out and be part of the fun- these shared experiences are what build our strong WSA-OC community.
We have numerous opportunities for you to volunteer your time and talents, as well as planned activities for you to attend and get to know us better.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and join our WSA-OC Members-Only Group on Facebook to stay up to date on our members and events.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has helped ensure our smooth transitions and preparations for the new year. The teamwork and dedication I see remind me how lucky we are to have such a wonderful club.
I look forward to seeing you on the water this month!
As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, it’s time to get out on the water!
As your Vice Commodore, I am looking forward to planning and executing our On-The-Water Events for 2026.
The first OTW will be a Galentine’s Day Event on
Date: February 15th
Location: Long Beach, CA
Time: 11:30 am – 3:30 pm.
If you own a boat in Long Beach or Newport and want to join the celebration, please let me know so we can take out more ladies for a day on the water.
Please mark your calendars for these upcoming 2026 OTW events:
February 15th Galentine’s Day – Long Beach March 15th St Paddy’s Day – Newport Beach April 11th Spring Fling - (Location TBD) May 31st Full Moon Sail – (Location TBD) June 20th Summer SAILstice - (Location TBD) July 16th - 19th Annual Trip to Catalina –Two Harbors
We extend our sincere and deep appreciation to our incredibly dedicated boat owner members who selflessly share their cherished boats and valuable time, thereby transforming OTW events into the most anticipated experiences with WSA-OC.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on the water!!
I am thrilled to share that our February General Meeting will be held at a new location, the Dana Point Yacht Club, and we’re kicking it off with an outstanding guest speaker you won’t want to miss.
On February 11, 2026, we welcome Vicki Vedder Sweet, who will present “Beyond Band-Aids: Practical Shipboard First Aid.” This engaging and informative talk is designed specifically for boaters and promises to deliver real-world knowledge you can actually use on the water.
Vicki is (still!) trying to retire after more than 40 years as an emergency nurse. While she no longer works in a hospital, she continues to teach paramedics and EMTs and volunteers with Orange County Sheriff Air Rescue paramedics, so her experience is both deep and current.
A sailor at heart, Vicki has been an avid racer for over 20 years, completing 13 Newport-to-Ensenada (N2E) races with all-female crews. Although she’s currently on “injury leave” from sailing and racing, she remains actively involved at Dana Point Yacht Club as a Race Committee member, often running the mark-set boat, and she proudly serves as DPYC’s Fleet Surgeon.
Having seen and experienced her share of boating injuries, Vicki brings a unique blend of emergency medical expertise and on-the-water realism to this presentation. Her talk will focus on practical first aid for boaters, moving beyond theory to what really matters when help may be miles away.
Meeting Details Date: February 11, 2026 Time: 6:30 PM Happy Half Hour | 7:00 PM Meeting Location: Dana Point Yacht Club 24399 Dana Drive Dana Point, CA 92629
Come early to socialize and grab a bite to eat. Free parking is available.
No reservations are necessary.
*Non-members are welcome and encouraged to attend the February 11 General Membership Meeting. Guests may attend up to two meetings to evaluate the club and decide whether to join. If you’re not a current member and would like to join, you can do so here: https://wsaoc.org/membership
If you have questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with Linda Kiernan, Rear Commodore, at Rearcommodore@wsaoc.org - Cell 949-201-9336
Happy Birthday to the following members:
Andrea Mander February 4th Alicia Alarcon February 5th Maureen Reynosa February 6th Sandy Whiteside February 11th Rebekah Baptiste February 14th Mary Longpre February 14th Scott Barnes February 19th Regine Smet February 23rd Marie Rogers February 22nd Mary Bacon February 27th Laura Nelson February 27th
Ahoy, mates!
Philanthropy is excited to announce two new initiatives.
First, we plan to support “Hats for Sailors”, a charity that sends handmade hats to sailors on US Navy and US Coast Guard ships. If knitting or crocheting doesn’t interest you, don’t worry, we can make hats with a loom. And the best news is that WSA-OC is buying our initial supplies to get us started. Yay!
Second, we are creating a new partnership with the Mariners Group of the Girl Scouts of Orange County. We have a blank slate and can even create a joint WSA-OC-Girl Scout badge. Very exciting! Sign up for an organizational meeting for one or both of these new initiatives at philanthropy@wsaoc.org or text Greta at 336-706-5046.
Next, it’s that time of the year to think about the Annual Festival of the Whales/Cardboard Classic Dinghy Dash to take place at Dana Point on Saturday, March 7. While Philanthropy will sponsor a dinghy team (not WSA-OC this year), Membership is organizing volunteers to staff our booth. Contact our new Membership Director, Jeanette Jordan, at membership@wsaoc.org to volunteer. Guaranteed fun!
2/21 Sat SCYA Midwinter Regatta at DPYC PHRF Spin DPYC DP Ocean
2/21 Sat Super Sabot Saturday/SCYA Midwinters Sr. Sabot BYC NB Lower
2/22 Sun SCYA Midwinter Regatta PHRF/PHRF Non Spin ALYC NB Newport Pier
2/22 Sun Midwinter Regatta (Series Race) All classes LMVYC LMV
2/22 Sun SCYA Midwinter Regatta at DPYC PHRF Spin DPYC
2/21 Sat SCYA Midwinter Regatta Harbor 2/20 BCYC NB North Basin
LIYC
22 Sun Harbor 20 Adult Sailing Clinic Harbor 20
"Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit."
Brooks Atkinson
WSA-OC Mission Statement
Women's Sailing Association-Orange County is dedicated to enriching the lives of women through expanded access to sailing-related activities and educational opportunities. WSA-OC is committed to preserving and protecting our oceans and contributing to our local community through on-the-water philanthropic activities.
WSA-OC is committed to providing reasonable accommodation in its programs and activities for individuals with disabilities. Those who require a reasonable accommodation should contact commodore@wsaoc.org at least one week in advance, where possible, to make a request
Women's Sailing Association - Orange County, PO Box 11041, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States
