After a successful Commissioning Week, the SYC Sailing Program is ready for the sailors to arrive. Island walkers noticed Turnabouts being ferried from their winter havens where they may have been nestled in driveways, under decks and stashed away in garages. In addition to the Turnabout fleet, SYC instructors also launched the 420 fleet last week and prepared the Junior Building for the students to arrive.

Monday morning June 27 marked the start of the sailing program for 2022.There were some excited children gathered around the benches of the Junior Building. After the inaugural swim tests, the morning class set sail in Cozy Harbor with 15 Turnabouts underway. Parents and Grandparents enjoyed coffee on the deck while watching the swim tests. Program Director Will Jacobs and Assistant Director Shannon Killian have returned for another wonderful summer of sailing at SYC. 

The first race of the season went off with a bang. The Norma Smith Memorial Turnabout Race had 10 boats on the line for Saturday’s race in a stiff southerly. Nate Phippen, Hazen Weathers, and Graydon Smith took first in the Junior Division while Anne Grimes Rand and Sue Jacobs Apolinsky tied for first in the adult category. 

Pete Smith, Rear Commodore, has developed a robust  racing calendar this season. Racing starts this week for the bigger boats with Rhodes 19 One Design racing kicking off the new summer series on Friday at 4:30 p.m.  Social hour to follow, of course. All are welcome for impromptu beverages on the porch following racing. Saturday is the Hendricks Head Open Race with the first gun at 1 p.m. The tradition of staging  the awards ceremony at SYC following the race will continue.  Sunday, July 3 is the Firecracker Turnabout Race at 1 p.m. - all ages are welcome - with awards after the race in both the Junior and Senior Divisions. New this summer is Ladies Sailing on Friday mornings at 10.

The summer kicks off with our Members Meeting at SYC on Saturday morning, July 2 at 10. Our social chair, Janet Duchaine, has spent the last few months finalizing plans to get us all together to enjoy each other’s company. This weekend is the opening reception hosted by Commodore Chip Baker on Saturday at 6 p.m. Next weekend is a wine tasting on Saturday with a Lobster Bake the following weekend hosted by Cozy’s Dockside. 

We are eager to start the summer on Southport and enjoy many beautiful Maine days on the water!