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Lake Minnetonka, MN, USA

1100 Eastman Lane Wayzata, MN 55391

952-470-1468

COORDINATES

N 44° 57.951 W 93° 30.164

We are located in scenic Wayzata MN, on the western edge of Minneapolis Minnesota, USA

© 2024 Wayzata Yacht Club, All rights reserved.

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Education , Featured , Outdoors

Wayzata Sailing Shows Sailors of All Ages the Ropes

by Jennifer Pitterle | May 2024

Lake Minnetonka serves as an outdoor classroom for those interested in sailing. On this day, adults take their turn learning the ropes, which can bring a lifetime of recreation and enjoyment. Photos: Chris Emeott

Wayzata Sailing proves it’s never too late to start a new adventure.

Ask anyone involved in Wayzata Sailing, the longtime community sailing center on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, and they’ll be quick to mention something really, really important to them: Sailing should be accessible and affordable for anyone who wants to try it. “We’re about access, adventure, lifelong education and a primary pathway to sailing,” says executive director Matthew Thompson. “That’s a little different from a typical sailing school or yacht club. We’re much more ‘lens out’ toward the community.”

Wayzata Sailing first grew, organically, as part of the Wayzata Yacht Club. (The two organizations still share their shoreline property.) To create a pipeline to help new sailors work up to racing with the yacht club, Wayzata Sailing started offering lessons and formal instruction. “A lot of people’s first experience with sailing is jumping on a boat and learning how to race,” Thompson says. “Our goal is to give people a base of understanding and empower them to sail themselves.”

“Our goal is to give people a base of understanding and empower them to sail themselves,” says executive director Matthew Thompson.

Sailor Ann Vidoloff says Wayzata Sailing’s adult lessons are a hidden gem. She’d tried sailing more than 20 years ago and loved it, but then “life happened,” she says. A few years ago—in her 50s—she took the plunge with lessons and hasn’t looked back. “It’s a great way to meet other people interested in sailing and a great way to sail without the pressure of learning in the middle of a race,” Vidoloff says.

Wayzata Sailing offers small-group adult lessons based on U.S. Sailing’s keelboat curriculum. Level 1 focuses on basics, like rigging and steering; level 2 adds points of sail, departure and docking; and level 3 builds on anchoring, navigation and more. Students run the gamut from casual sailors, who just want to spend time on the lake, to folks like Vidoloff, who completed keelboat certification and is working toward her keelboat instructor certification.

Around 150 adults signed up for programming last year, including lessons and special programs like the Girl Talk series. “On Tuesday nights throughout the summer, women get together and talk about sailing and go out on boats at your comfort level,” Vidoloff says. “I love that … in this all-female environment, they feel empowered.” Girl Talk, like many other open-sail times at the organization, is $25 for three sessions. “Sailing here isn’t just physically accessible—it’s economically affordable,” she says. “You can come and practice in a dinghy or work on your knots. It really builds the community.”

All knots are not created equal as evident with this wall of knots at the Wayzata Sailing Center. How many can you tie?

One passionate Wayzata Sailing instructor is Lucas Haarstad. He started sailing on a team in high school and quickly found Wayzata Sailing to be a great fit. He’s taught keelboat classes and kids’ camps. “I really like being able to share this sport that brings me so much joy,” Haarstad says. “To get people introduced to sailing in just a few lessons is much less intimidating than trying to learn with a friend who happens to have a boat.”

Haarstad especially enjoys teaching adult lessons. “They want to be there and are invested,” he says. “It’s a smaller group, so we can tailor the experience to what students are trying to get out of it.” Haarstad—whose degree is in physics and math—says he loves teaching newcomers how the boat actually works. “A lot of people have this intuitive understanding that the wind is what makes the boat move,” he says. “But what are the mechanisms of that? It’s fun to explain how that actually works.”

Whether you’re a sailing-physics expert like Haarstad or simply a lake lover, Thompson encourages adults of any age to try something new this summer. “If you’re worried about not being strong enough or not fitting in, there is a type of boat or sailing community that fits you,” he says. “Wayzata Sailing is about a different way to enjoy the lake together. It’s something that’s really captured me.”

Windward Words

Looking to jumpstart your sailing education with some cool vocabulary? Here are some useful terms:

Boom: The horizontal spar extending back from the mast

Bow and Stern: The front and back, respectively, of the boat

Downwind: The direction of sail with the wind coming over the back of the boat

Helm: Where sailors steer the boat; usually a wheel or a tiller used to control the rudder

Jib: The sail forward of the mast, without a boom

Keel: The weighted vertical fin at the bottom of the boat, which reduces tipping and keeps the boat from sliding sideways

Lines: Ropes

Mainsail: The biggest sail, attached to the mast and the boom

Mast: The vertical post (or “spar”) in the middle of the boat, from which the sails are set

Tacking: Turning the bow of the boat from one direction to another (from a zig to a zag)

Upwind: The direction of sail close to where the wind is coming from (A boat can’t sail directly into the wind.)

Registration for summer lessons is now open at wayzatasailing.org .

Wayzata Sailing Mike Plant Community Boathouse, 456 Arlington Circle, Wayzata; 952.476.5875 Facebook: Wayzata Sailing Instagram: @wayzatasailing

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Featured Article

Wayzata Minnesota: “Sailing Town USA”

How you can be part of a rich sailing tradition on Lake Minnetonka

Article by Thomas Brown

Photography by Thomas Brown

Originally published in Lake Minnetonka Lifestyle

On any given day of the week, it's common to look from the shores of Lake Minnetonka and see the lake dotted with large clusters of sailboats. With groups often more than a hundred strong they crisscross the lake with their graceful and colorful sails in a seemingly random fashion. However, they are part of organized races that occur nearly every day of the week. That’s a lot of boats and racing events, even if you are talking about a large coastal city. This has not gone unnoticed at the national and world level, so much so that US Sailing, the primary organization which has administered the sport of yachting in the United States since 1897, lauds Lake Minnetonka’s Wayzata as one of the top ten “sailing towns” in the USA. This is a well-deserved and not easily attained status that is recognized the world over. That’s saying a lot when the competition for this honor is the likes of San Diego, New York, or Seattle.

A Rich History Competitive yachting began on Lake Minnetonka about the same time as what is referred to as the ‘resort period,' generally recognized to be the early 1880s. With the lake providing its inviting, cooling summer breezes to the heat-stricken city, residents and people wasted no time, taking advantage of the ‘free air conditioning’ of a sailboat. That and consider an old saying amongst sailors: “when two sailboats are within sight of each other, there is a race.” Thus are the beginnings of the competitive yachting scene on Lake Minnetonka. With national-level regattas dating as far back as the 1890s, Lake Minnetonka became and continues to hold its own as a venue and origin of championships and champion sailors at the world level.

Yacht Clubs Abound On Lake Minnetonka With this momentum, it wasn’t long before the first social club involving competitive yachting was established with the Minnetonka Yacht Club in 1882 (minnetonkayachtclub.org) on the Lighthouse Island enclave, just offshore from Deephaven.

Tom Burton, a lifelong sailor on the lake probably says it best in describing the length and depth of the tradition. “I am especially proud of my family’s five generations or 140 years of sailing as members of the Minnetonka Yacht Club, co-founded by my great grandfather Hazen Burton.”

Since then, three other yacht clubs have formed, Wayzata (wyc.org, est. 1965), Upper Minnetonka (in Mound, umyc.org, est.1963), and Shorewood (as a part of Tonka Bay Marina, tonkabaymarina.com, est. 1979). Each of them has now been a key part of the competitive yachting scene for many decades.

The shores of Lake Minnetonka also boast two highly regarded sailing schools: Wayzata Sailing (wayzatasailing.org) and Lake Minnetonka (lmss.us). Each of them hosts at least 1,000 students per season ranging from kids aged seven up to adults. The sailing schools not only give youngsters the foundational skills, but they also give adult newbies the basics on which to take their new sport to their own boats or even explore the world. The sailing schools also facilitate secondary and college-level competition, drawing sailing teams from all over the country. As a result, Lake Minnetonka has been continuously developing world-recognized sailors up to and including the Olympic medal levels, inviting international competition to its waters ever since.

The Yacht Racing Culture Of Lake Minnetonka (and its surrounding communities) Let’s not forget the skippers and crews that make these boats go and where they come from. On any given summer weekend, there can be as many as a thousand sailors participating in competitive events across the lake. Not only are these participants present on the lake when they race, but they are also members of the community and patrons of the businesses where they keep and prepare their boats. On any given race day near the communities that have a yacht club, the bustle and excitement ‘in town’ is readily apparent. The enthusiasm is especially palpable in the spring after the long hiatus. 

"It’s that time of year when yacht racing holds the sport’s fascination for sailors and onlookers alike,” reported the  Minneapolis Tribune in August of 1933.

One of the things that is distinctive about the Lake Minnetonka competitive yachting culture is its inclusive nature. At Wayzata Yacht Club, for example, there is a table sign that’s displayed before every race: ‘Reserved For: Crew Looking For A Ride.' Different from many of the big coastal yacht clubs with membership card access only, the tradition of the Lake Minnetonka yacht clubs has always been to include newcomers just wanting to try it out. A newcomer only needs to show up at the table before a race to be welcomed onto a boat. Many a newcomer has visited this table, only to still be sailing decades later.

“I was fortunate to be invited aboard as a crew member of a local yacht club boat for a race event. It was exciting and fun and even though I was nervous knowing very little about sailing, the crew was warm, fun, and very welcoming. I now know why people love this sport,” shares Matt Jerome, a local resident and new sailing crew member.

The result is a rich yachting tradition and unique culture that mixes first-time sailors with experienced champions, often even sailing on the same boat together. Visit any of the yacht clubs on a ‘race day’ and it’s easy to see why the yachting culture on Lake Minnetonka has thrived well into its third century. While the boats have evolved over the years, the culture of inclusivity and friendly competition from the gilded age to today has not, and the Wayzata title of “Sailing Town USA” continues to be well deserved.

You can be a part of this too. Why not look at one of the clubs or sailing schools mentioned above and give becoming part of “Sailing Town USA” a try?

Published on July 9th, 2015 | by Editor

Fifty Years of Growing the Sport

Published on July 9th, 2015 by Editor -->

Formed in 1965 to comply with zoning laws, the original land for the Wayzata Yacht Club (WYC) was purchased by 15 sailors for $12,000. Over the past 50 years, this private sailboat racing club in Wayzata, MN has evolved from 350-feet of lakeshore that contained a port-a-potty, two parking spaces and buoys and slips for 60 boats to 600-members with two parking lots and a marina that holds 186 boats.

“In the 1960s, boat launches on Lake Minnetonka could not accommodate sailboats with larger keels. The only place to launch a keelboat was at Reed’s Quiet World, a fiberglass sailboat dealership with a small marina,” explains Pat Maloney, past commodore of WYC. “When the city approached them about violating zoning laws, the owner of the dealership contacted mooring rental customers to purchase the land for use as a private sailing yacht club. This was the inception of the Wayzata Yacht Club.”

WYC is family-friendly, non-exclusive and welcomes people of all backgrounds and ages that are interested in learning how to race sailboats. The WYC small boat program, the Wayzata Community Sailing Center (WCSC) and partnerships with the University of Minnesota and several area high schools, have nurtured youth sailing and the next generations of WYC members.

“We have an environment of affordability. Most of the people in the club are middle to upper-middle class,” says Bert Foster, past commodore and longtime board member. “In my judgment, the club has more women sailing, racing and helming, than any other yacht club in the world. I’ll be in a regatta somewhere else with 500 people and they’ll have 30 women. But at Wayzata we’ll have 500 people on a Thursday night and 200 of them will be women.”

“I think one of the biggest successes of the Wayzata Yacht Club is our Thursday night races,” explains past commodore David Onan. “We often have 120 boats and 500 people on the race course. That’s a lot of boats and people. This tells me that folks have a great time at our club. It also points to the success of the yacht club itself.”

To expand awareness of sailing and strengthen the member-base, the club also offers sailing seminars and on-the-water training sessions that are open to the public. Special sailing experiences have also been organized for individuals from the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, disabled veterans and persons with impaired vision. In addition, aspiring sailors with some or no experience can visit the crew waiting for a ride table on any race day for the opportunity to race on a sailboat.

Contiguous land was purchased over several years from various parties. One of these acquisitions, in 1973, included land just west of the club’s original port-a-potty, the Oak Grove Marina, which included run-down family cabins from the late 1800s. The property that is now the east crew parking lot was originally owned by the railroad and was purchased along with a nearby homestead in 1985 for $20,000. The Wise Boat Works and an island pavilion were obtained in 1985 and are now the west parking lot and additional marina space.

“The club’s most crowning achievement is the creation of a culture of passion for sailboat racing,” explains Foster. “Our sailors are crazy, passionate sailboat racers.”

The club is home to many one-design and PERF fleets, including Sonar, Ensign, Opti, 470, J/70, J/24, J/22, S2 7.9, Capri 25, Laser and more. WYC started one-design fleet #1 for J/22 and J/24 sailboats. There are now 56 J/22 fleets in the United States with additional fleets globally and over 40 member nations in the J/24 class.

The club also hosts national events, including the Junior Olympics and several regattas. Many of the WYC racers have achieved impressive results in North American and World competitions as well as Paralympic and Olympic Games. With remarkable stats like this, it is no accident that Wayzata was voted one of the top sailing towns by Sailing World magazine.

Over the years, many members of WYC crewed in Bayfield, WI during race week with the Apostle Island Yacht Club (AIYC). This yacht club offered Wayzata sailors exciting big boat racing, in a beautiful setting on Lake Superior. As members of AIYC began to retire, they approached WYC to pump new life into Bayfield racing. In 1996, the WYC expanded north to create the Apostle Islands Station (AIS) on Lake Superior in Bayfield.

The most recent land expansion for the Wayzata sailing community was in 2007. A home and land next to the west parking lot was purchased using funds from a generous donation by past commodore Denny Sanford and an army of smaller donors. A separate entity from the WYC, this property is now the growing Wayzata Community Sailing School.

For information on learning how to sail, visit wyc.org . To view video excerpts, see photographs and read stories about the formation and success of WYC, visit history.wyc.org .

Tags: growing the sport , Wayzata Yacht Club

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Make waves in one of these local sailing schools so you can come sail away.

by Drew Wood

June 6, 2016

Sail boats at Lake Minnetonka Sailing School

Photo courtesy of Lake Minnetonka Sailing School

This page is available to subscribers. Sign up to Daily Edit to get unlimited access .

Always felt like sailing wasn’t for you? Lake Minnetonka Sailing School executive director Sam Rogers , who is also a professional racer competing internationally in events like the World Match Race Tour and Grand Prix World and National Championships, begs to differ.

On sailing stereotypes…

You don’t need a captain’s hat, blue blazer, or even a boat. With community education sailing programs on [many local lakes], there are plenty of opportunities to learn.

On small lake sailing…

Local sailing can be exhilarating. Figuring out patterns in shifty wind conditions or how to make the boat sail as fast as possible to the next patch of wind are just a few of the challenges.

• Lake Minnetonka Sailing School
• Wayzata Community Sailing Center
• Wayzata Yacht Club
• Minnetonka Yacht Club
• White Bear Lake Yacht Club
• Lake Calhoun Sailing
• Lake Harriet Sailing

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The Wayzata Yacht Club is a racing club comprised of active and progressive racing fleets. We are home to the founding J/24 and J/22 fleets in the world, and have long standing and innovative one design fleets of Capri 25, Sonar, Ensign and S2 7.9.  We also offer PHRF and MORC with active and competitive racing programs for any keelboat. 

Additional fleets are affiliated with WYC. The Lake Superior racers of the Apostle Islands race as part of the Wayzata Yacht Club as our Apostle Islands Station. We host Laser District 21 racing and are home to an active youth racing programs.  

We also sponsor groups for youth racing, match racing, and cruising.

Commodore:  Beth Frampton    Manager:  Steve Bren    Emergency Contact: 612-701-3230 Treasurer:  Paul Quast  -  Secretary: Ernest Brody - Rear Commodore: Randy Gould Wayzata Yacht Club - 1100 Eastman Lane, Wayzata MN 55391 - 952-473-0352 - map We are committed to the promotion of sailboat racing competition!

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• University of Minnesota Sailing Team, Minnesota, United States

United States

Sailing / Yacht Club

University of Minnesota Sailing Team

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Contact Person

Founded Year

Starting in 1998 as a club sport, the University of Minnesota Sailing team has grown significantly from a humble, three person team to become a jugernaught of the Midwest Collegiate Sailing Association (MCSA) and a plyaer on the national scene. The travels of the team has brought great growth to these students, both on and off the water. Today we are continuing to build the team and attend as many regattas as possible and are still showing the MCSA and occasionally in the ICSA (International Collegeate Sailing Association) that we are a force to be reckoned with. Cappy Capper is still our coach and the Wayzata Sailing School has just purchased the Rosekrans Property which will eventually become a state of the art sailing facility to be used by the high schoolers as well as the University of Minnesota Sailing Team.

456 Arlington Cir

[email protected]

Contact Person Email

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~sailrace/

Fleets of the International Sonar Class Association

Note: A fleet must have a minimum of three Sonars owners with boats who are either Regular or Associate Members of the Class.

Fleet # 1 Location – Darien, CT Noroton Yacht Club contact – Garin Pace and Jan Raymond e-mail – [email protected] , [email protected]

Fleet # 5 Lake Minnetonka, MN Organization – Wayzata Yacht Club

Founded in 1965, the Wayzata Yacht Club (WYC) hosts up to 130 keel sailboats on Thursday nights on Lake Minnetonka.  As of 2018, there are 23 registered Sonars with it being one of the top active fleets in the club.  The lake is also home to the Minnetonka Yacht Club (MYC) founded in 1882, Shorewood Yacht Club (SYC) founded in 1974, and Upper Minnetonka Yacht Club (UMC). Location – Wayzata, MN Website – Wayzata Yacht Club Sonar Fleet (Contacts) Sailing School –  Wayzata Community Sailing Center

Fleet # 9 Location – Rochester NY contact – Skip Shumway e-mail – [email protected] contact – Eric Voss e-mail – [email protected]

There are six privately owned Sonars sailing out of the RYC, and eight club boats.  The club boats are used for adult sail instruction and are also available for members to charter.  We primarily fleet race on Tuesday nights during the spring and summer, but we have also done some team and match racing.  This year the RYC will be hosting the US Match Racing Championship on September 21-24,2023, and it will be sailed in Sonars. https://www.ussailing.org/competition/championships/2023-u-s-match-racing-championship/

Fleet # 11 Location – Manhasset Bay, NY contact – William McCollum e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 12 Location – St. Petersburg, FL

We have 4 Sonars available for charter. Two are wet-sailed and have painted bottoms and two are days ailed. We operate out of the St. Petersburg Sailing Center; which is operated by the St. Petersburg Y.C; and is one of the most active sailing facilities in the U.S hosting numerous regional and national regattas For more information on Sonar Fleet 12, or the St. Petersburg Sailing Center please contact: St. Petersburg Sailing Center – 727.822.3113- [email protected] St. Petersburg Sailing Center website – https://sailstpete.org

Fleet # 13 Location – Texas Corinthian, Houston, TX contact – Pierce Owens e-mail – fleet [email protected]

Fleet # 14 Location – Marblehead, MA contact – Dave Curtis e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 15 Location – Newport, RI contact – Beth Duggan e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 16 Location – Falmouth MA

Fleet 16 is one of the younger Sonar Fleets; established in the 2007 season. We started with two Sonars being purchased by a 210 & a J-24 sailor who wanted a much more user-friendly boat in which to race. Skip Shumway was instrumental in facilitating this by allowing  us to sail a demo boat in the fall of 2006. Since that time the fleet has grown to nine boats racing three races each Saturday June through mid-September. Racing out of the Falmouth Yacht Club, on the Vineyard Sound, the fleet has created a great deal of camaraderie among all participants. All are welcomed to join us.

Feel free to contact me.

Joe Voci Fleet Captain @ [email protected] Falmouth YC web site www.falmouthyachtclub.com

Fleet # 18 Guilford, CT

Sonar Fleet #18 hails from Sachem’s Head Yacht Club (est. 1896) in Guilford, CT. The clubhouse, overlooking the Thimble Islands, serves an active racing  fleet and is a summertime community for families and juniors involved in  sailing. Our Sonar fleet has ebbed and flowed over the decades ranging  from 7 to 23 boats. There is also a club‐owned Sonar available for charter by members for weekly races or the entire season. SHYC provides for spirited Sonar racing opportunities on Saturday afternoons (as a one design) and Wednesday nights (as a PHRF) from mid‐June through Labor  Day. In addition to our weekly series races and holiday races, the club throws an ECSA regatta dubbed the “Coastal Classic” which is a 10‐20 mile coastal navigation race around fixed government marks, hosting in excess of 40 boats in various PHRF classes coming from all over Long Island Sound. This year, the Coastal Classic will be held on Saturday, August 17th. If you are interested in learning more about the club or sailing with our Sonar Fleet #18 on any of our race days, please contact one of our fleet captains at the email addresses below!

SHYC Fleet Captain (Mike Schnitt): [email protected] Sonar Fleet Captain (Charlie McClure): [email protected] Club Website: www.shyc.clubLocation – Sachems Head, CT

Fleet # 20 Location – Kinsdale, Ireland contact – John Twomey e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 22 Queens, NY

The US Merchant Marine Academy currently owns 6 Sonars for use by our midshipmen. We host collegiate-only events and compete at regional class-sanctioned regattas. Our season runs from May through October. The Yocum Sailing Center at 300 Steamboat Road, Kings Point, NY 11024-1699 is home to all our waterfront teams and activities. For more information on Fleet 22 or the United States Merchant Marine Academy please contact:

Sonar Fleet Captain – Rick Dominique, 516-726-6036,  [email protected] USMMA Website  https://www.usmma.edu/academy-life/activitiesservices/waterborne-activities To follow on Facebook: “ Kings Point Waterfront ”

Fleet # 23 Location – Nyack, NY

Fleet 23 sails out of the 104-year-old Nyack Boat Club known as “The Home of Serious Sailing Fun”. The club is situated on the west bank of the scenic Hudson River just north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. We are a very active, very competitive seven boat fleet that enjoys racing every Sunday afternoon from early May to mid-October. In addition to our regular holiday regattas we will be hosting our annual, our 20th annual, Tappan Zee Challenge regatta. We would love to have you sail with us for a weekend or the season. For more information on Sonar Fleet 23, the TZC regatta, or the Nyack Boat Club please contact

Nyack Boat Club website – http://www.nyackboatclub.org

contact – Jim Boughton e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 24 Location – Oyster Bay N.Y. contact – Marianne Nash e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 26 Location – Freeport, ME contact – Ross Cudlitz e-mail – [email protected]

Location – Lake Weatherby, MO contact – Jim Kennedy e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 35 Location – Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Sonar Fleet 35 sails out of the Lunenburg Yacht Club, Nova Scotia Canada. Our fleet is 7 years old, and has grown in size each year. We currently have 15 boats in our fleet and average ten plus boats for our anual events. What’s more, is the level of competition within our fleet has improved expoentially. On any given day, it is tough to guess what crew will come out on top.

Our club has a reputation for hosting excellent regattas including: Volvo Youth Worlds 2002, Sonar N. American’s 2014, Canadian Womens Keelboat Championship and Sonar Worlds 2017. We have a new wharf, crane and storage facilities.

Our 2019 calendar of events is as follows: • Sonar Sat. July 13 • IPYC One Design Aug. 3-5 • Chester Race Week Aug. 14-17 • Sonar Canadians LYC Aug. 31- Sept. 1 •For more information on Sonar Fleet 35 or the Lunenburg Y.C.please contact

Sonar Fleet Captain – Jonathan Chiasson   [email protected] Lunenburg Y.C. website –  http://www.lyc.ca

Fleet # 36 Location – Stuart, FL

We have about 6 boats in our Sonar fleet here in Stuart with 1-2 for sale. We are always looking for folks to join our fun little fleet. Most of the boats are older boats that are dry sailed from two local marinas. We try to race every Saturday, 52 weeks a year. We have an experienced Race Committee with power boats, but the majority of our races utilize a local Rabbit Start that we have developed to suit our racing format. We race windward/leewards/upwind finish, twice around and everyone keeps their own finishing position. All racing is in an inland body of water called the St. Lucie River. All penalties are resolved via a 360, and settled generally on the water. If not settled on the water, then at the bar afterwards. We generally sail between 3-5 races each Sat depending on weather Our group is informal as we have no club and no dues. We all get together at one of several local bars after each race to drink beer and eat fish tacos. It is my observation that we have a lot of very good experienced Sonar sailors because of the number of races we run. We would like to somehow work with the SCA to get folks from other clubs to come visit and race with us, especially in the winter when the conditions are more favorable. The two boats that are for sale here are dry stored at a local in/out marina at a reasonable cost and would be a great second boat for one of our northern brethren. If anyone is in the area contact us and we would love to show you our sailing venue.Steve Garrett

[email protected]

772-214-6785

Fleet #37 Location – New Bedford, MA contact – Paul Adam e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 38 Location – Lake Sunapee, NH contact -John Chiarella e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet # 39 Location – Chicago, IL

Fleet #39 operates out of the Chicago Park District and Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Program.  The fleet has 8 Sonars in Burnham Harbor on Lake Michigan.  Their official season is June 2 through September 6.  They host the Independence Cup in July and have a few smaller races during the season.

The Foundation address is www.juddgoldmansailing.org and the address at the harbor is [email protected]

contact – Bill James e-mail – [email protected]

Fleet #40 Location – Hampton Bay Va. contact – Justin Morris, Sr. Fleet Captain e-mail – [email protected]

StarTribune

600-plus members strong, wayzata yacht club sails on into its 50th year.

Lake Minnetonka glistened in the harsh evening sun on a recent Thursday, its waters serene and relatively empty considering its reputation as the Twin Cities' busiest lake.

But that was about to change, as more than 100 sailboats filled the bay for race night at the Wayzata Yacht Club — home to one of the largest weekly racing programs in the nation.

"There's no place in the country that looks like this," said Blake Middleton, the principal race officer. "Look at how many people are out here for this. Most clubs would be lucky to get half of this."

The west metro yacht club, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, has come a long way since it started in 1965 with 60 boat slips and 15 members. Now, the Wayzata Bay marina holds 186 boats, the club has more than 600 members and weekday races draw as many as 500 people of all ages from across the Twin Cities area.

"It grew quickly," said Bert Foster, who was one of the first members and still has a place on the club's board. "I think it's a really big deal to reach 50."

"What other sport do you get to go up against the pros?" said Kevin Kenny, a St. Louis Park attorney and longtime member who competes nationally. "We've got a special niche here."

Sometimes, though, he gets a startled reaction at national races: " 'You're from Minnesota? They've got sailing there?!' "

'Working man's yacht club'

While boating is a big part of Minnesota life (the state claims No. 1 in the nation for the number of recreational watercraft per capita), sailing numbers have taken a hit.

Registered sailboats in Minnesota have dropped by the thousands. In 1990, nearly 24,000 sailboats and sailboards were registered to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. By 2014, there were 10,173 registered sailboats. The club also has to combat stereotypes of yachting as a stuffy sport exclusive to the very wealthy.

"It's a different culture [here]," club commodore Randy Gould said, adding that the club has worked hard to make it accessible to all people.

Annual crew memberships cost $95. There's no dress code. And signs encourage anyone from the public to show up for a free ride on race day if a boat needs additional crew members.

"We're the working man's yacht club," Gould said.

And the working woman's. The Minnesota Women's Sailing Team, which promotes women in the sport, is based there. The club also partners with neighboring Wayzata Community Sailing Center, which instructs children and offers adaptive sailing. Unlike clubs that might draw mostly residents from its lake, Wayzata's attracts boaters from across the region.

"It's really welcoming and really open to everybody," said Sara Godfrey of Maplewood, who is on the women's team.

Boating and free beers

As soon as the ice goes out on Lake Minnetonka, sailboats arrive and stay on the lake until fall, soaking up Minnesota's short boating season.

Thursday night races, which take place over 14 weeks from May to September, are casual, but they're the most popular of the yacht club's 76 races.

"There's no one doing this much sailing this intensively," Middleton said.

On race day, he cruises out to set up the course based on the speed and direction of the wind. Middleton knows what he's doing, with 41 years of experience coaching and directing races. He picked up the sport when he was 10, living in nearby Deephaven, and later went on to coach at the U.S. Naval Academy and Stanford University. Now, he runs races full-time for the Minnetonka and Wayzata yacht clubs, as well as U.S. events.

On a recent Thursday, he talked excitedly as he rushed to measure the wind speed and direction. Then he and his crew plopped buoys into the water to mark the race course, creating a modified trapezoid-shaped course.

"Flag down in 10 … 9 … 8 … ."

Middleton zipped off on the boat to the finish line and waited as the boats zigzagged across the course. An hour later, the sun melted into the horizon as the first sailboats crossed the finish line.

But the night wasn't over. As dusk fell, the sailboats slowly returned to Wayzata Bay, and the yacht club's raucous social hour followed. It's almost as popular as the races themselves, with people mingling over barbecue, free beer and soda.

"There's an image of yachting as elite and expensive," Middleton said. "One of the reasons Wayzata Yacht Club is successful is it diffuses that … there's something for everybody."

Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141

Kelly Smith  covers nonprofits/philanthropy for the Star Tribune and is based in Minneapolis. Since 2010, she’s covered Greater Minnesota on the state/region team, Hennepin County government, west metro suburban government and west metro K-12 education.

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Wayzata Sailing School breaks the ice on season

Sailors from the Wayzata Sailing School got an early jump on the season on Thursday night as they practiced in front of the Wayzata Yacht Club in limited open water.

It’s a sure fire sign that spring is here and that the ice out is soon to follow.

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SCHOLASTIC SAILING RESOURCES

High school sailing is a demanding, fun, and challenging sport. Predominantly co-ed, sailors race around the country in fleets of identical boats. Join us for hard core racing, or even just if you're interested in an after school club experience. 

A one stop shop for most High School Sailing Information.

Included in our handbook :

Practice Times and Structure

Travel Policies & Chaperone Guide

Communication Guidelines

Basic calendar

Lettering Guidelines

Behavior Guide

Equipment Damage Policy

Regatta Interest Form

Attending events and traveling is exciting and a privilege that needs the support of students, staff, and parents. The Regatta Interest Form is a starting list to make event selections from. Please note that many events require selection by coaches, and the interest form indicates just that - interest - in attending. See the FAQ section below for more information & walkthrough.

NOTE: TRAVEL MUST FILL OUT BY 4/3

Travel or Local?

Not sure which session to register for? Essentially, local is for sailors interested in competing in town and on a club level. Travel is for sailors interested in pushing to a top level, with a greater interest and financial commitment to travelling (including flights) to events. Skill levels vary in both registrations. Not sure? Register for local and we'll make the move when you're ready!

• What do sailors need to bring? Anything they need to be in, out, and on the water for the day! Essentials for all lessons: - A USCG approved life jacket - Water compatible shoes - Sunscreen - Sun protection (think sleeves, hat, and sunglasses) - Dress for the weather - Water bottle + Youth Camps: - Swim suit - Towel - Spare Clothes - Warm layers - Rain jacket or spray gear - snacks + Full Day Classes: - Bag lunch (full day courses) Never Recommended: Not recommended: Expensive electronics Toys Candy
• Where do I park? Where do I drop-off / pick-up? Please review the map below before arriving! Limited parking is available directly adjacent to our building. For summer camps and instructional programming, most camps DO NOT drop off or pick up at our building. Adults, adaptive sailors, race students transporting themselves, HS students, and evening lessons may utilize this parking when available. Updated specific information may be sent the week prior to your session should adjustments be needed.
• What happens on rainy or stormy days? Rain by itself doesn’t stop us from sailing, so dress and be prepared! If we have lightning, severe wind, or inclement weather we will enact our severe weather plan or cancel class. This may include moving to tornado shelters if necessary. Our program continually monitors weather throughout the day to make sure your student is safe. WEATHER CANCELLATIONS Due to limited site capacity indoors, classes may be cancelled preemptively for days when sheltering indoors may be necessary. This decision will be made at the exclusive direction of the Executive Director. Class cancellations will be issued on the following stoplight system: 1. RED LIGHT WEATHER indicates class cancellation will be or has been made. Calls, emails, and texts will be sent to email on file. 2. YELLOW LIGHT WEATHER indicates unstable weather and only students that can be picked up within 1 hour of an unscheduled weather cancellation will be allowed to participate. Be ready for a potential RED LIGHT. 3. GREEN LIGHT WEATHER indicates there is no expected cancellation.
• Is there a good place for me to stay and watch my child? Absolutely! Each class is a bit different in timing, placement, and student needs due to weather and class composition. In general, one hour before pickup is normally a great time to arrive early and watch from your car, or outside the designated site boundary. The public dock on Arlington circle is frequently the best place! Please do not interact with students or the class. Staying out of view keeps our studens on track! If you’re interested in viewing your student during class, please reach out to your instructors. Staff are happy to accommodate requests and can suggest times and places to view from that will help you see the action while minimizing any potential for distraction. Weekly we do our best to provide a flyby opportunity to see your kids sailing from the dock. Keep an eye on your email for times and locations!
• Where is Wayzata Sailing located? Our instruction and sailing site is located at 456 Arlington Circle South, Wayzata, MN 55391. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 768, Wayzata, MN 55391
• Are boats provided? Boats are provided for all camp and adventure classes. However, in some racing classes you may see a class split into two registration pools. For example, our Laser racing class is split into “(BYO Laser)” or “(WS Laser)”. This means a class has a sign-up for the provided boats (WS Laser) and a sign-up for those that need to provide their own (BYO Laser). If you’re passionate and progressing we always suggest that you consider purchasing your own boat. This not only speeds up your learning but opens our equipment back up for new folks!
• Do I need to be able to swim to attend? Because your child will not be in or around water at any time without a properly secured life jacket, we do not require unassisted swimming skills. For sailing safety, we do require that your child be comfortable around the water and with swimming at least 40 yards in their life jacket.
• Where do I find racing/event information? Information regarding the structure of events is linked fairly directly to which race class or session you're registered for! For High School programs: Dockside For Summer Race programs: Summer Dockside For Tuesday Night programs: Summer Dockside For College programs: Please contact your team leaders directly.
• Are scholarships available? Scholarships are available for both outreach groups and individuals on a first come first serve basis. Please submit an application before registering and we’ll get back to you right away. We strive to make attendence possible for all our courses. Please submit an application before registering! Often we ask for a small copay to ensure scholarships are used and attended.
• What can scholarship funds be used for? Scholarship funds are generally only available for covering main course fees. If you select a racing course (Like HS or summer race teams) we're happy to provide support, but we are not able to cover individual costs and entry fees to external events. We'd be happy to discuss options. Get in touch!
• What happens on rainy or stormy days? Rain by itself doesn’t stop us from sailing, so dress and be prepared! If we have lightning, severe wind, or inclement weather we will enact our severe weather plan or cancel class. This may include moving to tornado shelters if necessary. Our program continually monitors weather throughout the day to make sure your student is safe. WEATHER CANCELLATIONS Due to limited site capacity indoors, classes may be cancelled preemptively for days when sheltering indoors may be necessary. This decision will be made at the exclusive direction of the Executive Director. Class cancellations will be issued on the following stoplight system: 1. RED LIGHT WEATHER indicates class cancellation will be or has been made. Calls, emails, and texts will be sent to email on file. 2. YELLOW LIGHT WEATHER indicates unstable weather and only students that can be picked up within 2 hours of an unscheduled weather cancellation will be allowed to participate. Be ready for a potential RED LIGHT. 3. GREEN LIGHT WEATHER indicates there is no expected cancellation.
• Are PFDs provided? Do I need to Purchase my own? Any USCG type III PFD will work, but obviously some are better for enjoying our sport than others! Most sailors prefer sailing or kayaking oriented life jackets due to their range of motion and higher fit chest which allows sitting more comfortably. We always have life jackets available for loan, but many folks prefer to bring their own. To test your life jacket put it on and sit down at the dinner table. A comfortably fit PFD should not ride up when they sit down, and have enough room and flexibility to eat dinner with silverware. If you can’t sit at the table or eat comfortably, you’ll probably have the same frustrations in the boat! We suggest trying on a few at a local shop like Midwest Mountaineering, West Marine, or REI.
• When are PFDs required? We require PFDs to be properly secured at all times when in or around the water. This includes wading, swimming, docks, powerboats, sailboats, on paddle boards, while winging/foiling, and any other activity near the water. Our only exceptions are footbridges to our site and to the island.
• What certifications do staff hold? Wayzata Sailing is an accredited US Sailing Community Center, which means we value equity and inclusion alongside meeting a higher educational and training standard than typical sailing schools. As part of that, US Sailing requires Wayzata Sailing staff to hold instructor certifications on a wide range of teaching, instruction, sailing, safety, and powerboat skills. Our instructional staff are certified as US Sailing Level 1 Small Boat Instructors. The highest trained staff on site is currently Level 3 Small Boat Coach instructor Trainer, a certification to provide instructor training for other instructors across the state and country. In addition to instructional and powerboat skills, US Sailing requires certified staff to also have completed and maintain current SafeSport, CDC Headsup, CPR/FA, and watercraft safety certificates.
• Are you a sailing school or a community sailing center? Community Sailing Centers are sailing schools that have been accredited by US Sailing (our sport’s national organizing body) for their safety and teaching standards, quality of staff and instruction, professionalism, equity and inclusion, and how the center offers access and enjoyment of sailing to the public. This includes regular Quality Assurance Assessments by US Sailing to ensure that we meet the standard. Wayzata Sailing is the only currently accredited sailing center in Minnesota, but we’re working hard with our local community to help them reach the standard as well!
• Can my child attend a partial session? You’re welcome to attend as much or as little of a session as you’d like, but unfortunately Wayzata Sailing is not able to prorate our session fees or provide make up days or lessons.
• What if I need to cancel or reschedule? Please review the documentation in your account confirmation for specific information as policies vary from class to class. Subject to availability and proper notice, we’re happy to reschedule sessions for times that work better for you and your family for a small $10 change fee to cover our accounting costs. Refunds for cancellations are available up to two weeks prior to the class start date, minus a $30 cancellation fee for to cover administrative and scheduling costs. Missed classes or sessions and late cancellations (inside of two weeks) are not subject to refunds or credits. All requests to change a registration (cancellations or session changes) must be made in writing ([email protected]). A Wayzata Sailing staff member will contact you promptly to confirm or complete the change to your record.
• How early should we sign up? Many classes fill up early, if you’re looking for a specific week we recommend registering as soon as our registration opens January 1st. Some classes like group camps and adult lessons will not open for registration until Mar/Apr. You can always change your registration for a small fee if the dates do not work out later on! The best way to keep track of our sign-up dates is to register for our newsletter (usually about once or twice a month). The best way to stay abreast of openings is join our mailing list (signup is available on our contact page).
• Is a membership required to register? Absolutely not! Everyone is welcome, including those needing financial assistance.
• What ages are allowed to attend? We provide programming for all ages, but each program is designed around specific age ranges. Day camps are provided for students over the age of 5. Unfortunately, students under the age of 4 must attend with a parent through a private lesson. If you are outside the age range to register please consider another course or request an accomodation directly. In general, assessments of a student's behavior or maturity have little to do with determining if a student may attend outside an age range. Material, class sizing, structure, length, safety, equipment, social dynamics, and required independence are the primary determinations for our set age ranges.