Summer Sailstice This Coming Weekend

Surprise, sunshine and sailing are predicted in California for Summer Sailstice weekend. If you haven’t posted your weekend sailing plans, now is the time. Sailors across the country are starting their summer with the weekend celebration of sail. Some are racing singlehanded to Hawaii, others are cruising the Delta, and some are heading out to spend the weekend racing or daysailing. We’re going to be sailing the Friday night beer can race and then sailing to Benicia for an overnight on Saturday.

People sign up to help publicize sailing or their event or class by posting their personal sailing plans or creating/joining an event for the Summer Sailstice weekend. You’ll find them happening from Newfoundland to San Diego.

Club Cruceros in La Paz and the Vallarta Yacht Club are both hosting events in Mexico.

The sun rises at 0548 on Saturday and sets at 2035, giving you 14 hours, 46 minutes, and 54 seconds of sunny sailing on Saturday. That means there’s plenty of time to get your boat out of the slip and sail somewhere along our beautiful Pacific coastline and bays. The exact solstice in the Bay Area is Friday evening at 1935, which is right in the middle of your Friday evening beer can race — unless you finish fast!

There are so many more ways to join in. Alameda Community Sailing Center is hosting a Sand Castle sail and potluck, Modern Sailing in Berkeley is hosting an intro sail and member mixer, and Club Nautique is also hosting introductory sails in Sausalito. West Coast Multihulls will be doing demo sails at the San Diego Boat Show.

Of course, you don’t have to do anything more than throw food and drink into the cooler and invite family and friends to go sailing. That’s what it’s all about. Sam Vickery is sailing his Ericson 32-3 out of Dana Point.

If you, your club, class or fleet have not posted your plans yet, it’s not too late to have Summer Sailstice help publicize your event(s) and sailing. Most of the 8 million people in the Bay Area have no idea how to connect to sailing on the Bay, and with your help, Summer Sailstice can help show them where and how. A Friday beer can race, a community sailing program, chartering a boat, or taking lessons at one of the many sailing schools on the Bay or up and down the California coast are all options that can be seen on the Summer Sailstice map. What is your club doing this weekend? Or what are your sailing plans?

When you do sign up you also become eligible for prizes, including tickets to the the Sausalito Boat Show (Sept. 19-21) and Annapolis Sailboat Show (Oct. 9-12). You can see the full list of prizes here. On Monday, upload your weekend sailing photos to our Sailagram page here. We look forward to seeing you out there.