Summer Sailstice Hopes to
Double Numbers
Summer
Sailstice has been recognized as one of the Year’s Best Fun
Sailing Events. National sailing magazines now place it in
the company of the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis,
the Baja Ha-Ha fun cruiser’s rally from San Diego to Cabo
San Lucas, and the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. “It
is more about fun than fast,” says founder John Arndt of the
San Francisco Bay Area. “Summer Sailstice is a sailing event
where old friends reunite and new friendships are formed.
The date is June 20th. The format is to just go sailing on
the longest day of the year and have fun and maybe win some
cool prizes.”
“Summer Sailstice sailing holiday
encourages every club or organization that can form their
own rally, race, party, or picnic afloat to do so,” John
continued. “This year, the Summer Sailstice team is hoping
to see an increase of more than double last year’s signups
of 1,400 individual sailors as participants out on their own
or someone else’s boats on June 20th. Most of the San
Francisco Bay Area sailing schools and yacht clubs have an
event that encourages members and those interested in
sailing to participate.”
This is how it works. Once a sailing plan
is made, each participant is encouraged to register at the
web site www.summersailstice.com. Those who register may
receive prizes. The prizes are an additional means to
encourage as many people as possible to invite a few friends
or join with others who have, or can rent, boats to get the
boats out of their slips and sailing. It is designed and
managed to acquaint newcomers and revitalize old salts in
the love of sailing.
The prizes this year have really become
worthy of notice. Grand Prizes include a one-week charter in
the British Virgin Islands, made available by The Moorings,
now celebrating their 35th anniversary; a Hunter Xcite
sailing dinghy; and a $500 shopping spree at West Marine
boating supply stores. Over 100 other prizes, courtesy of
sailing businesses, are available for winners awarded by
random drawing from the names of all the registered
participants. Many who have participated in the past have
not registered but in 2004 it will be worth the few minutes
to check in. For more information on the prizes and to sign
up for the 2004 Summer Sailstice, go to
www.summersailstice.com.
Founded in 2001 by John Arndt and Michelle
Slade, Summer Sailstice is a global holiday celebrating the
fun of sailing annually. The event has grown each year due
to the Internet and prizes supplied by the marine industry.
Founder John Arndt works Latitude 38, and can be contacted
at (415) 412-6961 or
john@summersailstice.com.
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