Orphaned sailboats, desperate Lasers are seeking wind and water. Summer Sailstice challenges the world to rescue idle sailboats for family holiday.
An unspoken truth of the sailing world is the existence of hundreds of thousands of orphaned and neglected sailboats which rarely, if ever, sail. Even on the annual Summer Sailstice global sailing holiday celebrated on the solstice weekend, this year June 19th. Almost all have memories of better days; of family sails to distant shores, of kids laughing and playing aboard, of hard fought races and glorious miles of wind blown reaches. Summer Sailstice organizers call upon all sailors to help spare these sailboats this ignominious fate.
James Dilworth of England and San Francisco is one who jumped in to help save the day. 'I found an old, neglected Santana 22 that had memories of better days. She deserved to sail again and after an investment of time and money, we're both happy to be back out sailing the Bay,' said Dilworth from the deck of his polished, rejuvenated steed. There thousands of sailors like Dilworth, able and ready to help a needy sailboat get back on the water.
All these sailboats, and their best-kept cousins, have an opportunity to share a sail on Summer Sailstice. The Sailstice holiday is a day of racing, revelry, cruising and celebration for sailors and sailboats all with a chance to connect and win prizes by simply signing up at www.summersailstice.com and sailing on the weekend of June 19th. Sailstice organizers are asking you to help save a sailboat by getter her out of the slip, off her trailer, down off the dry storage rack and reconnecting with family, friends and sailing on this, 10th annual global sailing holiday June 19th, solstice weekend.
Sad but true - the picture on the left was taken at 2pm on a sunny, summer Sunday afternoon with warm, gentle 15 knot breeze blowing. The picture on the right? The way life should be on such a beautiful day!