2018 Para World Sailing Championships to be held in Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Sheboygan, Wisconsin, has been chosen to host the 2018 Para World Sailing Championships.

The event, which will be held Sept. 16-22, 2018, is being hosted jointly by World Sailing, Sail Sheboygan and the Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan (SEAS).

The event continues the efforts of SEAS to become a hub for adaptive sailing for children and adults with cognitive or physical disabilities. In addition, the Para Worlds Sailing Championship is the definitive guide to the best-of-the-best in Para Sailing with clear objectives to showcase and develop paralympic sailing, create sporting heroes and engage sports fans, and excite sponsors and broadcasters.

 “World Sailing is delighted that Sheboygan will be hosting the 2018 edition of the Para World Sailing Championships,” said Para World Sailing Manager Massimo Dighe. “Sheboygan has an excellent track record of hosting major international sailing events. From the Nations Cup Grand Final to the Women’s and Blind Match Racing World Championships, the team on the ground and the town know what it takes to welcome top class sailors. The facilities are exceptional and I am sure the sailors attending will receive a warm welcome.”

The disciplines proposed by the Para World Sailing Committee for inclusion in the 2018 Championships are:

• One Person Dinghy (Hansa 303w) - Female
• One Person Dinghy (Hansa 303w) - Male
• One Person Keelboat (Norlin 2.4mR)

Tom Atkins of Sail Sheboygan said hosting the 2018 Para Worlds helps fulfill Sail Sheboygan’s mission of bringing national and international competition to Sheboygan. In addition, it contributes to a commitment to facilitate adaptive sailing at all levels, from beginner sailors to competitors.

“The bulk of us are able-bodied, full-vision people who love the sport of sailing,” Atkins said. “When you see the sailors, whether they’re blind sailors or disabled people enjoying the same sport, and you see the challenges they are overcoming to do so, you just stand back and it’s awe-inspiring. This is a sport they are able to participate in because of the uniqueness of sailing – equipment can be engineered to help them overcome whatever disability they may have and help them compete at this sport.”

At World Sailing’s upcoming Annual Conference in Mexico, the future of the Para World Sailing will be discussed and debated as the sport aims for reinstatement into the Paralympic Games Sports Program.

 “The 2018 Para Worlds is a pivotal event for World Sailing as the sport seeks reinstatement into the 2024 Paralympic Games,” Dighe said. “More than 80 sailors from 39 nations competed at the 2017 edition in Germany and we’re hopeful Sheboygan will welcome a similar number.”

Sheboygan, which has become known for hosting such events as the PGA Championships and is line to host the 2020 Ryder Cup, is excited to bring elite athletes to the community for the Para Worlds, Atkins said.

“We have developed a reputation for sailing and hosting competitive events that is second to none,” he said. “It puts Sheboygan in the spotlight and provides good vibes for the community that we are hosting literally a world-level sailing event. It’s a good image for the sailing community and a good image for the community as a whole. For participants to meet people from other countries from around the world and compete literally at highest level of their sport – that can only help and support the Olympic aspirations.”

Sheboygan was the host of the 2016 Women’s Match Racing World Championship and Blind Match Racing World Championship and the 2017 Blind Fleet Racing World Championship.

In addition to the announcement on the 2018 Worlds, World Sailing is also inviting member National Authorities and Host Cities to bid for the 2019 Para World Sailing Championships.

The information for bidders outline the specification of minimum requirements for both the sporting competition and the on-shore event, and sets out the rights and responsibilities of each party in hosting the event.

USA defends gold in B1 Division

After six intense days of racing at the 2017 Blind Sailing World Championship culminated by having the best blind sailors in the world show off their skills.

Each day presented the sailors with different conditions, but in the end 52 races were sailed by the 51 sailors. “When you combine the high quality sailboats, provided by SEAS, with very competitive individuals, once again it was proven that a visual impairment does not define these sailors. The sailors defined their individuality when the best sailors, who happen to be blind, were presented gold for their respective countries”, said BJ Blahnik, event coordinator.

Each team is comprised of four sailors: A visually impaired helm and main trimmer along with a sighted tactician and jib trimmer. The three divisions are defined by the level of visual impairment of the sailors: B1 division has a totally blind helm and totally or mostly blind main trimmer; B2 division has a mostly blind helm and main trimmer; and the B3 division has partially blind helm and main trimmer.

The Championship was originally going to be held in Houston, TX, but they had to cancel in March not knowing their foresight of Hurricane Harvey.  “Without the determination and tenacity of the organizing team, this event would have been lost and the Blind sailing teams twelve months of hard training and aspirations would have been unfulfilled. Instead of disappointment and a lost opportunity, we have seen hard fought battles, close competitions and achievement” said Vicki Sheen, Chairman Blind Sailing International.

The very strong squad from GBR came out on top in the Squadron Cup with wins in the B2 and B3 divisions and a close runner-up position in the B1 division to clinch the trophy for the top team.

Lucy Hodges (GBR) and her team, Toby Davey on main, Ben Hazeldine as tactician and Colin Midgley on jib, were more than convincing in their victory in the B2 division with a flawless scoreline of only 1st place finishes.

The podium positions in the B1 division were up in the air until the final day of racing with a tie at the top and another for the bronze. When the B1 division come on the water in the afternoon for their final three races, the racing was intense. Some aggressive starts were seen with match racing tactics on display as the tied teams pushed each other around maneuvering for controlling positions. Duane Farrar (USA) and his Team Wind Whisperers including Amy Bower on main, tactician Denis Bell and Andrew Alletag as trimmer, won the day with a first, third and second in the final races and net score of 31 to secure the gold medal for the second time.

The battle for the top of the B3 division was an intra-squad fight between the two British B3 teams skippered by Laura Cammidge and Mark Austen. 

Boating nonprofit breaks ground on 26,000 square foot facility

The Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan (SEAS) broke ground Monday on a new boat storage and maintenance facility that will also house their headquarters, education rooms, and provide a controlled environment for volunteers and staff to maintain its fleet of power and sailing boats.

SEAS chairman, Leslie Kohler, staff, board members, The Vollrath Co., LLC representative, Jos. Schmitt Construction and LJM Architects break ground on 6/27/17.

Through a donation from The Vollrath Co., LLC, SEAS was able to obtain a 1.75 acre parcel near the corner of Superior Avenue and 18th Street.  With donations from other area supporters SEAS has been able to jump-start this project.

“We are excited to be able to finally reach the point in our organization’s development where we will not just maintain our fleet in our own facility but have designated space for education and to house our staff,” according to Leslie Kohler, Chairman of the Board of SEAS.   “In the past, SEAS has had to contend with offices and equipment spread out across the city and county in rented or borrowed space not suitable for many repair and maintenance projects, certainly no room for public education,” she added.

“Putting this under one roof will add efficiency to the operation, foster public access to boating and promote camaraderie among our staff, volunteers, students and the public,” Geoff Rudolph SEAS Operations Manager said.

The building was designed by Erik Jensen and LJM Architects.  “It will be a 26,250 sq. ft. single story structure with a mezzanine, and large enough to store the entire fleet with room for growth,” according to Jensen.  “Design features include a band of translucent glazing at the second-story height to allow for generous day-lighting of the entire interior, large outrigger supported overhangs and an aesthetic blend of strong horizontal and vertical lines.  The building will be finished in “gallery blue” siding to blend in with the buildings in the area.  The new building will house the administrative offices, a shop and space for boat building and maintenance, a classroom space, a separate room for Sheboygan Sea Scouts Ship No. 50, and storage for SEAS entire fleet in one location,” Jensen said.

“As a lifelong sailor, Air Force jet pilot, MIT graduate, and successful businessman, the late Terry J. Kohler understood the multiple disciplines of sailing and boating in general.   He understood how learning those disciplines through sailing you can become better at decision making and problem solving, helping you to be more successful throughout your life.  Terry’s vision was to provide access to learning boating skills to as many people and future generations as he could through the formation of SEAS,” explained Jerry Baumann, Vice President of Operations for Windway Capital, Corp.

 “This location and design was developed out of years of searching and planning. Balancing the needs of the organization, the budget, and the community led us to where we are today. This will be a major step forward in providing quality boating programming to the community,” said Matt Wierzbach, Program Director for SEAS.

Jos. Schmitt Construction Co., Inc. is providing general contracting services and expects construction of the new headquarters to be completed in the fall of 2017.

“We believe that water related activities are fun, build character, develop mental and physical acuity and should be enjoyed by everyone,” says Leslie Kohler.

The future of SEAS

Last fall, SEAS began designing strategic focus areas to grow our programs for the future.  The four areas of focus bring our mission of Boating for Everyone to the forefront of everything we do. Within these areas, we look to develop and expand our presence in Sheboygan County, our surrounding counties and throughout the Midwest.  We are excited to share this with you and hope you join in our excitement.
 
Adaptive Sailing
SEAS has become a leader in blind and visually impaired sailing community by hosting clinics across the country and hosting two major blind regattas in the past several years, including the 2016 World Sailing Blind Match Racing Championship.  We are committed to our efforts in blind and visually impaired sailing with the intent of hosting a regatta each year and continue fostering growth through outreach and clinics.  Our sound buoys have been improved and were featured at the 2017 US Sailing National Sailing Program Symposium in Austin, Texas. 

Adaptive Sailing programs at SEAS reach beyond the visually impaired community. We have done extensive work with Harken to create a system for individuals with life changing conditions such as ALS to enjoy sailing with the help of customized equipment. This has allowed to partner with the Wisconsin ALS Chapter, but we are not stopping there.  Thanks to a generous donation last year, we were able to add another Sonar to our fleet. The "Katie" will be dedicated to advancing adaptive sailing in Sheboygan. 

SEAS is now a US Sailing Accredited Adaptive Sailing Program.  We are looking to expand our reach throughout the community, state and the Midwest to give individuals the opportunity to have the freedom sailing offers. We are committed to seeing more individuals out in the future and work with individuals or groups to provide sailing education experiences for a wide range of abilities.
 
Community Boating
While Community Boating has always been a part of our programming and vision it has been a challenge to implement effectively. Realizing this has been our weakest program we have set about a plan to significantly overall the program in an effort to provide a better service to the community. Working closely with the Sheboygan Youth Sailing Center (SYSC), there will be more opportunities to rent a Sonar from SEAS or a J24 from SYSC.  Rentals will begin June 1st with limited blackout dates and dedicated staff on the grounds during scheduled hours.  Rentals from SEAS will require a membership, which includes a 2-hour rental.  Reserve your rental time by emailing rentals@seasheboygan.org or calling 920-395-5253 (seasonal number).  Let us help you sail this summer.
 
Training
SEAS is the only US Powerboating Certified Training Center in Wisconsin.  Our staff is proud to offer exceptional training both in the classroom and on-the-water.  Our training courses will provide you and your family the highest level of boating education with a variety of classes offered:  Safe Powerboat Handling (SPH) and Accelerated SPH, Safety and Rescue Boat Handling and new this year Mark-set Boat training.

Our application for US Sailing Keelboat Accreditation is in process. This certification will allow us certify students for Basic Keelboat which is the first step in the US Sailing Certification series recognized nationally. As participation increases we will begin expanding into cruising and other advanced keelboat training opportunities. 

Training goes beyond our sailing season though.  We will continue to offer a variety of boat maintenance workshops, maritime history lectures and other programming to bring year-round activity. 

The future looks bright for training with area high schools.  SEAS is building a relationship with South High School to develop a curriculum in sailing instruction with their initiatives in STEM education.  We are looking forward to a rewarding partnership and expanding to other high schools in the county. 
 
Outreach
As you can see, we are expanding in many directions.  The only way to make this all possible it to reach a broader audience in these areas to bring more people to the Sheboygan Lakefront.  We will continue to increase our presence on social media through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and reaching out to organizations to partner and grow with.

This will be the second year SEAS hosts the 4th of July Boat Regatta on the river.  We would like to encourage you to consider making a boat this year and help us grow this fun event. 

To bring more awareness to our Adaptive Sailing program, we will be attending Rehabilitation & Transition Conferences in Wisconsin and seeking speaking opportunities to promote our programs. We are creating informational pieces to showcase how SEAS is helping to build a larger boating community in Sheboygan County.

Each of the above areas has a target area of focus which will bring a comprehensive outlook to SEAS. Watch for more updates on classes, opportunities and events as we get closer to the sailing season. You will be seeing a lot more from us.

SEAS publishes first annual report

2016 was a pinnacle year for SEAS.  We have found our pathway and we are grabbing that momentum and running with it.  You can see our progress in the 2016 Annual Report: By the numbers.  We are so proud of what we accomplished last year and look forward to our growth potential in the coming years.   

Terry Did It

The scope of people's lives impacted by the humble and generous Terry Kohler is astounding. My life is changed because of him and the people of the Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan (SEAS), which he founded.

I grew up as an enthusiastic recreational sailor, but was stricken 13 years ago by ALS, a progressive, fatal disease that causes paralysis of all voluntary muscles. Now a functional quadriplegic who can't speak, eat, walk or use my hands, I thought my sailing days were over.

In 2015, SEAS learned of my longing to go sailing and, with Terry's support, SEAS, Harken and I worked to find ways to not just get in a boat but to sail it. We adapted a Sonar with a swiveling seat, headrest, and bite switches connected to an auto helm for steering and highly sensitive touch switches to trim with a Harken Rewind winch.

I can now leave my power wheelchair at the dock and sail solo. I am not bound by walls or stairs, I have the freedom of the open waters of Lake Michigan. For those who take for granted the ability to go outside and move, imagine life contained within a few rooms suddenly liberated through sailing.

The adaptive sailing program at SEAS has served 5 other people with ALS this year, giving all of us and our families something to look forward to, to enjoy, and to share. None of this would have been possible without Terry Kohler.

Thank you, Terry, for changing lives in so many ways. - Steve Heronemus

New President/CEO announced for NMSF

Dear Friends: It’s an amazing year of growth, awareness and public support for America’s National Marine Sanctuary System. President Obama created the world’s largest marine protected area and reignited the sanctuary designation process. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation – the System’s not-for-profit partner and chief advocate – is ready for this exciting future as well: Tomorrow, the NMSF Board of Trustees will announce that Kristen Sarri will join the organization as President and Chief Executive Officer on October 24.

Kris joins our NMSF team after nearly 20 years in senior positions in Congress and federal agencies including the Department of the Interior, Department of Commerce and the Office of Management and Budget. While her experience is diverse, the consistent threads across all her roles are a deep involvement in shaping ocean and environmental issues, strong strategic and operational management skills, wide-ranging expertise in the legislative and regulatory sectors, a track record of success in engaging disparate stakeholders and – most of all – a passion for the ocean and the critical importance of sanctuaries in the ocean’s healthy future.

Kris’s mandate is to set a transformational strategy for NMSF’s future. While that’s no simple task, she will be building it on an auspicious foundation. Among its accomplishments in the past six months, NMSF had its best-attended, most successful Capitol Hill Ocean Week conference and Ocean Awards Gala event; distributed its largest-ever pool of Hollings Grants funding; and launched a new digital presence including an online call-to-action advocacy tool to seamlessly rally public support of sanctuary priorities. If you participated in any of these efforts, we thank you for helping us achieve these successes.

Our web/media announcement about Kris is below. In the coming weeks, Kris will share updates on priorities and goals but, as a starting point, we wanted to share her vision in her own words:

“The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is dedicated to conserving what we cannot see:  critical habitats, cultural resources that tell our histories, living labs for science and education and significant natural resources that support coastal communities while connecting the public with the outdoors. We have an extraordinary opportunity to unite all those who would contribute to and benefit from this alliance – a potential partnership spanning policymakers, funders, communities, industries and other stakeholders, supported by our chapters, friends groups and all individuals passionate about the ocean.”

We deeply appreciate your support and involvement with NMSF in the past and look forward to even more opportunities to work together in the coming year.

Best, Robert J. Trainor Chair, Board of Trustees

It's a new year at SEAS

I hope some of you enjoyed the knot tying class we held in December. I understand that we are holding another one for the Boy Scouts so they can get their merit badges. Next week Tony and Whitney will be doing a splicing class. I am looking forward to it, it’s always fun to learn some new skills. We have something going every month until the season starts so keep your eyes peeled for something you might like. We had our second meeting with the board members to finish up going over our strategic plan. It has been a really good exercise defining our focus and making sure that we are working more closely with our fellow organizations. SEAS is going to be taking a more active role in adult sailing education to complement what Youth Sailing does. Over the next few of years we will be adding keelboat instruction, cruising, navigation and bare boat certification. The boat rental program will be primarily focused on the adults that have come through youth sailing. The rental price is $50 for two hours or $500 for an unlimited pass, and we will have special deals for yacht club members to take advantage as well. Also if you volunteer you can earn a free rental-details coming soon.

We are going to concentrate on servicing Sheboygan and its surrounding counties for our instruction and boat rental program, while taking a more regional approach to the adaptive programming. Of course we will still be supporting blind sailing as we fell into being a national leader in this area. This summer we will be holding a blind fleet racing event. In fleet racing there are sighted people on board. That might be a bit too exciting otherwise.

Lisa, Matt and Geoff met with some folks from South High and Geoff will potentially be having some kids that are interested in the marine industry come and help out with the boat maintenance. These are paid internships and will possibly be expanded to North and Central Highs. We will continue working with at risk youth. Jason Berdyck has started a boat building program for the Scouts. They are building quick canoes, which is a simple design and the kids get to keep their boats.

We are, again, in the process of designing the boat storage facility. When it is up and running we will have work areas for both SEAS and the Scouts to do boat building. We hope to start up a Build to Teach program which is STEM based. Our goal is to be in the new building next fall. God willing and the creek don’t rise.

Speaking of which, Whitney just walked in and showed me a bunch of pictures of the Youth Sailing building which was hit by a car last night and has considerable damage. I suppose that is one way to get a door facing the parking lot, maybe not the preferred way. It was a hit and run so they may be on the hook for the damages if the police are not able to find the culprit. As Denice Cornell said, “It’s turning out to be an interesting day.” I hope yours is interesting as well, but maybe not that interesting.

Leslie Kohler

Oh what fun it is to sail...

Well, it’s the end of the year and pretty soon the sun will be taking a turn back toward us. Rather, of course, we will be taking the turn that brings our side of the world to the sunny side. We were extraordinarily blessed with a warm a delightful fall. None of us can complain that winter started too early this year. The bets are out on whether we will be having a cold or warm, wet or dry winter. Juju Senfft is certainly looking forward to snow as she didn’t grow up with it. I myself prefer snow to cold so I vote for warm wet winter, but not everyone likes the snow. We are inclined to want to call our snow days during the summer as we love to get outside, and on the water, when we have perfect days. So much for a discussion of the weather, everyone agrees that summer here is too short. This is definitely the time of the year when we get ready for all the stuff we shove into our too short boating season. At 4 years old we are really starting to look like a real organization. We are developing real long term plans and figuring out what we need to add to the programming to make ourselves more relevant to the community. The team in the office is strong; developing programs, and community outreach.  Matt Wierzbach and Whitney Kent are figuring out how we work more closely with Sheboygan Youth Sailing Center so that our programming is complimentary, while developing a better understanding of who our audience/clients are and how to better serve them. Lisa Hartman is taking on a lot of the responsibilities I had shouldered previously while doing an awesome job with community outreach.

Geoff Rudolph (Fleet Maintenance Director), along with Jason Berdyck and Tony Orlebeke, have their plate really full and are still making plans for our new boat building. They are doing a great job working with the limited space they currently have and dealing with an extraordinary repair list. One of the things they discovered was that the trailer that we use down on the waterfront had a bunch of rotted wood and rust issues, so they have been rebuilding it. We had a few bad incidents with the boats this last summer which added another level of complexity to the usual maintenance. Also they still have to get Katie, our new adaptive boat, ready to be launched in spring. We really appreciate all the boat guys do as we couldn’t do anything without them. Juju and Whitney jump in to help with the boats as well. We did get our industrial sewing machine repaired so that we can do the easy repairs to our sails, saving on repair bills.

There will be a number of classes over the winter, taught by various members of the team. Please see what we are offering and join us, and let us know if you have ideas to make what we do better.

I wish all of you the most blessed of Holiday Seasons, Leslie

Adaptive Sailing Fund for #GivingTuesday Global Day of Giving Nov. 29

After two days for getting deals – Black Friday and Cyber Monday -- #GivingTuesday is a day for giving back. Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan (SEAS) is creating an Adaptive Sailing Fund for #GivingTuesday, a global giving movement that has been driven by individuals, families, organizations, businesses and communities in all 50 states and in countries around the world.  

The Adaptive Sailing Fund allows us to provide our team with the necessary equipment to safely set up a sailboat and provide an experience on the water for individuals with challenges that may not have thought sailing was a possibility. This past summer we sailed with 90 people through our adaptive program, including five clients with ALS. SEAS is making strides towards the vision of “Boating for Everyone.”

SEAS has joined #GivingTuesday this year to share the experience of sailing. The benefits of gaining confidence on the water reach beyond the adaptive sailing community. Our pristine fleet is used to provide safe and empowering experiences to all those who dream of taking to the water. Our goal is to see 100 people with adaptive needs have a chance to get on the water each year. We thank our partners on the lakefront, Sheboygan Youth Sailing Center, Sail Sheboygan and the Sheboygan Yacht Club for helping us in our endeavors.

A donation to SEAS allows us to continue in our vision of “Boating for Everyone” with the highest quality equipment and instruction.

As one of our sailors with ALS put it “We can’t change the fact that we have ALS, but the sailing experience has sure helped us adjust our sails.”

Those who are interested in joining SEAS’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit www.seasheboygan.org/donate to make a contribution to our ADAPTIVE SAILING program.  For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday website (www.givingtuesday.org), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday) or follow @GivingTues and the #GivingTuesday hashtag on social media.

Giving Tuesday - Why give to SEAS

We don’t feed the hungry or provide shelter for the homeless so why donate to SEAS this holiday season?

We empower people. Through our adaptive program we challenge those with special needs to accomplish dreams they never thought possible. As one of our sailors with ALS put it “You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can change your sails. While we can’t change the fact that we have ALS, but the sailing experience has sure helped us adjust our sails.”

Confidence on the water translates to life, and the benefits are not only to our adaptive sailing community. Our pristine fleet is used to provide safe and empowering experiences to all those who dream of taking to the water, regardless of their motivation.

A donation to SEAS allows us to continue in our vision of “Boating for Everyone” with the highest quality equipment and instruction.

Please Remember SEAS on

GIVE HERE

Blind Sailing - How do they do that?

Let us explain how acoustics are used to help the blind compete in sailing.

Thank you to Liz Baylis and WIMRA for video production.

ALS and SEAS 2016

Announcing the new director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

It gives me great pleasure to announce that John Armor has accepted the position of director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS). I am delighted that John will be serving at the helm of a program that advances place-based conservation among iconic natural and historical resources.  

Since May 2015, John has performed the duties of acting director for ONMS, providing the strategic vision for the program and overall policy direction for the system of 13 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments. That system now encompasses more than 620,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters.

During his time as acting director, John oversaw some of the most dramatic advancements in place-based conservation in the history of our organization. The designation process has been initiated for two new sanctuaries in Maryland and Wisconsin. Two additional sites, one in California and another in Pennsylvania, have been added to the nomination inventory. As of this writing, another nomination for a site in Alaska is under review. In addition, the Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones sanctuaries more than doubled in size with the latter being renamed as the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. In August, President Obama announced the expansion of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument from about 140,000 square miles to almost 580,000 square miles. Under John’s leadership, ONMS has continued to advance sanctuary science, enrich our understanding of maritime history, and promote stewardship among new communities.

Before working in the role of acting director, John served as deputy director for Sanctuaries for more than two years, where he oversaw the day-to-day administration of a program that includes more than 300 people working across five time zones and $50 million a year in annual spending.  In 2012, John was selected as a participant in NOAA’s Leadership Competencies Development Program. During this time, he served as senior policy advisor to the assistant secretary of commerce for conservation and management at NOAA headquarters and deputy director for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

Earlier, John led the Conservation Policy and Planning Division in ONMS, overseeing a highly complex expansion of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. He brings extensive experience with the permitting and regulatory side of national marine sanctuaries, having served for eight years writing regulatory actions and advising leadership on permitting and policy decisions.

Prior to coming to NOAA, Mr. Armor worked for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in the Fort Myers regional office.  There, he worked to implement the State of Florida's wetland and estuarine protection and sovereign submerged lands programs.

Mr. Armor has a bachelor’s degree in marine science from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in environmental science and policy from Johns Hopkins University.

I am pleased that NOS has found such an excellent example of leadership in John Armor.

Thank you,

Russell

Russell Callender, Ph.D. Assistant Administrator NOAA's National Ocean Service

Tributes to Terry Kohler:

Two wonderful tributes to Terry Kohler from longtime associates, Tom Whidden, President of North Technology Group and Peter Harken, owner of Harken. Dear North Team, It is with great sadness that I write to tell you that Terry Kohler died peacefully at home yesterday afternoon.  He had not been really well for the past few years, having struggled with circulatory issues, cancer, heart issues, and if that wasn't enough, he had a fairly violent car accident last spring.  I can tell you that Terry's sharp and brilliant mind was fully there until the end, and as he said, the body just wasn't keeping up.  He and Mary had lunch together yesterday, he ate it all, and then passed on.

I began working with Terry in 1987 after the America's Cup in Fremantle.  He was so passionate about North and all of the things that we were about.  When we would come to him with aggressive or wild ideas he would always say, "What took you so long".  He was the biggest supporter for all kinds of technology, having graduated with a few degrees from MIT in record breaking time.  He particularly liked Minden and our 3D product and technological manufacturing system.  He also pushed us to get into the mast and rigging business so that we could influence and control the aero package, or as he coined the phrase, "The Engine Above the Deck".

Terry's business acumen and discipline served North Group well at exactly the right time.  When Lowell wanted to sell North to a good owner, Peter Barrett found Terry.  Terry was first passionate about sailing but secondly passionate about making North a more business-like company.  He helped put controls in place that Lowell probably wouldn't have considered.  And he was insistent on using computer technology and communication systems that were well before their practical time.  He was always right that a decentralized global company with so many people worldwide needed it.  And I always loved our board meetings although we learned quickly to give Terry decaffeinated coffee.  He definitely didn't need caffeinated!!  And of course he fired Jay 30 times but always quickly hired him back!!

Terry has been very generous to the sailing community worldwide, and particularly women's sailing.  He really loved women's match racing, having supported the last US women's Olympic team, and virtually all match racing events and participants over the past ten years.  And one of his greatest legacies will be the Sail Sheboygan Sailing Center and the nonprofit SEAS (Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan).  Sheboygan, Wisconsin is now an internationally recognized sailing center thanks to Terry's vision, leadership and generosity.

Personally, I will miss Terry's guidance in so many ways.  The great news is that Terry's daughters are still shareholders of North Technology Group.  I travel to Kohler, Wisconsin twice a year to give their board an update on our activities and results.  I will do so next month.  We will miss Terry's bigger than life presence but his passion for North will live on with his daughters, Leslie, Danielle and Michelle.

We all used to say "long live Terry".  He was a fantastic owner, partner, and friend for North.  North will be forever a great company, in large part because of Terry's ownership and leadership for the past 30 years.  Terry's influence will be felt for many years to come.

Kind regards to you all,   Tom

Terry, what a great friend and friend to our company. He's the type of friend that I cannot remember the years I knew him. Terry was a very direct man, and you always knew were you stood with him. You stood well if you were straight with him whether he liked what you were saying or not, but any waffling or sucking up and you were toast! I really liked and respected him to the fullest and conversations with Terry were never dull and always informative on whatever subject, didn't matter, the man was always full of information. Our company has been involved with quite a few of Terry's projects that he funded like SEAS, the fantastic organization that gets disabled people of all kinds sailing and racing, like the blind and totally incapacitated, simply amazing. He totally funded the women’s match racing program for the Olympics including the boats or there would not have been a woman's match racing in the games and then he was treated badly after the succeeding Olympics dropped the woman's program only after one shot and all the boats around the world and work were worthless. We all were shocked, but Terry never flinched, he's the man that doesn't delve on the wrongs that’s been done to him, but only looks forward and simply says, "Let’s get on with it!" Those are only two examples of many of his generosity to the sailing world. Man, he was a good one, the best, I'll miss him big time.---------Peter

Dave Perry Shares Experience Coaching Blind Match Racers

Recently I was fortunate to have the opportunity to run a North U Match Racing Clinic for the vision impaired sailors preparing for the 2016 World Sailing Blind Match Racing World Championship, being held at the Sheboygan Yacht Club in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, September 21-25, 2016, and sponsored by Sail Sheboygan and SEAS. Four teams participated, coming from California, Canada, Great Britain, and a team composed of sailors from Massachusetts and Sheboygan. Though each team had a sighted coach, they race with no sighted person on board. Truly amazing!

The clinic was in the Sonars they are racing in the Worlds, with three sailors to a boat. The skipper is required to be 100% blind, and the two others can have varying degrees of vision impairment. They had some goggles I could wear to experience what their vision ability was like. One common view is like looking through wax paper. You can make out shades and rough shapes, but there is no clarity. The other is like looking down a straw, but the straw is in a different place in each eye. They can see what they see clearly, but it is tiny. And they have no depth perception. Plus, if they lose sight of it, it takes them a while to search around to find it again.

They use two marks to form their starting line, each making a unique sound, and a windward mark with its own sound. They sail the traditional match racing course (W-L-W-Finish), but use the pin end of the starting line as the leeward mark. Each boat has a noise maker which makes a different sound on each tack.

In addition to the sounds of the marks, they have watches that beep and vibrate, and they are talking with each other as normal, so their world onboard is very loud! This is just one of their challenges. Another one is keeping track of where they are. If they lose track of the marks, they can get quite lost. And of course they need to be able to maintain the point of sail on which they want to sail. All this while trying to beat the other boat across the finishing line!

We spent most our time talking boat handling, speed and match racing tactics just like at all my other match racing clinics. We brainstormed ideas to address their challenges, and we had solid three hour training sessions on the water filled with drills, practice starts and races, and lots of feedback. We did a session about the Sonar on the dock, and we simulated the prestart and sailing the course on land, using the marks and doing the walk-throughs in real time. On the water, they were good at sailing the correct angles, the skippers feeling the wind on their heads, the angle of heel, and hearing the boat go through the water, and the trimmers feeling the actual sail and the angle of the boom.

What I loved the most was that every sailor and team was committed to improving, and to sharing their own experiences for the benefit of the others. Everyone’s attitude was that they were a group of sailors trying to get better at sailing and match racing, and their vision was just part of the puzzle to solve to become more successful. Each one of them loves sailing and being out on the water, and the challenge of racing. No different than any of us who love the sport.

To go sailing and racing, all these vision impaired sailors need is an invitation or some support from someone to be included in that person’s sailing experience. My experience with this racing community could not have been more positive. I encourage others to seek out the same positive experience by reaching out and including them as well. It is truly a win-win situation!

Great Britain takes gold

Skill, teamwork on display during Blind Match Racing World Championship

At the end of an abbreviated, jam-packed two-day regatta, Great Britain took the gold in the 2016 Blind Match Racing World Championship.

The British team (Skipper Vicki Sheen, Liam Cattermole and Lucy Hodges) won all but one match over the two days. The only team that could best them was Team Canada (Skipper David Brown, Brian Arthur and Laura Cammidge) who took a race off of them in the Finals, but it wasn’t enough to pry away the crown. USA 1 (Walter Raineri, Kris Scheppe and Scott Ford) took the bronze after a spirited Petit Final series with the Israeli team.

And though the scores don’t reflect it, Team Israel (Skipper Elad Rosenzvieg, Zohar Halevi and Yaniv Elimelech) and Team USA 2 (Mark Bos, BJ Blahnik and Matthew Chao) both showed great improvement in skill and technique as they continue to develop as competitive match racers.

Vicki, who is eager to bring blind match racing to new countries and sailing communities around the world, was gracious in victory and ready with a bit of sass for her Canadian friends.

“I put that team together by connecting the Canadians, David and Brian, with our British teammate Laura,” she joked. “That’s just not considerate, is it, for them to take a win off of us?” she said with a wry smile.

Chairman of Blind Sailing International and a three-time gold medalist in the Blind Match Racing World Championships, Vicki said she thinks the sport has an important role to play worldwide.

“You don’t need a fleet of boats, it really develops the sailor’s skills, it’s a flexible format – it’s really the way forward,” she said. “We’re excited to expand the discipline to other countries; they have got visually impaired sailors but they haven’t thought about match racing. We are working to change that.”

David Brown said he and his teammates continue to learn with every sail.

“Given that we haven’t sailed together on a team before we came here, we really came together as a team quite well,” he said. “It’s a team effort – you need everyone doing their job to make it successful.”

Para World Sailing Technical Delegate Sir Henry Sleutel said the entire event exceeded his expectations despite the weather problems.

“It was two days of perfect sailing,” Henry said. “In the race when David Brown beat Vicki Sheen, that was really something. Great sailing in very difficult conditions.”

Henry also credited the local organizations that took the lead on the logistics of the event: the Sheboygan Yacht Club, SEAS and Sail Sheboygan.

“This is such a fantastic club with so much knowledge,” he said.

Umpire Piero Occheto agreed, pointing out the army of volunteers who turned out Friday night to help with a fundraiser brat fry, which drew hundreds of people and raised more than $5,000 and awareness for SEAS’ adaptive sailing program.

“It’s not easy today to find as many volunteers as you have here,” Piero said. “Even in big events.”

“That’s how you see what a community you are,” Henry said. “It’s really fantastic.”

About halfway through the day’s racing, a member of USA2 experienced a medical issue that ended the team’s participation. Even that, however, went exactly as it was supposed to, Henry said, from the immediate response of fellow sailors, race officals, and coaches to the arrival of medical personnel.

“It was perfect,” he said.

Skipper Mark Bos was checked out medically and returned to the venue.

In the end, Henry said, the sport of blind match racing brings out the best in people.

“You see people sitting, talking, laughing, smiling” he said. “Then you see what sailing is.”

Thank you! Brats 4 Sail exceeded expectations

The Brats 4 Sail brat fry, held Friday night at the Sheboygan Yacht Club, was a success by any measure. Thanks to our sponsors and the hundreds of people who came out to eat and drink, dance and ooh and aah to the spectacular fireworks show at the end of the night, SEAS raised more than $5,000 for our adaptive sailing program.

Those funds will be used to grow the adaptive sailing program, which makes the possibility of sailing a reality for children and adults with a variety of disabilities.

Outreach and Administrative Director Lisa Hartman said the first order of business will be to build on the foundation that's already been established. The program has a robust blind sailing program and has commissioned a specially constructed seat that's installed in one SEAS' 23-foot Sonars for adults with severe physical limitations.

"We definitely want to do a lot more outreach to different types of organizations during the off season of sailing so that we can grow the program and include other disabilities," Lisa said.

To make that happen, Brats 4 Sail was a great start.

"It was phenomenal for our first time," Lisa said. "Not knowing what to expect, people just came out to support the program and find out more about what was going on. And also to enjoy some music. Everyone I talked to was so happy with the turnout."

The Johnsonville Big Taste Grill, which took up a large chunk of the Yacht Club's parking lot, was a big draw for attendees, as was King Solomon, a popular reggae band from Milwaukee. The evening was punctuated by a spectacular fireworks show off South Pier, by Bartolotta.

The overwhelming support for Brats 4 Sail already has organizers thinking about next year.

 "People were asking if this was going to become and annual event so need to seriously think about what we’re going to do," Lisa said.

One possibility organizers are considering is to turn Brats 4 Sail into a memorial fundraiser in memory of the late Terry Kohler, an ardent supporter of International Women's Match Racing and benefactor for the local sailing community, who died Sept. 20.

SEAS would like to extend another thank you, to all those who sponsored beer for the evening, for their continuous support:

• Arms-R-Us
• Jason and Heidi Bemis
• Bronson Construction LLC
• Jerry Gapinski
• Jake's Cafe
• Joe and Cindy Leitner
• Edward and Karen Lutze
• Mayer Law Firm SC
• Curtis and Sue Roberts
• Stump Eliminators
• John Zechlinski and Karen Lutz

Epic Racing presents the American Challenge to competitors

USA's Epic Racing challenged their international competitors to a uniquely American challenge during Thursday's fog delay. https://youtu.be/ErN-1PXDyZ8