The real stories behind race results are generally way more interesting that the results lines. Take the recently concluded RS Aero Worlds sailed in Sardinia July 26-30.
It would be easy to look at the results and say, “there goes Dan Falk winning another Worlds” and leave it at that. True, but there’s so much more to the story. On the first day, after sailing two solid races and competing at the front during the third race, Falk scored a DNF. It turns out that was a major collision. As he crossed in front of a boat from another class while on a run, Falk’s leech loaded, perhaps in a puff, spinning him into that other boat. A hole in the other boat was the result (Aeros are not exactly bulletproof) and Dan’s day ended.
On the evening of the second day, illness hit. Food poisoning? Other competitors shared the similar illnesses. Regardless, it was a sleepless night as Falk’s body got rid of absolutely everything not tied down in his stomach. The next day he faced a choice between being miserable in his hotel room or being miserable on the water, and he chose the latter. To make matters worst, there were lack of wind delays and the fleet spent seven hours on the water. That’s time spent about 6″ off the water, which is a long day for sailors at 100% health.
Class winners, including Dan Falk on the right.
He faced the final day in a haze. Not even fully aware of the results (he was virtually tied with Madhavan Thirumalai for the lead), he needed to win the final two races to win the regatta. Sailing in a weakened conditioned, but completely relaxed, he did just that.
That win and several other impressive performances cemented the Seattle RS Aero fleet as a powerhouse. Last year the fleet dominated the worlds, winning all three classes (differentiated by sail size) in the Columbia River Gorge Worlds. This year Keith Hammer finished third behind Falk in the “9s,” Jay Renehan was 4th in the large “7s” class, and young Dieter Creitz was second in the new “6s” class.
There was a good mix of conditions, and with air temperature in the 80s and water temperature around 70. Family members not sailing enjoyed the beaches and general aura of Sardinia.
Stepping back from the Seattle story, there are few things worth noting. RS Aero is thriving in Europe. More than 120 sailors showed up for the event. The variety of sail sizes, particularly in the lower ranges, have made the boat accessible to a wide variety of sailors. For instance, one might wonder why there were “5” and “6” classes, but those were two of the largest fleets. That also meant that juniors and smaller women could more easily compete.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
We’ve all seen the handwringing. We’ve all heard the pontificating. I’m one of those. We’ve all read the varying opinions as to why participation in sailing and racing is struggling.
ILCA Worlds Start. Plenty of countries represented in a still vibrant class.
“Big-boat” fleets are shrinking. Dinghy fleets are often on life support or only come together for Nationals, Worlds or Regionals. The US Sailing Championships do not have the prestige they used to. It’s great to see kids out there, but it seems they’re generally not carrying the love for racing into adulthood. Maybe they are, they just can’t afford the time or money.
What we haven’t heard or seen that much of are fully successful solutions. One might just have arrived with Starting Line Sailing (SLS) venturing into new ground as a builder of ILCA dinghies (yes, Lasers to many of us) and Hobie Cat. Two of the most successful boats at introducing sailing to the masses will now be produced by one of the most dynamic sailing groups around.
The solutions to a diminished sailing have been in the works for decades; community sailing programs scattered throughout the country, US Sailing endorsed education programs, editorialists in print and online proposing all kinds of solutions, one-design fleets such as Lightings making boats available to up-and-comers. All of these efforts have had some effect and should be applauded. None have had THE effect.
The key may be found in manufacturing and distribution. Enter Starting Line Sailing. SLS has a simple mission: “The goal is simple – grow sailing by keeping it accessible and fun.” The company isn’t exactly new. The driving force is George Yioulos, whose West Coast Sailing became a major force in small boat sailing over the last 18 years. In 2021 SLS was formed and acquired Zim Sailing and Dwyer Rigging and Masts. (Disclaimer – West Coast Sailing has been a sponsor of Sailish, but I’d write this piece anyway.)
George Yioulos
Yioulos is a whirlwind of energy. From the start, West Coast Sailing (WCS) was all about taking care of customers. Finding Lasers and parts for them when there were none. There was a WCS gear truck on site at big regattas so sailors could buy those last-minute fittings and clothing. Boat lines like Hobie and RS Sailing were added. WCS sponsored regattas and some of the more notable sailors.
An online storefront was very successful and expanded WCS’s reach internationally.
Then Yioulos “retired” and passed the reins to the team he built. But the Whirlwind couldn’t stay out of it long, especially when his deep convictions about making sailing accessible were calling.
The latest move is even bigger – taking on the manufacture and distribution of Hobie Cats and Lasers, the definitive “get people sailing” boats. This makes perfect sense. It’s no secret that there’s a bigger market, and profit, for Hobie products such as rotomolded kayaks and sunglasses. Why not bring in a sailing-focused supplier for the boats themselves? Things are happening fast. Hobie Wave and Getaway tools were moved to a new rotomolder in the US. Production to start in Februrary. Hobie 16 molds have arrived in Rhode Island at Zim Sailing. Production to start in late January.
Manufacturing sailboats is hardly a financial sure thing. In fact, the demise of sailboat manufacturers throughout North America is somewhat staggering. “It just might bankrupt the company, but I truly believe that it’s what sailing needs,” explains Yioulos.
Yioulos cites Vanguard Sailboats as an example of a successful small boat manufacturer. “This will be like creating Vanguard Sailboats 2.0,” he says.
The Hobie 16.
From my standpoint, the real potential of these new Hobie and ILCA arrangements (and any future ones Yioulos stirs up) stems from Yioulos’ experience as dealer. Yioulos knows firsthand what works in the Booties on the Ground world. Dealers need to be able to have a solid pipeline for parts, and if they’re in a small market, they can’t be expected to buy truckloads of product. There are many ways to get boats efficiently and cost-effectively into the hands of customers and Yioulos has the hands-on experience to draw on.
Dealers need high quality boats that don’t need to be fixed at the dealership before going to customers. Too often new boats have “issues” that are expensive distractions for the dealer and cause for a lot of customer distress.
Even more importantly, knowing Yioulos’ focus on supporting sailing on a very local level, it’s not hard to imagine sailing communities becoming excited about getting on the water. “The community aspect is vital,” Yioulos says, and he means it. We know that soon after two boats are on the water, it’s likely there will be a race, followed shortly by a regatta.
From my standpoint, it’s great to see this kind of energy coming into the manufacturing corner of the sailing world. It’s easy to get jaded and cynical about sailing and racing’s future. This is a breath of fresh air, and just maybe a whirlwind of fresh air.
A bland marine industry news press release this is not. Yioulos isn’t the kind of guy to wring his hands. He’s the roll up your sleeves type.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
West Coast Sailing and its sister Zim Sailing have agreed to sponsor hight school sailing for the coming years. This, combined with their recent sponsorship of college sailing, puts them front and center for dinghy sailing for the foreseeable future. Dinghy sailing has picked up participation, and this type of support helps the many young and enthusiastic sailors take it to new heights moving forward. Needless to say, these companies deserve our support. -KH
Here’s the press release:
Zim Sailing & West Coast Sailing Announce Multi-Year Sponsorship of High School Sailing
The Inter-Scholastic Sailing Association (ISSA) is excited to announce a new five-year sponsorship agreement with Zim Sailing and West Coast Sailing. These are two of North America’s leading suppliers of boats, parts and equipment, both owned and led by active supporters of high school sailing.
As Official Supplier of the Cressy Championship, Zim Sailing and West Coast Sailing will provide ILCA boats and sails for use at the regatta. In addition to providing equipment, both companies have created a unique cash contribution campaign based on the ecommerce platforms of Zim and WCS for contribution directly back to High School Sailing. Furthermore, athletes and teams can continue to enjoy existing discounts as well as a reduced price on branded screen-printed sails. This provides support directly to the member schools and athletes, in addition to generating funds to support the operations of High School Sailing.
“It’s very exciting to welcome Zim Sailing and West Coast Sailing as sponsors,” says Tim Hogan, president of ISSA. “High school sailing is among the fastest-growing segments of the sport, and this sponsorship will help us continue to expand and serve our member schools. In addition to providing boats to our singlehanded championships, the discounts for our teams and sailors allow their funding and focus to be on what they do best; providing amazing opportunities to sail!”
Zim Sailing, founded by Steve Perry in 2008 in Bristol, Rhode Island, provides one-design sailboats, parts, accessories, and services to the North American market. They manufacture popular scholastic dinghies (including the FJ, C420, 420E, and ILCA) while engaging in grassroots youth development of yacht club junior sailing programs, community sailing and youth racing. Zim Sailing is seen at regattas around the country, providing charter boats and onsite support.
West Coast Sailing, founded in 2005 in Portland, Oregon by George Yioulos, is one of North America’s leading marine retailers, focusing on the dinghy racing and small keelboat market with an emphasis on e-commerce fulfillment and industry leading customer service. Yioulos, a former Marin Catholic High School sailor, brought West Coast Sailing and Zim Sailing under common ownership in 2021 – with the goal to expand support for sailing in North America.
“High School Sailing changed my life – it set me on a path to College Sailing, and then the last 17 wild years in the sailing industry.” said Yioulos. “The support of the community, the coaches, sailors and volunteers to make High School sailing happen year round – is awe inspiring. Being able to give back to ISSA – is immensely gratifying to us all .”
For sailors, programs and supporters of High School Sailing, this is an opportunity to work with a valued sponsor for all boats, parts, equipment, and apparel needs. Programs can set up accounts for easy online ordering with discounted pricing at these links for Zim Sailing and West Coast Sailing. Individual student athletes can take advantage of 15% off apparel and accessories purchases to get the gear they need to get on the water at a great value. Knowledgeable sailors are on hand to provide support and answer questions. More information can be found online at Zim Sailing and West Coast Sailing.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
This is a particularly fun press release to run. My friends (and sponsor) at West Coast Sailing now has a parent company, plus siblings! The most important takeaway here is that several different high quality brands will be under the same leadership and that there will be continuity in their respective leaderships. George Yioulos has already established a formula of building up fleets from the grass roots, and serving those sailors as they move through them. From The Starting Line website: “The goal is always the same, and very simple. Promote the sport of sailing — not by selling more stuff and being a big company. But by helping anyone realize — yes, you too, you, can be on the water with us. You don’t need to buy anything from us, but we’re here for you — and hope you give sailing a try.“There’s a lot more to this move, I’m sure, and I’ll get to talk to George directly about it in the coming days. -KH
Starting Line Sailing, Inc. Acquires Zim Sailing and Dwyer Mast & Rigging
Zim Sailing – the Bristol, Rhode Island-based marine equipment manufacturer, has been acquired by Starting Line Sailing, Inc. The purchase transaction also includes Dwyer Mast and Rigging, the long time aluminum spar manufacturer. As part of this acquisition, Zim Sailing and Dwyer Mast and Rigging will join West Coast Sailing as subsidiaries of Starting Line Sailing, a newly formed holding company led by CEO George Yioulos.
The sailing industry continues to evolve, and Starting Line Sailing was formed to play a key role in that evolution. The goal is simple – to grow the sport by making it more accessible for everyone. Backed by decades of industry experience, an ownership group of passionate sailors aims to fulfill this vision by building on the strengths of each business, investing in and providing career pathways, and providing greater support to the sailing community. Over the next several years, sailors can expect faster and more efficient systems that make it easier to find the parts and support you need, expanded access to new products and services, and the creation of better opportunities to work in the industry. Behind this multi-year roadmap is a commitment to helping more people discover their own passion for sailing.
Whether you are a new sailor or long time racer, coach or parent, club program or class association manager, the collective team of 40+ staff across West Coast Sailing, Zim Sailing, and Dwyer Mast and Rigging is here to help you make the most of your time on the water.
Zim Sailing, founded by Steve Perry in 2008, provides one-design sailboats, parts, accessories, and services to the North American market. They manufacture popular dinghies such as the Club 420, Flying Junior, and Optimist, and engage in grassroots youth development of yacht club junior sailing programs, community sailing programs, and high school and collegiate sailing programs. Zim Sailing can be found at regattas around the country, providing support with charter boats and onsite sales and service. Dwyer Aluminum Masts, was founded in 1963 to more fully integrate the manufacturing of spars, rigging, and hardware with sailboat production. The two companies share production facilities in Bristol, Rhode Island.
West Coast Sailing, founded in 2005 in Portland, Oregon by George Yioulos, is one of North America’s leading marine retailers, focusing on the dinghy racing and small keelboat market with an emphasis on e-commerce fulfillment and providing industry leading customer service. Longtime Zim dealers, they also distribute for trusted brands such as RS, Hobie, Gill, Rooster, Dynamic Dollies, Harken, Ronstan, Ovington, Zhik, Marlow, and more. In the past year they launched a full service rig shop to offer one design and custom rigging and have a long history of community support and sponsorship.
Day to day operations at all the companies will continue independently and without interruption following this acquisition. Steve Perry will stay as President of Zim Sailing and Dwyer Mast and Rigging. Chris Brown will continue his role as President of West Coast Sailing. All staff members carry on in their existing roles. Existing dealer, vendor, and class association relationships continue unchanged. Zim Sailing, West Coast Sailing and Dwyer Mast & Rigging are open for business and committed to providing high quality products and outstanding service for you, your team, your club, or your organization.
Starting Line Sailing is excited to establish this portfolio of brands in a shared commitment to growing the sport and making it more accessible for everyone. The future of the sport is bright!
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
When George Yioulos set his teeth into the Pacific Northwest one-design scene in 2005 with West Coast Sailing, it quickly became apparent he “got it.” In the small-boat corner of the marine business world that many had abandoned, he saw opportunity. He knew what sailors wanted even more than simply saving money. They wanted to work people who cared about the sport. They responded, wanting to support a company that supported them. George instituted an uncompromising policy of serving sailors and surrounded himself with people who saw the light. West Coast Sailing jumped in with support at the local level – the Seattle Laser Fleet being just one. They sponsored PNW sailors as they competed out of the area and internationally. They carefully chose boats that would fit in all areas of the spectrum from high performance to beginner.
So it’s with great pleasure I can report that they’ve stepped into the void left by pandemic casualties. Their new rigging services complement a much bigger and broader inventory. When Annapolis Performance Sailing (APS) had to shut its doors, West Coast Sailing stepped in acquiring inventory and adding services. So, if you relied on APS for some parts (as I did), you can now look to West Coast Sailing.
Bill at work
Tapered sheets
Jake in an ILCA (FKA Laser) )
Phil and Chris all smiles
Jared
Lots of line, among other things
The Warehouse
The example of West Coast Sailing’s service that is closest to my heart is how WCS introduced the RS Aero while supporting the Laser. It was the right business move as the fleet took hold in Seattle and internationally. As the International Laser Class Association and Laser Performance threw stones at each other in the press and the courts, and even as Aeros started to sell, WCS did not abandon Laser sailors. They still found parts for us when nobody else could, and still supported the class.
Predictably, as the RS Aero class grew in Seattle, there were some pains. Boat availability, parts changes and all the other associated things that go with a new class. Through it all, WCS exerted the effort to make the class a success. And the Laser class, aka the ILCA Dinghy, remains active and supported, especially for the burgeoning youth scene. These days, most of the time at large regattas there are 4.7 rigs for smaller sailors, Radials and Standard Rigs that between them cover sailors from about 100 or so pounds to over 200.
I am happy to see WCS become one of the nation’s go-to companies for sailing parts and gear. And I’m pleased to count them as one of sailish.com’s main sponsors.
Following West Coast Sailing’s report on current developments:
From West Coast Sailing
Supporting one design sailors with solutions to help them make the most of their time on the water is a core part of our business and has been since day one. These days there are only a few businesses like ours that remain focused on this mission. In 2019, a long standing and well known east coast store shuttered its sailing parts business, and in 2020 closed for good. In our industry, it is sad to see a well respected competitor go, and we understood there would be a huge hole in the market with many sailors looking for a new source for products. In the height of the pandemic, we were approached with the opportunity to acquire the designs, knowledge, and tools to carry on the legacy of their rigging department, which had long been known as the go to place for standing and running rigging for nearly two dozen one design dinghy and keelboat classes, and a great resource for custom rigging needs. Despite the uncertainty, making this acquisition was an easy choice for West Coast Sailing and 100% in line with our core mission.
This winter, our team built out a full rigging bench, worked with our vendors (Marlow, NewEngland Ropes, Samson, Alpha Ropes, Harken, Wichard, etc) to increase our stock of line and hardware, and hired a full time rigger. We now have proven specs and the capability to build running and standing rigging for a variety of boats – Laser/ILCA, Sunfish, Opti, Thistle, Flying Scot, Lightning, J/22, J/24, J/70, J/80, Melges 24, etc – and the in-house tools to offer and build custom halyards, sheets, control lines, and other rigging for any sailboat up to 35 feet. In short, if you can dream it, we can build it for you! This new business unit has allowed us to expand our offering of products and solutions for sailors in classes we have supported for many years, and is also opening doors to supporting sailors in other dinghy and keelboat classes. We are also developing new rigging solutions for other classes such as the RS Aero, Tasar, and Hobie 16, as well as standing rigging and lifelines.
West Coast Sailing is North America’s leading source for small sailboats, sailboat parts, and sailing apparel, founded in June 2005 with the vision to be the leading resource for products, services, and information for the sailing industry. In the past 15 years we’ve worked with tens of thousands of sailors around the world and remain committed as ever to supporting a passion for sailing among those who love being on the water.
We remain fully independent and represent the very best sailing brands and builders, sponsor events, and serve all aspects of the sailing community. We have a team of 15 dedicated and passionate sailors who work hard day in and day out to answer your questions, help you find the right replacement part or new sailboat, manage our ever growing product catalog, and fulfill your orders. We sell over 600 sailboats and kayaks a year and fulfill our customer’s needs by shipping boats and product around the world from our office and warehouse in Portland, shipping hundreds of packages each week. We continue to invest in our business and continue to invest in the sailing community that got us here, all with the same mission guiding and motivating us.
Despite the uncertainty of the Covid-19 Pandemic that impacted everyone in so many ways, West Coast Sailing managed to remain open and operational to support the countless sailors looking to enjoy time on the water. It was a season of highs and lows, as demand for sailing products exceeded our ability to fulfill them at the level we expected. In addition to taking on the new rig shop business unit, this off season we invested in and deployed a brand new back office ERP system for running all aspects of our business. This system is linked directly to our industry-leading e-commerce site and will allow us to be more accurate with inventory availability, decrease the time it takes to launch new products, and improve the transparency of order statuses and tracking information. We take our commitment to offering the best service/support you’ll find anywhere seriously!
Whether you have shopped with us for years or looking for your new go to sailing store, hardcore dinghy racer or casual cruiser, up and coming junior sailor or parent of one, scholastic sailor, coach, program director, supporter, or simply someone who loves being on the water, we look forward to the opportunity to earn your business and your trust. We’re committed to being here for the long term and a vital part of the community and sport we all love.
Beyond our role as a retail shop in the sailing industry, West Coast Sailing is an avid supporter of the sailing community and we make it a priority to give back as much as possible. It is written in our vision and mission statement and has been since day one. We sponsor fleets, class districts, regattas (large and small), and offer special pricing to scholastic sailors and those involved with coaching/managing sailing programs. Running a small business is challenging and we don’t have an infinite budget, but we make a conscious effort to say yes to as many requests as possible. We’re proud to be part of a community of sailors, fleets, clubs, programs, and retailers that help enable access to sailing and enjoyment on the water.
Our new rig shop / rigging department is a further extension of this support. By offering proven solutions that make it easier to rig and sail your boat, we hope that sailors can spend less time worrying and more time sailing, be it racing, cruising, or just casually sailing with friends. By offering more solutions for more classes, we hope to build new relationships with sailors in classes we have not supported previously. With the decline in the number of retail shops and businesses dedicated to supporting sailors, we remain committed to supporting the community that in turn supports us. It is a two way street.
Our website is built on a state of the art ecommerce platform and the best resource for the wide range of products, services, and information we offer. We work hard to make products easy to find, with great photos and descriptions, so you can be confident in what you are buying. Our rig shop products are no exception. Each class we support in a one design capacity has a unique category page on our site (example, J/24), and the various line and rigging products we offer can be found there. We also have a dedicated rigging page that provides an overview of our capabilities, and a master category page with all products produced by our rigging department. One design rig shop items can be ordered just like any other product on our site – select the desired color (where available) and add to cart. These products are built to order and have a turn around time of 4-7 days. Our new collection of reference photos are also available to demonstrate common ways the various boats are rigged. If you have a custom rigging need or would like to order a modified version of an existing rigging product, sailors can contact our team via email and our rigger will assist you with options and send a quote for your approval.
We hope to add the ability to order custom rigging to our website later this year, further reducing the time it takes to order and receive the rigging you need. It is a work in progress to fully integrate this new business unit and we continue to make improvements every day!
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
The ongoing Laser Performance vs the International Laser Class Association dust up seems to have taken a bit of a break during Covid 19. It’s probably not lost on the everybody that there’s (dare we say it) a growing demand for ILCA dinghies (think Laser) amid the pandemic. It’s certainly not lost on Sailish sponsor and all-around good guys and gals at West Coast Sailing. They’ve been hard at work securing parts and new boats. Their announcement, below, is definitely worth reading. Not only have they chosen the builder to work with carefully, they’re also working with other distributors to coordinate supply. Imagine, working together!
I’m hoping to get the inside scoop on what, if any, controversy remains between ILCA and Laser Performance. In the meantime, a container of new ILCA dinghies is coming to the Pacific Northwest. See West Coast Sailing’s press release, below. -KH
Ovington ILCA : A New Era of Winning Boats
West Coast Sailing Partners with Ovington Boats to Offer ILCA Dinghy & Spare Parts in North America
PORTLAND, Oregon – West Coast Sailing is pleased to announce a partnership with Ovington Boats to offer class approved ILCA dinghies. Ovington Boats, the UK based builder specializing in high performance sailboats, was approved by the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) and World Sailing in August 2020. A long time supporter of the class and its sailors, West Coast Sailing carefully considered all new builders and sought to find the best ILCAs available. This expansion of a decade-long relationship between the two companies will allow West Coast Sailing to offer race-ready boats, spare parts, and top tier support, while providing Ovington Boats with a leading partner for their North American distribution.
The ILCA landscape has evolved quickly in the past year with several new builders approved by the class. Chris Brown, West Coast Sailing President, is confident the Ovington ILCA will become the boat of choice for sailors looking for high quality spare parts, reliable support, and a strong track record of success. “Ovington has been building high performance and Olympic level dinghies for many years and has applied the same level of craftsmanship and attention to detail in how they build their ILCAs,” Brown said. “After careful analysis and a factory visit, working with Ovington was a clear choice for us.” Beyond building a top quality ILCA, Ovington Boats is backed by a great team and a commitment to ongoing support. This is a key part of the equation every sailor should consider given issues with previous builders. Ovington staff members have an average of 20 years of boat building experience, and Chris Turner has been a stable hand at the helm of the business for the last 15 years. Robust warranty and support systems give dealers the latitude to solve problems and keep sailors on the water so they can focus on what they do and enjoy best. Ovington is committed to success from start to finish.
Looks familiar, doesn’t it?
Apparently Ovington ILCA boats roll tack and gybe just fine.
“This is an organized, experienced team that is used to being held to the highest standards of Olympic sailors who demand the absolute best,” Brown continued. “We have chosen to work with Ovington because we believe all sailors should expect the same.” The first container Ovington ILCA dinghies will arrive at West Coast Sailing the last week of December. Sailors can place a preorder deposit now to reserve a boat, with shipping available across the country starting in early January. A full range of Ovington ILCA sails, spars, blades, and upgrades are available for immediate purchase via the West Coast Sailing ecommerce website. Zim Sailing of Bristol, Rhode Island and Vela Sailing Supply of Dallas, Texas will join West Coast Sailing to collaborate on regional distribution. Through all the changes with the class and availability of boats and parts, the team at West Coast Sailing remains committed to helping sailors get out on the water and is looking forward to this new era for ILCA sailing. Additional information about West Coast Sailing, Ovington Boats, and the ILCA dinghy, including boat package details and a full list of spare parts, can be found via the link below.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
