J/Pod Sailing

10/14/2024

Do you know of a J/80 in the Seattle area with an owner who’s willing to send it to Shilshole next weekend?

Over the past few months I’ve had a group of kids training to go to the High School Keelboat Nationals Qualifier. Due to the event having more demand and registered teams than we have boats, our team was cut from the regatta.

The OIYC fleet and team alumni have been wonderful with helping get these sailors trained. Preparing for this event has completely changed how the kids view this sport and has opened up so many possibilities for them. As a fleet, we’ve worked to get them trained, now we need your help to put them in a boat for this national qualifying event.

If you know of a J/80 please that could be in Shilshole next weekend Oct 19th and 20th, we have volunteers with USCG credentials willing to deliver it and a lot of people who are very hopeful to try to make it happen. Please reach out to me at (360-854-8516) PRO Jack (206) 743-1379) or the Seattle Sailing Club.

Thank you and please share this message far and wide so we can find our kids a boat.

-Julia Soes

08/19/2024

It's Pink Boat Regatta - Bellingham Time!

Please help fight breast cancer by donating! Without research, there are no trial treatments! So please help me support breast cancer research by making a donation through my fundraising page for the 2024 Pink Boat Regatta - Bellingham. Even a small donation will help me achieve my goal! The process is fast, easy, and secure.

I am sailing for two dear friends Angie Field Rochna and Diane Casey who are battling breast cancer! Cancer Sucks - Let's beat cancer together!

I'm sailing in PINK!!!!

05/21/2024

Photos and updates on the sailing activities and opportunities at Sail Orcas.

01/18/2023

03/25/2022

At the US Sailing and ROLEX’s Yachtsman and Yachtswomen of the Year Awards Ceremony last night, Orcas Island Yacht Club was presented with the honor of the One Design Club Award, accepted by our very own Ron Rosenberg and Stephanie Heitz Arnold in celebration of our J/Pod J/70 and Martin 242 fleets!

As stated by US Sailing, the One Design Club Award is bestowed “in recognition of administrative excellence, fleet growth, creative programming, regatta support, and member contribution to one-design sailing.” It’s an award given “annually to the Yacht Club that has shown great success throughout its entire organization.” We think that hits the OIYC nail on the head!

Thank you so much to the entirety of the Orcas Island sailing community for your enthusiasm surrounding the sport of sailing, for embracing and bolstering our Yacht Club, and for fostering a love for being on the water and sharing it with our future generations, especially through Sail Orcas. Speaking of, thank you SO much to Julia Soes for the incredible nomination you crafted for this award, and for sharing OIYC with the national sailing community as a result. We couldn’t have done this without you.

Lastly, in lieu of an acceptance speech last night, Ron and Steph kindly yielded the microphone to show this video made by our Ryan Samantha Carson, featuring her photos. Thank you, Ryan Carson Photography for capturing our efforts on and off the water!

03/02/2022

Some good news🎉 our favorite pod just added a new addition 💕

01/17/2022

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s3jDC3xjvMc

An ode to the people I love, the West Sound sailing community.Thank you. For everything.Photos: Ryan Samantha CarsonVideos/Coaching: Ron RosenbergSong: Brett...

09/28/2021

Ci sei mancato Team Orcas! 🇮🇹
J/Pod fixtures, Sail Orcas supporters, and overall extraordinary, inspirational individuals, Chris and Justin Wolfe, are heading home!

The dynamic duo of Raku Racing has spent the last several weeks representing the United States in the Mixed Offshore Doubles World Championship in a one-design foiling Figaro 3 keelboat.

10 teams from eight countries were chosen to compete in this first-ever Hempel double-handed worlds competition, sailing over 800nm along the Adriatic coast in what can only be described as an offshore sailing marathon.

We’re so proud of Chris and Justin, and we’re always so honored to sail with them and to learn from them here in West Sound. The lessons they’ve learned in Italy are surely incredible and numerous, and we can’t wait to hear all about them… after the pair enjoys some well-deserved relaxation, of course. 😉

📷: Ryan Samantha Carson

09/25/2021

The (young) man, the myth, the legend: Kai Vurno!

An exemplary, outstanding sailor and overall individual, Kai is a role model on and off the water. We’re so stoked about all of Kai’s successes, the most recent of which was a second place finish out of 40 Laser Radials at the Octoberfest Youth Regatta at Sail Sand Point on Lake Washington. A former Sail Orcas student and current J/Pod fixture, oftentimes skippering with his family as crew, Kai’s been absolutely excelling in the PACNW Grand Prix Series!

Up next? Kai’s headed to his first US Youth Championship! Join us in cheering him on and supporting him as he heads to North Carolina in October! Go, Kai, Go! ⛵️

📷: Ryan Samantha Carson