The Northeast Sailing Association, formerly known as the Maine Yacht Racing Association, was established in the late 1940’s. It is now one of 37 Yacht Racing Associations (also now, Sailing Associations) in the United States that serves sailors in many ways within its geographic area.
MISSION
The mission of the Northeast Sailing Association is to promote and support sailing and racing, run the US Sailing Championship races on the local level, provide a forum for appeals of decisions of local race committees, and to present seminars of interest to all members on subjects relevant to the sport.
ORGANIZATION
The Northeast Sailing Association (NSA) is your local arm of US Sailing. The US Sailing Association (USSA) is the national body that coordinates and supports Junior and Senior sailing and racing events throughout the country. USSA is divided geographically into 10 Areas (Area A to Area J). NSA is in Area A. Each Area is then divided into Associations. Area A contains the following Associations: NSA, Massachusetts Bay Sailing Association, Southern Massachusetts Sailing Association and Narragansett Bay Sailing Association. NSA is further divided into 4 regions (primarily because it encompasses such a large geographic area): Western (VT & NH), Southern (from Kittery to Small Point), Central (from Boothbay Harbor to Northport) and Eastern (from Castine to Sorrento). Most of the Yacht Clubs or Organized Sailing Programs in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are members of NSA.
USSA sponsors “ladder events” that begin at the local level and lead up to national level competition. There are two groups of these events, Junior and Adult. NSA finds member clubs to host the local levels of these events and supports them in the actual running of the event.
Junior Events:
Midgets – sailors under 13 years of age. This event does not progress
beyond the Association level.
Sears Cup – (skipper and 2 crew) – sailors 13-18 years old.
Bemis Cup – (skipper and 1 crew) – sailors 13-18 years old.
Leiter Cup – (single handed) – girls only 13-18 years old.
Smythe Cup – (single handed) – sailors 13-18 years old.
Senior Events:
Mallory Cup – (skipper and 2 crew) – men ages 18 and up.
Adams Cup – (skipper and 2 crew) – women ages 18 and up.
Prince of Whales Trophy (match racing) – men & women 18 and up.
O’Day Cup – (single handed) men 18 and up.
Some of the events above are ladder events and some are open events. In a ladder event, competition begins at the club level in elimination races to see what team or individual will represent that club at the Regional Event. The racers at the regional event compete to see who will represent the region at the Association Final. Winners of the Association final advance to represent our association (NSA) at the Area A Event. Sailors who win the right to advance from the Area A event, go on to the National Championships. An open event follows much the same path, but may be open to sailors at any level (thus no need for selection events prior to that level).
The Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing Association (GMORA) is one of the “clubs” affiliated with NSA. GMORA is the organizing body for big boat events in the state. The President of GMORA is on the Board of Directors of NSA.
The President of NSA is automatically a member of another organization called the New England Yacht Racing Council (NEYRC). NEYRC is comprised of the presidents of the four Area A Associations as well as other members. Its function is to schedule and run all the Area A ladder events, certify race managers, judges and protest committee members. NEYRC meets every other month in Boston.
NSA is a volunteer organization and, as such, relies on help and service from individuals for its sustained growth and development. Each NSA member club has an NSA Representative who will receive all official communications from NSA and whose job it is to keep the club (and its Junior Program) informed of NSA events.
If the Board of Directors is the brain of NSA then the Junior Committee is the heart of the organization. The primary function of the Junior Committee is to schedule and support the ladder events that junior sailors participate in. The structure of the Junior Committee is as follows: Chairperson, two representatives from each region, a training coordinator, an event coordinator for the Midgets event and an event coordinator for the the Sears, Bemis, Smythe and Leiter events. The Junior Committee meets before each NSA meeting and maintains lines of communication with individual clubs through either the NSA Representatives or through Junior Contacts at each club. In addition, the Junior Committee maintains a newsletter for all Junior Sailors called the Loudhailer.
If you have an interest in becoming involved in the organization (and we certainly welcome anyone who does), please contact the President or the Chair of the Junior Committee. We need you !
MEETINGS
NSA schedules Board of Directors meetings in the Spring and Fall. The Annual Meeting, which is an open meeting for the membership, is held in late August.
A notice of the date, time and place is mailed from the NSA office.
The Junior Committee has meetings in the Spring, Summer and Fall. On even years, we try to host a Fall Sailing Symposium that coincides with our meeting. This is usually an all-day affair. In addition, the Junior Committee organizes instructor gatherings in the early summer, the forum of which is to inform instructors about NSA guidelines and policies and to provide the opportunity for instructors to begin networking for inter-club events.
