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The Orcas Race Team has started its spring 2026 NWISA season.Thirteen Sailors are practicing three days a week on West Sound and have a busy regatta schedule planned,the next three months. Tate Wester is the head coach and is surrounded by a great core group of volunteers. You can follow the teams regatta results, at Tech Score, Spring 2026 | ISSA Real-Time Regatta Results ,look for Orcas, SSIS and FH Results. For example here is a link to week 5 results Peninsula Regional | Spring 2026 | ISSA Real-Time Regatta Results. There is still time for a HS or MS student to join the team this spring. Here is the link to registration. Sail Orcas High School Sailor June Bernhardt has designed a new logo for the team, revitalizing Jake White’s 2009 design.
Summer Lesson Enrollment opens March 30th at Sail Orcas.
We are excited to Have Moose Kinsey heading up the summer youth sailing camps again this year.
We also are offering Adult Coed and Women’s sailing lessons in our Vanguard 15’s.
The Sail Orcas complete calendar of regattas, open houses, etc can be found here. Link
Contact: Burke Thomas at orcassailingcoach@gmail.com for more information.
Summer Youth Sailing
For ages 8 to 14 we teach morning beginner lessons. The class is mostly done in Optimist sailboats. Once your sailor has had a few weeks of beginner classes and are feeling comfortable in the boat alone, we offer afternoon intermediate and advanced options. Intermediate and Advanced classes use Optimists, O'pen Bics, Lasers, V-15s and FJ's. Additionally, the afternoon Intermediate/Advanced Race Clinics teach kids the fundamentals of racing and are open to sailors ages 10-18.
Adult Sailing
For ages 18 and up we offer evening sailing sessions during the summer. Summer co-ed and women's classes (for all who identify as women) provide an opportunity to develop skills and friendships on the water. We use FJ's, and V-15s. Content and instruction will vary depending on the class size and experience.
High School and Middle School Racing
We welcome all Orcas students 7th through 12th grade with an interest in continuing their sailing progression to join us this Spring for local practices and competitive opportunities. Practices will be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after school, with opportunities to travel regionally for regattas, clinics, or joint practices with other teams. We primarily sail the double-handed Flying Junior (FJ), a 13ft dinghy with two sails. Additionally, we will have Laser Radials and Laser 4.7s to accommodate additional sailors in smaller single-handed boats. Contact us for more information on the summer race circuit.
As we near the end of 2025, it's time to reflect and celebrate all that we've accomplished together—and to ask for your support in making 2026 even better. 2025 has been an incredible year for Sail Orcas, thanks to your generosity. Your support brings the joy of sailing to Orcas Island.
Sail Orcas is a volunteer-run nonprofit that's all about getting people of all ages out on the water. Whether it's through introducing youth to sailing, helping adults discover a new hobby, or teaching our school sailing team how to race, we're passionate about making sailing accessible to everyone. Our mission is to teach the skills of this lifetime sport, while fostering teamwork, sportsmanship, camaraderie, and marine stewardship.
How you can help:
Together, we're making a lasting impact on the lives of our sailors and the broader Orcas Island community. Thank you for your continued support—without it, none of this would be possible.
Warmly,
Burke Thomas,
President Sail Orcas