Summer Racing – West Michigan Youth Sailing Association

ANNUAL SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

As part of its developmental mission, the West Michigan Youth Sailing Association conducts an annual Summer Championship Racing Series. This series consists of a total of four regattas that are typically held every other Friday throughout the summer. Since 2010, each of these Friday regattas have attracted 75-100 boats and collectively these events have created over 4000 individual youth sailing experiences.

These regattas are open to sailors from WMYSA member clubs only. Registration for WMYSA regattas is done through each member club.

Sailors at these regattas compete in the following classes:

Optimist Green (for beginner sailors who have proven themselves capable of tacking, gybing and navigating a prescribed course)
Optimist Red/White/Blue
Butterfly
Laser 4.7 (ILCA 4)
Laser Radial (ILCA 6)
Laser Full (ILCA 7)
Club 420 jib and main
Club 420 with spinnaker and (optional) trapeze

The 2025 WMYSA Championship Series Friday regattas schedule will be as follows:

June 20, 2025 at Spring Lake Yacht Club (note that this is a week earlier than past years)
July 11, 2025 at White Lake Yacht Club
July 25, 2025 at Muskegon Yacht Club
August 8, 2025 at Macatawa Bay Yacht Club

The Notices of Race for each of the 2025 regattas can be viewed and downloaded at the following links:

The Sailing Instructions for each of the 2025 regattas will be posted soon.

Click HERE to view or download the 2025 WMYSA Regatta Entry Form.

OPTIMIST GREEN FLEET “NO TEARS” EVENT FOR BEGINNERS

In addition to the Championship Series, the WMYSA also conducts an annual Optimist Green Fleet “No Tears” Regatta for beginner sailors. This regatta is not scored and offers our youngest and least experienced sailors a great opportunity to try racing for the first time with plentiful coaching and caring support.

The 2025 “No Tears” Regatta will take place at Grand Rapids Yacht Club on Friday July 18, 2025.

The 2025 Optimist No Tears Regatta Notice of Race will be posted soon.

The 2025 Optimist No Tears Regatta Sailing Instructions will be posted soon.

Click HERE to view or download the 2024 WMYSA Regatta Entry Form.

SPECIAL FOCUSED CLINICS

Building upon an introduction to high school sailing event held for the first time in 2017, the WMYSA often conducts a clinic at the start of each summer. These events, typically held during the third week of June each year, focus on developing specific sailing skills or expose sailors to other types/styles of racing.

There is currently no clinic planned for the 2024 season.

In 2023, the WMYSA conducted a singlehanded ILCA/Laser sailing clinic at Macatawa Bay Yacht Club.

In 2022, the WMYSA was pleased to have renowned sailor and Eckerd College Assistant Sailing Team Coach Caroline Young come to Michigan to lead an intensive one-day spinnaker clinic at Saugatuck Yacht Club.