Sample Topics

The Sailing Leadership Forum will include presentations, seminars, panel discussions, and break-out sessions.
The 2014 Forum included presentations on the following topics:

Keynote and Mini-Keynote
(stay tuned for more announcements)

Developing Programs

  • Building a Successful Junior Program - Curriculum to Class Offerings
  • Creating a Powerboat Program for All Ages
  • The Business of REACH
  • How to Develop an Adaptive Sailing Program
  • Junior Sailing: Beyond Regattas
  • Millennial Generation Panel: Hear What They Want from Their Mouth
  • What is Seamanship and why is it Important to Sailors Today?
  • Grant Writing 101: Building a Strong Case for Foundation Support
  • Adult Learn to Sail Programs: Attracting New Members and Energizing Your Current Members
  • Going Green: Sustainable Practices for Programs and Regattas
  • Frostbiting your Sabot and Other Offseason Actitivies
  • Team Racing

Marketing & Communications

  • How to Unleash the Power of Social Media and Make it Work for You (in plain English)
  • “Around the Winch” – Fast-Paced Moderated Discussion with Sailing’s Media
  • Print vs. Electronic Newsletters - Finding the Best Way to Communicate
  • Maintaining and Sustaining your Brand Identity - creative ways to increase your visibility in the community
  • Homepage must-haves and other website tips
  • Where is your regatta website? Preparing Competitors & Engaging the Public
  • Pitch Perfect - How to Sell Sponsorships (present your 30 second sales pitch)
  • PR: Make your story matter
  • Sponsorship Case Studies - creating the win-win

Admin/Management

  • Government Regulations: OSHA, Transporting Students, Interfacing with the Coast Guard
  • Recruiting, Hiring, Retaining & Motivating Staff
  • Managing Risk and Exposures at Your Facility
  • How to Make Your Nonprofit Flourish - Structure and Strategy
  • Helping Sailors Succeed in spite of their parents
  • Anyone Can Be a Boss, Can you Be a Leader? Focusing and inspiring volunteers
  • Emergency Action Plans: What You Need to Know
  • Financial Benchmarking & yacht club survey data
  • Collaborations: Community, Class & Club

Regatta and Racing

  • Classes/Fleets:  How to Grow Them, How to Keep Them Strong
  • Offshore Special Regs Translated to Plain American
  • Regatta Safety: Planning, Operation and Emergency Response
  • Race Management Excellence and Technology - It's not Just for the America's Cup
  • Coast Guard - Racing Inshore/Offshore Events, Being Proactive Before its Required
  • Running Fun Races: Non-Traditional Regattas
  • Organizing a Great Regatta: Learn the Secrets of Successful Events
  • Building Race Management Resources at Your Club
  • Implementing an Offshore Safety & Preparedness Plan

Grow Sport/Fleet/Class/Club/Org

  • Success with PHRF - Growing Your Fleet
  • Lowering the Average Age of your Sailors: Attracting Youth and Keep Them Engaged
  • Bringing the Bottom Up:  20 Coaching Strategies for Larger Fleets
  • Creating Sailing Opportunities: Diversifying Through Outreach
  • Building Aligning Motivating Your Org: The Role of Clubs in Developing Sailors
  • Growing Membership and Increasing Participation
  • Keep those Boats in the Water - Integrating High School Sailing to your Organization
  • Fleet &Club-Owned Boats Selection - Right Fit for Your Club

Rules & Officials

  • Beyond the Tape Measure and Scale: What is Equipment Control About?
  • Intriguing and Useful Cases and Appeals: What Racing Sailors and Race Officials Need to Know
  • Judges' & Race Officials' Roundtable: An Informal Discussion - BYO Questions & Problems
  • Race Officials at a Youth Event: Making it Safe, Fair and FUN!
  • The Rules in the Electronic Age: Technological Innovations, their Advantages and their Pitfalls
  • Organizing, Training & Motivating a Strong Race Committee Group: Pulling It All Together

Hands-on/Outdoor

  • Overboard Recovery
  • Outboard Engine Repair/Maintenance
  • Athletes in Hiding - the truth behind a sailing fitness program
  • One Design Tuning: A Universal and Practical Approach Applicable to all One Design Classes
  • Fun and Games
  • Fiberglass & Gelcoat Repair
  • Go Fast - Weather
  • Confessions of a Program Director
  • REACHing into STEM with Math, Science and ROVs

The Forum will feature presenters that represent all areas of the sport including, big and small clubs, event organizers, community sailing leaders and advocates, local and international race officials and team leaders, and more.

*This is a preliminary list. Regular updates will be made to the list of attending contributors and presentation topics.