Greetings Sailors!

In less than a week the MidWinters Series at Bay-Waveland start with the US Nationals first gun on Sunday, March 16^th. The Team Race is on March 19 and the International Masters start on the 20^th. It’s a great week of sailing and catching up with old friends and there’s still time to sign up and get on the water. Event links are listed at the bottom of this email. 

At the end of 2024 USSCA ran a survey asking for member feedback on the class and what you would like to see happen. Your opinion matters and you can still fill out the survey as the link for it is provided in the confirmation email you receive after you complete your 2025 membership.

Responses were received across all regions with over 20% of the membership offering their opinions. The average length of time respondents had been sailing in any boat was about 40 years with the range from 1 – 70+. I think some people were born on boats! 81% of our members are most interested in Local Club racing with 74% interested in racing at the regional level and 65% interested in Major Championships. Regatta Organization and the Schedule ranked as the highest value service provided to members with keeping up the One Design standards just a couple points below that. Education also ranked very highly in importance to members. Almost 90% of members would recommend joining the class to other sailors.

We asked 2 open ended questions on what services would be most important to people just joining the class as well what would be the most important new service or benefit the class could offer existing members. For new members the most important benefits would be education, clinics, mentors and boat availability, this was very similar to what returning members are interested in, who were additionally interested in classified forums, regatta support and discounts.

An USSCA Strategy Team that included Mary Ellen Ingham, Hal Gilreath, Hank Sauarge and Susan Tillman Berg reviewed the results and presented to the board the USSCA Strategy 2030.  The board has adopted the strategy at the March 5, 2025 meeting which covers the next 5 years.. 

Vision

The ISCA (Sunfish®) will be the preferred One Design single handed sailboat for all sailors and an essential platform for developing cross-generational sailing talent at many levels in the United States.

Mission

Shape the future of sailing by creating growth opportunities for people racing and sailing the ISCA (Sunfish®) across the United States.

In order to achieve our vision and mission we developed the following action plan:

Education and Training

To help everyone achieve the highest level of sailing skill they aspire to, whatever that may be. This will be accomplished by promoting and supporting education and training and by providing opportunities to improve. The following activities will be our focus.

Direct Engagement

• Training
• On the water clinics
• Mentoring
• Buddy System

             Topics to include:  Boat Handling, Rigging, Tactics; Strategy

Resources

In addition, we will develop and provide resources on topics to augment everyone’s experience such as:

• Boat maintenance                  
• Fleet Finders
• Sunfish specific education      
• How to train
• How to race                             
• Tips and tricks

 High Quality Sailing Experience

1)We will offer high quality and diverse sailing and racing opportunities and enhance regatta organization. We will achieve this by ensuring guidelines are available for all major championships and providing templated language for NOR’s. In addition, we will:

• Broaden the Regatta Schedule
• Add Alternate Format Regattas
• Consider financial aspects
• Provide opportunity for deeper fleet recognition

2)We will enable availability of USSCA class legal boats by

• Highlighting availability of new boats (ISCA)
• Supporting availability of 
  • Charter Boats;  
  • Loaner Boats
  • Fleet Boats (Fleet purchase and Build a Fleet) 
    • ISCA or pre 2025 Sunfish

Grow Awareness of Value Of USSCA

1) Support ISCA on Transition to ISCA Boat

2) Expand Awareness of USSCA

We will expand the awareness of the class through broad communications and improve the connections among members of the USSCA community

• Open Forums for communication
• Improved communications from class
• Develop new channels to raise awareness of USSCA and the value of the class

Thank you to the Strategy Team for the diligent effort to compile the Strategy 2030 to chart our course forward as a successful class.  I also want to thank the USSCA Board for their support and efforts as steer the class to a successful future 

If you have passion around any of these goals and would like to work with a team to help organize and develop these please reach out to me at (ussca.president@sunfishclass.org).  

It is only with your help that we will bring these goals to life and achieve our mission. I hope to hear from you soon.

Susan

Susan Mallows
President, USSCA

ussca.president@sunfishclass.org

2025 MEMBERSHIP USSCA

Please follow these membership steps:

IF RENEWING Go to the website www.sunfishclass.org

1. Login to your account using your email address. 
2. Review & update your membership contact information. 
3. Directory preferences select which data you want visible in the member-only online directory. 
4. Select NEW FORMS- 2025 US Sunfish Class Membership Order Form
5. Check out with: Individual, Youth, Family 2, Family 3, Family 4 Membership levels. 

IF NEW MEMBER in 2025 CLICK HERE

1. Create an NEW account using your email address
2. Verify the email
3. Login to the website
4. Review & update your membership contact information
5. Directory preferences select which data you want visible in the member-only directory. 
6. Select NEW FORMS- 2025 US Sunfish Class Membership Order Form
7. Check out with: Individual, Youth, Family 2, Family 3, Family 4 Membership levels.

OR if you want to renew by CHECK - 2025 Membership PDF

Once you join, please be on the lookout for an email confirmation of your membership with details on how to get your membership cards electronically and links to many important sections of the class website. 

If you have any problems, please reach out to the class office at sunfishoff@gmail.com or 404-451-7743

USSCA Nationals Event Website - CLICK HERE

ISCA Intl Masters Event Website - CLICK HERE

Charter Boat Information - CLICK HERE

www.sunfishclass.org | 404-451-7743 | sunfishoff@gmail.com