Welcome To Portland Sailing!
Congratulations! By clicking our “Start Sailing, Start Racing!” tab, you just took the first step to begin sailing and racing in the Portland area!
The boating community of Oregon and SW Washington is quite welcoming and willing to help those new to the area, or those interested in beginning to race sailboats, learn the ropes (pun intended!) of our incredible sport. Gaining experience as either a skipper or crew is certainly possible and we’re here to help you navigate how to get started.
While this page is evolving, please check back often for more information. In the meantime, we recommend you take a look at the various links on our site and/or our responses below to some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have specific questions, feel free to Contact Us.
We look forward to seeing on the water soon!
FAQs
START SAILING:
“I’ve always wanted to learn to sail, but not sure how or where to get started. What resources do you have for beginners?”
Great question! Check out our Resources tab (4th on top), where you’ll find information on sailing instruction by certified instructions for both adults and youth, boating safety, when it’s required and how to obtain a boater’s education card (requirements differ in Oregon, Washington and by State), and a variety of other useful information.
“What equipment do I need?
Besides a good attitude and a willingness to learn, safety and comfort are two of the most important aspects to sailing.
This useful link should help get you started.
START RACING:
“I just moved here and am looking to join a crew!”
Fantastic! There are several ways to potentially crew on a sailboat racing locally. First, our local Crew and Boat lists can be invaluable tools. Feel free to “Post an Ad – Crew Looking for Boats” or check out the “Portland Boat List” – both offer resources to potentially become a racing crew. Also, if you would like to race a specific type of boat, or have experience sailing/racing a specific type of boat, consider contacting the Fleet Captain as s/he may have “insider” information of who might need crew. Also, whether you have experience or not, volunteering to help is always a good way to get involved in the racing community or on race committee. You’ll meet the people responsible for running local sailboat races, and we’re always looking for people to help. Contact the Club Race Captains , join a Club or Organization, or check our Volunteer Opportunities. Lastly, try “walking the docks” … yes, pick-up crew has been known to happen on the day of the race! If you’re looking to crew in other areas, check out the link.
Good luck, be safe and have fun!
“I’m new to the area. Where do you race sailboats locally?”
There are a lot of places to sail and race; but most Portland area keel boat racing is done on the Columbia River between the I-5 and I-205 bridges, Cascade Locks (fun stuff!) or St Helens; while dinghy racing can be found on the Willamette River and Vancouver Lake through Willamette Sailing Club and Vancouver Lake Sailing Club, respectively. For information on each or for other areas, check out our Club and Organization link.
“Is OCSA membership required to race?”
Well, no … and yes, maybe. If you do not own a sailboat or do, but don’t want to race it, membership in OCSA (Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association) is not required; but sincerely appreciated, as you’ll be helping to support education and the local racing community at large. Click the link to learn more about OCSA and what we do. That being said, if you are a skipper with a boat, and would like to race your boat, many races require membership in OCSA. Please review the NOR (Notice of Race) on the Event Notice Board for specific race requirements.
“I just bought a boat and would like to race. How do I get started?”
That’s FANTASTIC and congratulations!! 😀 Racing in the Portland area is a lot of fun and we’d like to help provide some direction. Bare with us, as we’ll be updating this section soon; but please review some of the FAQs above to begin or Contact Us with specific questions.