User:DutchDresser/sandbox

User:DutchDresser/sandbox

Founded as the Salty Dawg Rally in 2011 by Bill and Linda Knowles of Bristol, RI, the Salty Dawg Sailing Association (SDSA) has become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that conducts seminars, rallies and rendezvous to help sailors realize their long distance cruising dreams safely. The Association strives to transfer knowledge and skills from veteran “Salty Dawgs” to less experienced cruisers, enabling independent decision-making and offshore confidence.

Over 1,900 sailors and 480 boats have participated in Salty Dawg Rallies and over 1,300 sailors subscribe to notification of Salty Dawg events. The Salty Dawg Rally is comprised of sailors who have offshore sailing experience, many with ocean crossings, and some with circumnavigations under their belts. The more experienced members of the fleet volunteer valuable advice to those who have done only a few offshore passages. Safety sessions and world-class seminars, demonstrations, articles and checklists are provided to participants prior to each rally. Individual captains make their own decisions on departure dates and routes to the destination, with strong input from the Rally, Chris Parker, the weather forecaster, and the more experienced sailors in the fleet. SDSA rallies enable skippers with open ocean experience to travel together in company and emphasize safety, communication, and camaraderie. The Fall Rally to the Caribbean is the largest rally leaving the East Coast of the United States.

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association conducts several of these rallies each year; recent and current rally destinations include the BVIs, Antigua, Hampton, VA, Havana, Cuba, Maine, and Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island. The rallies include offshore passages of varying lengths providing learning opportunities for new offshore sailors and additional pleasure and experience for those with many bluewater miles to their credit.

The SDSA welcomes all interested cruising sailors to its rallies and rendezvous.

Since 2011, more than 480 boats and 1900 sailors have participated in rallies organized by the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, which enable skippers with open ocean experience to travel together in company and emphasize safety, communication, and camaraderie. The Fall Rally to the Caribbean is the largest rally leaving the East Coast of the United States.