About Sailstice
Summer Sailstice was founded in February 2001 by John Arndt, as the global, annual celebration of sailing held on the weekend nearest the summer solstice.
The annual Summer Sailstice sailing event is free to all participants and has grown from 200 boats signed up in 2001 to almost 5,000 boats today. Since many sailors join in the fun on many different boats, the actual number of Summer Sailstice sailors participating is estimated at almost 19,000 annually.
Vision: Unite sailors worldwide to celebrate and share their passion for sailing.
Mission: ‘Host a spectacular weekend uniting and bonding a critical mass of sailors worldwide in a common, publicly visible, inspiring event to demonstrate and celebrate sailing resulting in a significant, positive impact on participation.’ And, like sailing, have fun doing it! More on the mission of sailing and Summer Sailstice.
In joining with Sailors for the Sea, Summer Sailstice strives to inform and mobilize sailors, their families and communities to enjoy and conserve the beauty of the oceans and while raising awareness of human impacts on the fragile marine environment and wildlife.
Why Celebrate Sailing?
Sailing has expanded the horizons of the human race, connected continents and cultures, enriched the lives of mankind and, to this day, continues to bring millions under its spell. Summer Sailstice is dedicated to celebrating the full mosaic of the sailing culture. By celebrating sailing Summer Sailstice will help the non-sailing world discover sailing, help connect sailors and connect more people to each other and to caring for the oceans and waters upon which they sail.
Tallship, small ship, cruiser, racer, recreational – everyone is invited once a year to hoist sails and celebrate sailing ‘together’. By doing so we showcase the best of what sailing has to offer while giving you a chance to connect with the global sailing community, grow your sailing programs, race your one-design fleet and generally do what you enjoy best. With all of us doing it ‘together’ we also leverage all of our individual and organization efforts to offer the world a one-weekend snapshot of the sailing culture.
When you sign up or create an event you become part of a global demonstration of sailing – whether it’s open to the public or a private sail it all gives an insight of the world of sailing. You can sign up your regular club event, create a special event or just go for a sail or win a prize. It’s all about sharing one weekend of sailing ‘together’.
About Founder: John Arndt
John Arndt is Associate Publisher at Latitude 38, a premier West Coast sailing publication. John spent three years on the Northern California Marine Association Board and six years on the Sail America Board. John learned to sail from his parents who taught him in small boats (Snark, Turnabout, Penguin, 420, Rhodes 19) on the Maine coast and has continued to sail ever since then. John’s lifelong passion for sailing has involved thousands of miles of racing and cruising, plus 25 years spent professionally in the sailing industry. His sailing experience includes several Bermuda races, One Design racing, Collegiate racing, two winter seasons cruising the Caribbean, sailing in Europe and the Mediterranean plus lots of sunny afternoon sails aboard all kinds of boats in San Francisco Bay.
Read about the 2015 Distinguished Service Award.
John Arndt sailing aboard his Ranger 33 ‘Summer Sailstice’ on San Francisco Bay.
John’s wife, Leslie and his two daughters, Sarah and Hannah, sail their 1974 Ranger 33 ‘Summer Sailstice’, recently painted ‘Stars & Stripes’ blue by Berkeley Marine Center, and their DeWitt dinghy from the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon on San Francisco Bay whenever they can.
Disclaimer of Liability:
Sailors participate in this event entirely at their own risk. Participants acknowledge that sailing involves potential risks. As a condition of their participation in this event, competitors release all claims they may have against Summer Sailstice and its officers, directors, members, committees and employees for damage to property, personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during or after the regatta. participants shall be responsible for damage or injury caused by their actions or breach of applicable governmental rules for the avoidance of collision.
Privacy Policy:
Summer Sailstice does not share your email address or information with anyone. Read our full privacy policy here.
Of course it’s true that many of our sponsors and affiliates request that we share your information and, if you think about it, they’d be crazy not to make the request. However, we simply don’t do it. They are mostly marine businesses and have products they’d love to show you. It’s also true that we’d like you to thank our sponsors and all organizations that support a global celebration of sailing by buying their products or services.
We do promise them we’ll do our best to let you know who they are, what they sell and give you every opportunity to support them. Our sponsors are in business and are doing everything they can to grow their businesses, pay their employees and build the sailing market. We’d love to have you thank them in any way you can. And we thank you for doing so!
