General:

What is ISSA?
The Interscholastic Sailing Assoc. They are the national organizing of high school sailing.

What is NESSA?
The New England Scholastic Sailing Assoc. It is a region of ISSA and is the main point of contact for all high sailing in New England. Sam Scribner of SailMaine is the Northern New England representative of NESSA.

Who is eligible for High School Sailing?
To compete in any NESSA sanctioned regatta you must be a part of team registered with NESSA. Any high school team can register with NESSA but must pay dues and have Athletic Director approval. Conglomerate teams cannot register with NESSA. Students who do not live in a district that offers a sailing team can join a conglomerate team if they are willing to drive to it!

My school does not have sailing team, what can I do?
Join a conglomerate team or start a team!

Team racing vs. Fleet racing (spring vs. fall)
Fleet racing happens in the fall. Every team is allocated 1 boat. A regatta consists of many races and many teams. All boats race against each other in each race. It is slightly more individual: boats are simply trying to sail fast and win each race.

Team racing happens in the spring. Every team is allocated 3 boats. Each team uses their 3 boats to work together to achieve their best results against another team’s 3 boats. This repeats and rotates throughout the day with different matchups. There are more tactics involved!

What gear do I need for HS sailing?
SailMaine has a gear guide here.

I want to sail in college, what do I need to know?
Many Maine high school sailors go on to compete in college. Popular schools to attend are UVM, Bowdoin, Bates, Maine Maritime, Northeastern, Tufts, Dartmouth, Yale, BC, BU, URI, Roger Williams, Hobart&William Smith, Salve Regina. High School coaches should have more info.

SailMaine Questions:

What is SailMaine?
A community sailing center in Portland that hosts 8 high school teams in the spring and fall. Regattas are typically run Saturday and Sunday every weekend.

What is the SailMaine Development Team?
The Dev Team is for 7th and 8th graders or high schoolers new to sailing.

What is the Southern Maine HS Team (conglomerate)?
A conglomerate team that practices at SailMaine in Portland. Sailors have come from Kennebunkport, Brunswick, Freeport, and everywhere in between that does not have a team.

More SailMaine info can be found on the SM High School page and the FAQ