  
Who Should Sign Up?
The Women’s Challenge is designed for adult women who
have an interest in sailing, and a desire to practice their
leadership and teamwork skills in a fun, outdoor, supportive
environment. Previous sailing experience is not required.
If your experience aboard Seaward whets your appetite
for more sailing, you are in luck! The skills learned aboard
the Women's Challenge can be easily applied to other sailing
excursions.
In addition, alumnae of TSSG will be onboard as part of the
crew. You will learn from their experiences and see first-hand
how our program has enriched their lives. [ top
]
How Will I be Supporting the Tall Ship Semester for
Girls Program?
Besides being an adventurous way to spend a weekend, the Women’s
Challenge is a benefit for the Tall Ship Semester for Girls
(TSSG), an experience-based academic semester for high school
girls in the Bay Area. The program empowers girls with confidence
and direction while giving them high school credit through
experiential learning.
Our mission is to make the TSSG experience available to any
girl that we accept. We enroll 12-16 students per year and
the majority of our youth require significant financial support
to participate in this life-changing experience. Last year,
we raised $150,000 from foundations, individuals and events
to support our students. The Women’s Challenge is one
event that will help us raise these funds for the 2009 class.
For more information on TSSG, click
here. [ top ]
What is the Cost?
There is a $75 registration fee to join the Women's Challenge.
In addition, when you register you are agreeing to pay or
fundraise a minimum of $1,500. If you choose to pay the full
amount, a portion of your payment will be a tax deductible
donation to the Tall Ship Education Academy. If you choose
to fundraise, we will provide you with the tools to setup
your fundraising campaign easily and will provide you with
the guidance and encouragement needed to meet your goal.
Participants must have fundraised or paid $750 by 60 days
before the voyage. If you are fundraising and have not met
that target, you will be asked to make an installment payment
to meet that interim balance. The full $1,500 must be recieved
by TSEA one week before the voyage from either your fundraising
efforts or a second installment payment. If you choose to
continue to fundraise after the Challenge, TSEA is willing
to refund your installment payments. All fundraising must
be completed by one month after the Challenge..
To register for the 3-day Women's Sailing Challenge, go
to the Registration page. [ top
]
How do I fundraise to participate in the Challenge?
Since 2005 we have seen great creativity by women fundraising
for the Challenge:
- The majority of women who have chosen to fundraise have
created a customized online donation portal through Change.org
and directed friends/family/colleagues to support their
Challenge fundraising drive by donating through that portal.
We can help you create and customize your page with your
own pictures and story. (We can also accept donations offline
if you chose to use the mail instead of email.)
- Women have created events like a happy hour, a roof top
party, a garage sale and a Salsa night and asked attendees
to make donations at the door.
- Women have used significant birthdays to requested donations
be made in their honor to support their participation in
the Challenge.
- Women have talked with a Tall Ship Semester for Girls
alum and used her inspiring story to drive their fundraising
request.
We are happy to help brainstorm, support and teach you had to
meet your fundraising goal. Contact us if you have questions
or ideas that you want to discuss!
[ top ] Are all donations
tax deductible?
Donations made on your behalf are completely tax deductible
for the donor:
- If you set up a fundraising site with Change.org,
your donors will recieve a receipt from change.org for their
donation.
- Doners can also give directly through the Donate
page on our website or by sending a check to the Tall Ship
Education Academy. These donors will recieve a receipt from
the Tall Ship Education Academy.
We suggest that you write a personal thank you to the donor
as well.
Your registration fee is not tax deductible and should you
choose to pay all or part of the $1,500 toward your own experience,
the first $600 is NOT tax decudtible. Any amount that you
pay over $600 is a tax deductible donation.
Is there a cancellation policy?
Life happens and we understand that.
Cancelling with more than 30 days notice:
we will apply any fundraising efforts to the next Challenge
in which you are able to enroll within two years.
Cancelling with less than 30 days notice:
-- if you are able to fill your space with a friend who will
do her own fundraising/payment, we will apply your fundraising
efforts to the next Challenge in which you are able to enroll
within two years.
-- If you are not able to fill your space, you will forfeit
$750 of any money raised or paid. Any fundraising done in
excess of $750 at the time of your cancellation will be applied
to the next Challenge in which you are able to participate
within two years.
-- If you cancel and choose not to participate in any future
Challenge, we will retain all of the funds you have fundraised
(we do not refund donations) and/or your installment of $750.
-- Your $75 registration is not refundable.
[ top ]
Can the Program be cancelled?
The Tall Ship Education Academy requires that at least six
women have committed to participate in the Women's Challenge
by 60 days before the start of the program. If this condition
is not met, the Tall Ship Education Academy reserves the right
to cancel the Women's Challenge and provide registrants with
an alternative date for the program. In this case:
-- If you decide not to participate in a future Challenge,
you may request a refund on your registration fee.
-- Any funds you have paid toward your participation may
be refunded to you, or applied to the Challenge in which
you do participate.
-- Any funds you have fundraised toward your participation
will not be refunded to donors but will be applied to the
Challenge in which you participate.
[ top ]
What is life aboard like?
Women of all ages can participate in the Women’s 3-day
Challenge. This program is designed to teach women sailing
skills and to have them practice those skills immediately.
Women joining the challenge do not need to have any sailing
experience but they must be willing and interested in participating
in the learning and running of the ship. Bring a friend and
enjoy the adventure together!
Life aboard Seaward is comfortable and cozy. Privacy
is limited – your bunk is in a common bunking area and
you will be sharing two heads (toilets); There is no shower
on board but plenty of water to wash your face, hands and
of course to drink! You will be asked to pitch in on some
chores that keep the ship running and will be physically active
throughout the day. You will spend most of your days and part
of your nights outdoors, so be prepared for the refreshing
feeling of fresh air all day and the weather that can come
with it! [ top ]
What will I learn?
During the Challenge, we will present the concepts of sailing
and how to safely work the vessel. You will learn how sailboats
move by wind power, the parts of a sail and the lines that
control each sail, how to tack and jibe a boat, rules of the
road, tides and currents, how to plot a course, how to steer
and how to efficiently use the wind. You and your teammates
will work together to put these concepts to life and sail
Seaward through your three days at sea.
Unlike sailing courses on smaller boats, this three day course
on an 85 foot schooner provides a stable platform to work
and rework concepts. The element of teamwork is critical in
sailing larger ships because you cannot do it alone. The concepts
you will learn will easily apply to further courses or adventures
you choose on the water. [ top ]
What will I need to bring?
Click
here to download a suggested gear list. [ top
]
I have more questions...
Please call or email
the program office if you have questions. We love to talk
about this excitingn program and would also be happy to put
you in touch with a Women's Challenge alum and/or a Tall Ship
Semester for Girls alum so you can talk with them about their
experience.
[ top ]
I’m ready for the Challenge! What do I do next?
If you are ready to sign up for the Women’s 3-day Sailing
Challenge, go to the Registration
page.
Once you have registered, our
Women's Challenge Coordinator will email you with additional
information and fundraising tips.
[ top ]
Before you arrive on Seaward, you should get a copy
of The Complete Sailor by David Seidman and read the
first few chapters. Reviewing this material will prepare you
for the fast pace of learning on board.
The itinerary below is a rough schedule of our days at sea.
On a sailboat, we are always at the mercy of the weather,
so remember this is flexible.
Day 0: Board the Vessel
Board Seaward at 5:00pm (1700) at Pier 40 in San
Francisco
Stow your gear. Meet the crew, graduates of the Tall Ship
Semester for Girls, your fellow participants and get an introduction
to the vessel.
Set sail and enjoy a sunset on the Bay.
Anchor for the night in the Bay
DINNER
Evening class on sail theory. Start studying your lines!
Day 1: Let the Learning Begin
BREAKFAST
Class: Names, parts of sail and lines
Safety drills/talk
Basic line handling class
Class on points of sail
LUNCH
Set sail and work your way around the bay practicing line
handling and sail maneuvering.
Class on tacking and jibing
Learn your lines! Anchor in Richardson Bay
DINNER
Pin chase
Day 2:
BREAKFAST
Class: Tides and currents in San Francisco Bay
Set sail to tack out of the bay. Sail under the Golden Gate
Bridge and north toward Point Reyes.
LUNCH underway.
DINNER at anchor
Learn more about TSSG from alums
Star gazing and astronomy
Day 3:
BREAKFAST
Class: buoys, sounds, lights, right of way
Introduction to the afternoon challenge.
Sail back into SF Bay
LUNCH underway
THE CHALLENGE!! Sail courses around San Francisco Bay
Presentation of awards
Dock and disembark by 3pm (1500) at Pier 40 in San Francisco
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