February 2026 Newsletter

PROMOTING PERSONAL FREEDOM THROUGH POSITIVE SELF EMPOWERMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY  BY PROVIDING EASY AFFORDABLE ACCESS  TO THE WORLD OF SAILING Reflections "Boy in a Small Boat" by Winslow Homer (February 24, 1836 – September 29, 1910) At Island Sailing we believe responsibility is freedom:  the more responsibility we take for ourselves - the more freedom we attain. At Island Sailing "responsibility" is one of our key values, and we believe sailing allows us to experience freedom.  Having started sailing myself at the young age of 10 with my Sunfish - I learned to sail on "the Little Lake" (Pentwater Lake) and also out on "the Big Lake" (Lake Michigan). Throughout those halcyon summer days of my early years of sailing I didn't fully grasp all of that which sailing was teaching me (and allowing me to experience). However - I see it clearly now. With sailing, if you make bad choices - you simply have to deal with it. If you didn't pay attention to the weather, or watch the sky - there's no one else to blame - you have to deal with it. If you didn't listen to or seek local knowledge (always the best knowledge) - you inevitably paid the price. If you didn't adjust your rig correctly for conditions before a race, and inexplicably all the other kids were going faster in the same wind as you - it's not about blaming someone else. It's about learning to adjust your rig properly and always striving to do better next time. If we're 40, 50, 60, or 600 miles off shore and getting hammered by a storm, we deal with it. We don't waist time looking for a bus to throw someone under; we don't blame the weather man for the news; we don't blame a crew member - we take care of our boat and we take care of our crew... and the tougher things get - the more important it is to pull together as a crew.  ~ It's simple: we are sailors.~ As all good sailors know and practice: the skipper is 100% responsible for everything and everyone on that boat. We don't dispute that. We don't file lawsuits or complain or whine or blame "the other guy" or look to pass the buck - we deal with things head on. That responsibility brings us freedom. At Island Sailing we strive to live our values and, to say it again: Responsibility is freedom. Lashing down the head sail on the Northern Light out on Lake Michigan Club Programs and Our Monthly Focus   While February typically brings cold weather and the eventual ice storm to the Portland area, this year's warm winter has brought with it great conditions for sailing and cruising. This past January, we saw the most members down sailing since at least 2023, with 31 total reservations and 25 different members enjoying the winter winds. For reference, in 2025 we only saw 22 member reservations in January, and in 2024, we saw just 10! Nicely done!! One of our most active communities throughout the year is our Cruising group. Looking to get a feel for a larger boat? Wanting to explore further with an experienced crew? Just looking to meet fellow sailors? Come join one of our Cruising events for all the above and more. Meeting roughly bi-weekly in the summer and monthly through the winter, the group often explores to Government Island, St. Helens, and Beacon Rock, usually taking a mix of different boats. From fan favorites of Ruby Joe and Mahalo, to more unique boats such as Circe, the cruising group offers a means to explore and expand your comfort zone in a safe and supportive environment. Throughout the year, the cruising group has a mix of day-sails and overnights. Overnight trips to different public access docks and anchorages offer an approachable way to get a feel for tying up for the night and sleeping onboard. Day sails, like the one last Saturday up to Government Island for lunch, help enforce an understanding of our local waters and hazards. Community Sailing Group Wanting to get involved? Sign up here to join our email list and stay up to date with all upcoming cruising events! CLICK HERE TO GET INVOLVED!  All of these amazing cruising events wouldn't be possible without our Commadore Kyle Barnes. Her incredible organizational and planning skills makes this all possible. So thanks to Kyle, our Commodore of Cruising for everything you do! Notes About Your Fleet! Here at Island Sailing, we are always working to improve your fleet to help enhance the sailing and cruising experience for our members. This month, we would like to highlight that we are rolling out solar charging systems for our fleet! We have started with three of our Catalina 22's and will gradually include the larger boats in the fleet as the summer comes on. This will enable members to have reliable charging and lighting on our boats for overnight trips to places like Government Island and beyond. Off grid Sailing here we come!! Seasonal Sailing Tips Winter and Early spring can bring some unpredictable conditions to the Columbia River. Gusty south and east winds prevail, which can catch newer sailors off guard. However, these seasons can also provide some of the best sailing if you are prepared for the changing conditions.  Be sure to always keep "a good weather eye" out - watch that sky for squalls! When you see those long, low "tubes" that generally run north and south and are dark on the bottom - watch out! The lower they are to the earth (sometimes they will even obscure the west hills) the stronger they will be - and if they are a solid line along the bottom - they will pack a punch. If they are jagged and broken up a bit along the bottom, they are either dumping energy, but they could also be gaining energy. Don't turn your back on them - always keep an eye on them to see if they are gaining or dumping energy... The key is reefing and knowing when to reef. Before setting out, familiarize yourself with the reefing system on that boat and consider reefing at the dock if strong winds are expected. Remember, it's easier to take a reef out than to put one in when it's really blowing! Don't hesitate to hit us up at the club for a quick at the dock refresher - we're always happy to help. And always remember - some of the best advice you will hear as you begin to get into sailing is:  "If you think of reefing, you should!" Understanding Line Squalls For those 'cooler days' and months: Never forget that those friends and family and fellow crew members onboard are "precious cargo" and are your responsibility as the skipper. Being aware of the risks of a potential crew overboard and cold water situations is key to being prepared. You can always tell them as you welcome them aboard and help them get oriented: "You can never over estimate how much fun it is... (and in a very serious voice) to stay on the boat." The Columbia River dips into the lowest temperatures in the late winter and early spring with temps as low as 40 degrees. It is always a good time to practice crew overboard techniques because a crew overboard situation in such cold water can turn into a survival situation without prompt crew response. Practicing crew overboard maneuvers can be fun, rewarding, and a great confidence builder. As a member, you are more than welcome to ask us for a quick review and to borrow one of our crew overboard buoys - we just ask that you bring it back ;) Always Check the Weather! Know Your History... You may have heard the name Herreschoff tossed around, and his legendary designs from the early 20th century. Giant, wooden Americas cup boats, sturdy offshore wooden yachts, or smaller S Class racing boats. The imprint the Herreschoff brothers and Nathanial Herreschoff's designs had on the sailing world is substantial. So let's take a peek at some of their most iconic designs.  After graduating from MIT with a degree in mechanical engineering, Nathanial Herreschoff, along with his brother John B., founded Herreschoff Manufacturing Company in 1878. His brother, blind since 14, handled the business side of the partnership, calculating costs and making financial decisions without his sight. Nathanial, more responsible for the designs themselves, began to focus on sailing yacht designs, culminating in the design and construction of five revolutionary America's Cup Challengers. Between 1891 and 1913, they dominated the competition, so much so that the period is referred to as the Herreschoff Era, culminating in the 144ft, Reliance. Reliance was a monster - at the time of launching in 1903, she was the largest single-masted vessel in the world! 16,840 sq. ft. of sail area was hoisted up to 154' above the deck, equivalent to just over a third of a football field. Her interior was modeled after airplane fuselages, with web frames, decks made of aluminum, and the hull built with nickel steel and bronze, all in the name of saving weight. 70 people alone were needed to race her. The technology and the rules were pushed to the extreme for Reliance, and it defended the cup from Shamrock III of Scotland. Reliance's extreme design and massive cost prompted a shift in thinking about the regulations, leading to the eventual creation of the J-class fleet throughout the 1930s. As a result, she was scrapped just 10 years after her launch, yet remains an example of Herreshoff's incredible designs.  The Buzzards Bay 15, a small fleet racing boat, was designed for the Beverly Yacht Club and was an excellent racer. Their long overhangs, which increased the waterline when heeled over, made these boats especially quick and slippery. With their narrow hull and excellent design, even at speed, the Buzzards leave virtually no wake. Only 20 buzzards remain seaworthy, making them extremely coveted.  The Buzzards Bay 15 - (1898) Nathanael Greene Herreshoff The New York 30 - (1904) Nathanael Greene Herreshoff After Reliance, the rules were restructured to rein in mega-yachts like it. The New York 30, the first of the rule change, was a smaller, agile, incredibly seaworthy vessel, pictured here managing a stiff breeze without any reefs. More than 30 of them would be built in the winter of 1904 to 1905 for the America's Cup; this marked a departure from the ideology that had created Reliance. Simple to maintain, smaller, and equipped with a furnished cabin, the New York 30 is consistently regarded as one of Herreschoff's best.   As with all history, there's so much to be learned. When it comes to the history of sailing we believe you can never learn enough - here you can learn more about the famous Herreshoff brothers and the beautiful exquisite boats they designed and built. "So Hi derry hey derry hoh derry down, give a sailor his grog and there's nothing goes wrong.  So merry so merry so merry are we, no mortal on earth like a sailor at sea..." (Click below for a great song to have in your head while you get ready to come down to the club for a sail!) Howling’ Gael. (n.d.). The sailor’s alphabet [Traditional song]. YouTube. ~Howling Gael was a Portland Band in the late 70s that often played at the Horse Brass pub!~ Community Spotlight In the coming months and newsletters, we would like to feature members such as yourself here in this section. We will be writing features such as brief interviews, back ground stories about you and your sailing experiences, what inspired you to start sailing, features on our instructors, and more. We want to hear from you - our members! We are also interested in featuring any businesses that are member owned or member recommended to share with all of our members. If you would like to be contacted about this let us know by clicking the button below - we're looking forward to hearing from you and seeing you and especially seeing you getting out sailing! Share Your Story! Rounding the Next Mark Coming up in the next few weeks our focus will be around our amazing race program. Island Sailing has now the largest fleet of J/24s in the PNW, and a great way to get involved is to come down four our winter series every Sunday! Check out all the times below:  Race Dates: (races start at 1300 exactly). 2/1/26 2/8/26 2/15/26 2/22/26 Our Racing community is, like our cruising group, one of the best ways to meet fellow sailors. Come on down and check it out! All this amazing racing wouldn't be possible without all the work from our Commodore Jonathan Stehn. Thank you Jonathan for all that you do! Learn More As the horizon draws near... At Island Sailing, we believe that community makes us all better, and at Island Sailing we are so proud to be able to create and foster a great community of members. Our community is founded on shared passions for learning, improving, and sailing. It exists and becomes stronger only by emphasizing trust and honesty - and as sailors we must also rely on both. We must have trust in ourselves, our crewmates, and our boats - and we must be honest with ourselves and with each other about our skills, our abilities, and our vessels. We can not even begin to say how honored we are to be a part of what makes Island Sailing so amazing - all of you as members - and the community that everyone coming together creates.  With gratitude and appreciateion - we want to thank you all so much for being a part of The Island Sailing Club. ~The crew at Island Sailing~ Explore More - Learn More - Sail More And See Our Weather Links and - Check Out Our Youtube Channel! (Links on the bottom of our website) Explore Follow Us On Facebook Instagram Youtube You are receiving this email as you signed up for our newsletters. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can Unsubscribe or Update your preferences