With our focus this year on youthful sailors, our speaker for the Annual Dinner Feb. 1, 2020 will be Louisa Chafee, who competed in the NACRA 17 class at the 2016 Olympics and is looking to get back into multihull sailing.

Louisa, a Rhode Island native, sailed with Bora Gulari in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.  Despite two race-ending breakdowns, Bora and Louisa placed 8th Overall and were 4th in the Medal Race.  Louisa will talk about what it takes to go from learning to sail in Narragansett Bay to getting on the U.S. Olympics team-- and what an Olympic multihull campaign requires.

Louisa's talk coincides with our fundraising appeal this year for the Sandra Tartaglino Memorial Fund.  Sandra was an avid multihull sailor who was competing in an F18 in Newport August 11, 2019, when her catamaran was struck by a powerboat and she was killed.  Sandra had a special interest in bringing young people into the sport of fast multihull sailing, and her family has organized the fund to support that interest. NEMA will contribute and we will welcome contributions from members and friends.

As always, we will have the Season Trophy awards, plus good food and some tall stories about multihull sailing.  Come meet your friends and make some new ones at the NEMA annual dinner.

Location: Wyndham Newport Hotel, 240 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown RI 02843.  Time: Bar opens at 5:00 p.m. Program begins at 6:00 ending at 10:00 p.m.

The Wyndham Newport offers NEMA members/guests a $99 room rate for this event, so if you want to avoid a drive home after the dinner, make a reservation and stay overnight.  Room reservations must be made directly with the hotel, and must be reserved by January 17, 2020.  Make sure you reference the NEMA event.  Make reservations at 401-236-2020.

Please sign up now for the event here.  Dinner prices are $55.00 for NEMA members, $65.00 for non-members (in advance) and $65.00 for all after January 25, 2020.  

NEMA is a non-profit organization that relies entirely on volunteer efforts.  NEMA is looking for sponsors who support our activities.  The Multihull Source, has been our most loyal sponsor; North Sails, has been a substantial sponsor the past two years.  Basic sponsorship is just $100. Sponsors are listed and linked on our website and promoted at our events.  

Andy Houlding

Commodore