Registration is open for the 9th edition of the Sail America Industry Conference (SAIC). Held annually, SAIC will host speakers, workshops, and industry leaders and colleagues for the three-day conference, April 19-21, 2023 at the Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina in Newport, RI.

Schedule at a Glance (subject to change)

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

1:00 pm – Regatta-Sail Newport-Register your crew now. Limited boats available.
Come join us for an afternoon of racing on Sail Newport’s fleet of J22’s in Narragansett Bay, south of the Bridge, between Rose and Goat Islands! Short course (30 min max) races around the buoys. Racing will be main and jib only, teams of 3-4 recommended. Notice of Race (NOR).
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm-Opening Reception-Sail Newport-Light fare and beer and wine. There will be a complimentary shuttle continuously looping to and from the hotel and Sail Newport.

Thursday, April 20, 2023

7:30 AM – Conference Registration
7:30 am – Breakfast
8:30 am – Sail America Welcome, Kevin Carlan, Sail America President
8:45 am – Keynote Speaker, Building and Leading Great teams-Ken Read of North Sails
- Ken Read will talk about his combined experience creating and leading teams for business and grand prix racing, utilizing his experience at North Sails, North Technology Group and the dozens of Grand Prix racing programs he has put together.
9:45 am – How to Find and Land Great Employees–Neal Harrell, Brooks Marine Group
10:45 am – Refreshment Break
11:00 am – Chartering a course to sustainable boat building –Don Smith, President, Beneteau America Beneteau Group US’s Green Initiative
12:00 pm – Lunch -Visit to Newport Sailing Museum-Tentative
1:15 pm – Building a Culture of Success: Leadership at ALL Levels, Gail Lowney Alofsin, President and Founder, Leadership at ALL Levels.
2:10 pm-Breakout Sessions:
- Keeping pace with professional certifications and training: Nuts and Bolts of managing all of these certifications. Tim Murphy, ABYC-(Facilitator), Stanton Murray (Murray Yacht Sales), Holly Ashton (Safe Harbor Marinas)-
- Re-igniting Your SPARRK – Becoming YOUR Best YOU! Gail Lowney Alofsin, President and Founder, Leadership at ALL Levels.
3:05 pm – Refreshment Break
3:30 pm – Who are the New Sailors and How De We Connect?: Brad Read, Sail Newport; Mary Goff, Narragansett Sailing School, Richard Feeney, The Community Boating Center of New Bedford, -Adam Cove as moderator.
4:30 pm – The Marine Business Forecast for Insurance and Financing Longtime boat dealer/broker and market observer Stanton Murray asks a panel of experts what lies ahead for companies and customers. Panelists include Randall Carnahan, Hilb Group NE and Mary Reynolds, Chief Operating Officer of LaVictoire Finance
5:30 pm – Reception/Raffle- We have exciting raffle items including a Moorings 6-night, 7-day bareboat yacht charter aboard a sailing monohull up to 45′ in length in the British Virgin Islands, valued up to $8,000. Take a sneak peak of all of the other raffle items HERE!

Friday April 21, 2023

8:00 AM – Conference Registration
7:30 am – Breakfast
8:15 am – Keynote Session: Where do all of those youth sailors go?: Converting to boat buyers. Dawn Riley, Oakcliff
9:30 am – Refreshment Break
9:45 am – “Leading through Transitions” hosted by Mark Pillsbury: Bill Goggins, Harken; Eric Braitmayer, Imtra; Scot West, Ronstan
11:00 am – The Ocean Race and How to Build a Competitive Team With an Environmental Focus: Rob MacMillan, 11th Hour Racing
12:00 pm – SAIC Wrap-up, Kevin Carlan, Sail America President