Eight Bells: John Clark

Feb 14, 2024

Following a struggle with cancer, adventurer, sailmaker and world champion, John Clark, passed away peacefully with assistance at the age of 59 with his family by his side at his home, just as he wished on January 17, 2024.

Born in 1964, John learned to sail at Frenchman’s Bay Yacht Club and some of his many sailing accomplishments included being a multiple-time Shark World Champion between 1994 and 2004 and an Albacore World Champion. John’s sailing passions more recently turned to kiteboarding including locally and in exotic locations around the world.

John owned the well-respected Kingston Sail Loft (formerly JC Sails) for over 30 years, crafting race winning sails for many different sailing classes including Sharks, as well as for many offshore sailboats.

He will be missed.

People & Profiles

On Deck: Marie-Andrée Poulin

Marie-Andrée Poulin was an entertainment and weather reporter for the TVA and LCN French-language networks for many years. “On Deck” discussion with the spokesperson for the Femina Cup which was held July 7-10.

Racing

It Takes More Than Good Intentions and a Good Breeze

With the start of the new year, Sailing in Canada begins a series that impacts the largest number of racers in the country, Club Racing. Roger Renaud, who has prepared the series has been racing at the club, regional and national level since…well, a long time.

Rules Guy

The Rules Guy: Penalties – When and How to Take Them

This discussion is based on a situation that took place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in the summer of 2021) and some local youth regattas. When I first started to race, if you broke a rule, your only option was to drop out (or be protested out) of the race. This was a severe penalty for a simple incident.

Dragons Firing Up for ‘22

It’s been a quiet couple of years for Dragon sailing in North America. In 2020, most events, including Club Racing, were cancelled until late in the summer. But by 2021, a full set of local events were held. With the US-Canada border now open in both directions (with some restrictions), we expect 2022 to be better.

News & Events

Officials: Club Race Officer Course for Women

This all-women event is designed for women who are currently Assistant Race Officers who want to advance and conduct races at the club level. This collaborative learning environment seeks to establish a space where women can come together to better their race management skills.

News & Events | Featured

Sailing Shorts: March 20 2024

Mar 20, 2024 Last Sail Canada IDE Training Session Sail Canada’s fourth and last bilingual Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Training Session, named “Wind of Change: Sailing through the waves of anti-racism”, will be held Tuesday, March 26, at 7pm (ET). Details and register now HERE. By then, you can watch the recordings of the first…

National Team Member, Clara Gravely, Donates Sails to Sint Maarten Youth Programs

Apr 17, 2024 A note from Saskia at SMYC Big shoutout to Canadian Team member Clara Gravely for donating two ILCA 6 sails to SMYC! Currently, Sint Maarten YC is running three different programs: A Sailability Program for differently abled residents of St. Maarten. “We’ve launched this free program a year ago and are now sailing… Read More…
Final Opportunity to Qualify Additional Olympic Spots at the Last Chance Regatta

Apr 17, 2024 A total of 10 Canadian sailors will take part in the Last Chance Regatta in Hyères, France, April 21-27, which will be the last opportunity to qualify spots for countries at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. As of today, Canada has qualified in the ILCA 6, 49er, 49erFX and women’s kiteboarding events. In… Read More…