Events

The Wianno Sailing Foundation’s annual Speaker Series is usually scheduled for the first week in August. This is our major fundraising event of the year which is built upon ticket sales and event sponsorships from our supporters.

2023 – The guest speaker for our 5th annual Summer Event was Charlie Enright, Skipper of the 11th Hour Racing Team. This was his first public speaking engagement since becoming the first USA skipper to win THE OCEAN RACE, a grueling six-month race around the world in foiling 60-foot monohulls. Just 37 years old, this was Charlie’s third circumnavigation on a racing sailboat.

2022 – This was our fourth annual Speaker Series event held on Wednesday, June 15th at the Wianno Club. Our guest speaker was Onne van der Wal, a widely published nautical photographer, videographer and ocean sailor.

2021 – This year’s event was held in honor of Nonnie Burnes, Director Emerita, recognizing her 25 years of outstanding service and leadership of the Wianno Sailing Foundation. Our guest speaker, Rachael Zoe Miller, is the founder of the Rozalia Project for clean oceans. Rachael’s lively presentation explained the research findings of this organization and their ongoing efforts to reduce microplastics in the natural environment.

2020 – Although his proper title is the “Program Manager and Senior Scientist for the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries,” Greg Skomal is the shark expert. Greg provided us with an in-depth report on shark activity around the region.

2019 – Captain Shawn Meagher (who has piloted a vessel through the perilous Northwest Passage twice!) shared his stories of carving their way through canyons of ice with film footage of this epic adventure.