The Squamish Windsports Society
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Squamish Windsports Society, Squamish, B.C., Canada           Site Map Become a SWS Member

The Squamish Windsports Society is a non-profit society providing sailors with access to high wind sailing where the Squamish River meets Howe Sound. Squamish has more high performance sailing days on the water than most other places in North America. Warm winds and sunshine are a blessing to all those people familiar with cold and blustery storm fronts which power windsurfing and kite sails in most other places across the country.

We're Easy to Reach!
Get directions with an interactive map. Shows directions from Vancouver including drive times, detailed description to our Squamish launch site...


Squamish Windsport Rules with MAP... more.

Squamish Windsports Society Bylaws... more.

Squamish Windsports Society Constitution... more.

Squamish Windsports Society 2008 AGM Minutes... more.


April 2009 Newsletter (April 16, 2009)

Greetings
After a long cold winter we are all looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the Spit.  We will have great staff again this year, new change rooms and storage, an enlarged dock, and improvements to the Spit.  In order to do this we have spent all our reserves and we need your membership dues so we can complete our tasks for opening day.  The harsh winter played havoc with some of our beach and we would like to have it repaired before the sailing season, so please sign up online today.
To renew your membership click on 'Membership'.

Early Season Membership Discount:

Memberships are available on-line, as noted above. Early bird memberships are available until April 30. The cost is $140, unchanged from last year. After May 1 the cost goes up to $150. Membership for a couple is $250.  Please sign up now!  Repairs to the Spit because of damage from winter storms need to be done and paid for soon so that we're ready for the new season. 

E-mail Newsletter

This season we will try to improve communication with members using email newsletters. If you have a suggestion, please contact us at  squamishws@gmail.com

New This Year

  • This year we have a brand new container with larger change rooms and improved storage for our equipment.

  • We are expanding our dock used for the retrieval jetski to make it safer and more stable for our staff.

  • We have new wooden picnic tables. Let's hope these last this year.

  • The telephone-based wind meter has suffered damage and needs repair. We are taking steps to fix it before the season begins.

  • We are representing windsport interests with the District of Squamish and other government agencies.

  • We plan significant rock and gravel work to improve the Spit for windsurfing and kiteboarding use. This should give windsurfers a safer launch on the river side.

  • The District has agreed to place some new signs at the Spit in an effort to control parking and to keep people from parking in the turn-around area.

  • New VHF radios for our staff to help in providing retrieval services.

Staff:

We are delighted to report that Brianna has agreed to return as full-time Site Manager this season. Anneke, who worked part-time last season, will also be full-time for the first part of the season. Kate will join as full-time staff early in the summer. An awesome team! We are working on having more consistent coverage so that staff will be able to focus on orienting new members and visitors, as well as on managing the higher volumes of sailors we welcome on busy days. Staff will be posting hours of service each day at the spit, depending on weather, number of sailors, and staff availability.

Road Work:

The road to the Spit is very rough at the moment. We have talked with the District of Squamish and asked that they grade the road as soon as possible. There is no regular schedule for grading, and we do not yet have a date.

Provincial Grants:

New Director Woody Adal led a committee which has submitted an application for a grant of $32,000 from BC Gaming funds. We hope to receive word by early May on whether we will receive a grant and how much money we might receive.

Spring Clean-up:

We'll be arranging a day during the District of Squamish Pitch-In Week (April 20 to 26) for a clean-up at the sailing site as well as along the Spit as far as the yellow gate. The date we pick will depend on the weather. If you can help, please watch this site as well as the forums for an announcement. Let's polish up the Spit for Opening Day!   

Opening Day: Saturday May 16

We have put in our request for 20 knots of inflow from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm, with a temperature of 24 degrees. Come out with your new gear and help us start the season out right. It's going to be a great day.

Hope to see you soon at the Spit!


So You Wanna be in Pictures
How to DRESS & IMPRESS for action pictures; from a photographer's point of view. more.    Mar 2006

Wind, Wind, Wind

WEB CAM (click picture below)
Windsurfing at the tip of the Squamish River

Windsurfing at the southern tip
of the Squamish River
Get
wind stats here.

 

Squamish Kiting Video

 


For updates on our progress go to the forums at

There are more improvements in the wind so keep checking to see what happens next!

© 2002-09 Squamish Windsports Society