Clemson Sailing Wins the SAISA North Fall Tournament

Last weekend our team competed in the SAISA North Fall Tournament and brought back the win for the Tigers. Below is a report from the race committee on how the event went:

“For the Fall 2025 SAISA North Fall Tournament hosted by UNCW at Carolina Yacht Club on Wrightsville Beach, NC on Sunday, September 7th, an initial wind delay in the morning gave way to nice a nice offshore breeze of 7-10 mph. Racing commenced with W-4 courses and an average race time of 17 minutes. No protests or breakdowns were filed or granted. After the first rotation, a second rotation was attempted but afternoon storms moved into the area and lighting was present so racing was called for the day as competitors returned safely to shore. Thanks to a quality race committee provided by CYC and Jack Gower, as well as Jacob Usher who served as the SAISA Rep. Congratulations to the Clemson Tigers, NC State Wolfpack, and UNC-Chapel Hill Tarheels for their podium finishes, and well-done to all competitors for a great start to the fall 2025 season.”

One of the highlights from this event was the performance of Freshman Ian Richardson ‘29 and Maddeleine Harris ‘29 scoring three first place finishes in a row. With such a strong entry into the collegiate sailing realm we are super excited to see what the future of our team holds.

Stay tuned for more action as we send two teams to Charleston, SC this weekend to compete in the SAISA Top 6 invitational and the Ashley River Trophy!

A Message from Our 2025 Commodore

Hello sailors!

I am Mason Baird, and I am the new Commodore for 2025. For those who do not know me, I am a third-year civil engineering major from Charleston, South Carolina. Previously, I have served as the Dinghy Co-captain and, most recently, the Big Boat Captain. 

I fell in love with sailing at a young age. Starting at six years old, I began my time on the water at my local club, James Island Yacht Club. I spent the next nine years sailing every summer and eventually went on to instruct the junior program there. The days were filled with sunny skies, cool ocean water, and, most importantly, a strong, consistent sea breeze. 

It was here that I first heard of the Clemson Sailing Club. One of my instructors and past club Commodores, Sam Cabiness, told me about a group of college sailors at Clemson. At the time, I was regrettably a USC fan and couldn't imagine ever setting foot in Tiger Town. However, as time went by, I found myself applying and getting accepted to the University. Little did I know I would be making the best decision of my life.

Remembering what Sam had told me, I made it a top priority to stop by the sailing club stand at Tiger Prowl. There, I was invited by the race team captain, Ella Smith, to join the race team in a practice. It was at this practice that I was sold on the club. I had never experienced such a competitive group of sailors who did not care how well they sailed but were happy to be on the water giving it their best. Everyone was supportive and wanted the team to improve rather than just themselves. I was looking for my place in Clemson, and I found it.

Today, the club has over 475 members, and we have been voted the best club on campus two years in a row. The club continually pushes to get as many people sailing as possible, from our learn-to-sail programs to our highly competitive race teams. On top of this, the social side of our club is incomparable to any other. Whether it's Fridays @ 4, formal events, or tailgates, the club allows members to connect and make lifelong friends while at Clemson.

As Commodore, I would like to continue growing the legacy of this club. With the new dock installed and many new talented sailors coming into the program, the club is in a unique position to elevate our sailing programs and reinvest in the club as a whole. I plan to continue the development we have seen over the past several years for both our program's sailing and social sides. Doing this will allow us to continue to get more people on the water and keep everyone connected within the club.

I look forward to giving back to a club that has given me so much. With lots in store for 2025, I can't wait to see what we will do. If you ever need to reach out to me, feel free to email me at mlbaird@g.clemson.edu.

Your Commodore,

Mason Baird

Dock Update!

As most of you know, Clemson Sailing’s current dock has undergone numerous large-scale repairs due to corroding metal and saturated floats throughout the past year. After over a year of fundraising and planning, we are excited to announce that we are officially able to move forward with the dock project! Our down payment has been made, and the new dock is set to be installed in our current location by Kroeger Marine this June. This new dock will allow us to safely proceed with all of our sailing programs and gives us the opportunity to expand in the future.

We would like to give a huge thanks to everyone who donated and helped keep Clemson Sailing Club on the water! Without all of your generous donations, our new dock would not have been possible! Stay tuned for more updates as the building process commences! 

- Clemson Sailing Executive Board & Officers, 05/15/2024

A Message from Our 2024 Commodore

Hello Everybody! 

My name is Connor Witt. For those of you who don’t know me, I am a senior electrical engineering major from Reston, Virginia. This is my fourth year in the club, and after serving in both executive and officer roles, I am thrilled to take on the rewarding responsibility of being Commodore. This club has been the most impactful aspect of my college experience, so I am ready to give back to it as much as I can.

I remember coming out to my first Learn to Sail on a sunny Sunday morning my freshman year. Music was playing out of the shed, upperclassmen were relaxing out on the Hobie, and it was then that I knew I had found my home at Clemson. Finding any possible event to come to, I was determined to make Clemson Sailing my life. Now, after nearly four years, I have done just that, gaining many lifelong friends and experiences along the way that I wouldn’t trade for the world. 

We remain the largest club sport on campus, with over 425 active members, and we continue to refine and elevate our members' experiences. Our sailing programs (Learn to Sail, Learn to Race, dinghy race team, keelboat race team) are thriving, and our social events (formal, semi, tailgates, Fridays at four, etc.) are as exciting as ever. We are now developing avenues to expand these programs and increase our members' access to sailing. 

Currently, we are beginning a Learn to Big Boat program this Spring. This program will not only give Ripple the love and attention she deserves, but will also provide Learn to Sail graduates with useful sailing skills lasting beyond college. Secondly, our keelboat team has expanded to include a second J24! “Blind Date” was kindly donated to us by Jeff and Amy Woodard down in Charleston. With this new boat, we have opportunities to race more regularly and have officially become CORA members to compete in their regattas. Recently sailing well in the Frostbite Series and in SCOR, our keelboat team is on the come-up, so stay tuned! 

One of my goals for this year is to spend more time at the docks. To encourage this, the executive board has committed to holding at least one work day each month. Keeping our home in good shape is very high on my list of priorities. With improvements such as a new flower bed and a repair of our flag pole, we have big plans to increase our “curb appeal”.  

The main priority on the to-do list remains the Dock Project. After a year of university politics and miscommunications, we are ready to proceed with our dock plans. We have requested Army Corps approval and are ready to start building as soon as we have the permit. A great big thank you to all of those who contributed to our GoFundMe over the past year. Without your help, this project would not be possible.

With this new dock we will be able to safely continue our sailing programs and provide room for their growth. There are still lots of exciting developments ahead for the Clemson Sailing Club! I look forward to continuing on with ClemsonLife Day, the Spring Tiger Town Trophy, Sailgates, and all of the other wonderful traditions we have built here at Clemson. If you need me, I’ll be out sailing in the sunshine, but feel free to reach out to me at witt4@g.clemson.edu anytime. 

Enjoy it,

Connor Witt