Sailors for the Sea Celebrates 20 Years of Protecting Our Oceans
This year, Sailors for the Sea Powered by Oceana is celebrating 20 years of educating and activating sailors and boaters on ocean conservation through our Clean Regattas, Green Boating and Kids Environmental Lesson Plans programs. Join us as we take a look back at some notable events from our history!
2003
It Started with an Idea…
In May 2003, the Pew Oceans Commission released a report about the state of our oceans, and it wasn’t pretty. Overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction were threatening the seas. When the commission ended, member David Rockefeller, Jr. knew one thing – as a sailor, he had to help. “One of the biggest issues I saw was other sailors and boaters – an amazingly talented and civic-minded group – were not yet activated on behalf of the oceans we love,” he said.
2004
The Birth of Sailors for the Sea
On the heels of the work he did with the Pew Oceans Commission, David Rockefeller, Jr. co-founded Sailors for the Sea along with his friend, Dr. David Treadway, another avid sailor.
2006
First Clean Regattas
The Northeast Harbor Sailing School in Maine hosted the first ever Clean Regatta in the summer of 2006: the Northeast Junior Olympics. Since then, the Northeast Harbor Fleet has continued their commitment to the program, achieving Platinum in 2022.
2008
Clean Regattas Expands to Caribbean
In 2008, the BVI Spring Regatta became the Caribbean’s first Clean Regatta, and in 2012 became the first Clean Regatta outside of the US to achieve Gold level certification.
2009
Move to Newport, Rhode Island
Originally based in Boston, Massachusetts, Sailors for the Sea made the move to the City by the Sea – Newport, RI – in 2009, and has been there ever since! Newport is known as the sailing capital of the U.S., and has been the ideal location for developing our programs.
2009
Around the Americas Expedition
Sailors for the Sea sponsored the Around the Americas Expedition, a 28,000-mile clockwise circumnavigation of the North and South American continents. The 64-foot sailboat, Ocean Watch, made the journey in 13 months and made 46 stopovers, highlighting the changes to our oceans and coastal communities along the way.
2011
First Global Affiliate: Sailors for the Sea Japan
Sailors for the Sea Japan, our first international affiliate, formed in 2011 to educate and engage the public on issues related to ocean health. In September 2013 Sailors for the Sea Japan published the Blue Seafood Guide, the first ever sustainable seafood guide in Japan.
2012
Launch of Rainy Day Kits
Now known as our Kids Environmental Lesson Plans, or KELP, the Rainy Day Kits were originally developed for youth sailing programs as a way to teach the students about marine life and ocean conservation.
2013
First Platinum Clean Regatta
The 34th America’s Cup hosted in San Francisco, California earned the first ever Platinum Level Clean Regattas certification in 2013. Sailors for the Sea worked closely with the America’s Cup Event Authority to develop an extensive sustainability plan that included developing strong community partnerships, diverting waste from the landfill, offsetting carbon emissions, and eliminating single-use plastics.
2014
Launch of Ocean Watch
Named for the Around the Americas expedition vessel, Ocean Watch was launched in 2014 as a series of monthly articles and an annual magazine that focused on making marine science topics and ocean health issues personal and relevant for our audience.
2014
Sailors for the Sea Portugal
Launched in Cascais, Portugal in June 2014, Sailors for the Sea Portugal was founded by a group of sailors who were part of the local organizing committee for the 2011 America’s Cup World Series in Cascais.
2016
First Green Boating Guide Released
In 2016, Sailors for the Sea expanded sustainability resources beyond regatta participants and launched the popular Green Boating Guide. Filled with information and tips to make your time on the water more ocean friendly, the Green Boating Guide has since been downloaded more than 120,000 times.
2018
Sailors for the Sea Joins Forces with Oceana
2018 marked a milestone for Sailors for the Sea when the organization joined forces with Oceana, the world’s largest international conservation organization focused solely on protecting and restoring the world’s oceans.
“Our board, staff and all of us are so pleased to be joining Oceana’s team, “said Sailors for the Sea co-founder David Rockefeller, Jr. “This will strengthen our ability to help sailors and power boaters make a difference in saving the oceans they depend on.”
2019
Launch of Green Boater Initiative
Soon after joining Oceana, we launched our Green Boater program as a way for sailors and boaters to have their voices heard on critical ocean health policy issues — and it’s been a huge success! Our Green Boaters have signed petitions and sent emails to elected officials more than 226,000 times!
2020
Launch of Skipper Volunteer Program
During the pandemic, we launched the Skippers program as a way to stay engaged with the sailing community. Our Skipper roster has grown to 20 individuals representing the US, Canada, Caribbean, Europe and Australia who are passionate about ocean conservation and can promote our programs and campaigns at their organizations.
2021
Celebrating 15 Years of Clean Regattas
Clean Regattas is the world’s leading sustainability certification for all water-based events. Between 2006 and 2021, more than 2,800 events and 750,000 sailors have helped protect our oceans and waterways by participating in Clean Regattas.
2023
Thistles Become First Clean Class
After a successful pilot run, the Thistle Class became our first Clean Class. The Clean Class initiative recognizes entire classes of boats, using the Clean Regattas framework to move sustainability efforts beyond individual events to class-level operations.
2024
KELP Growth and Rebranding
Our KELP program now comprises more than 20 instructional videos and 50 downloadable lesson plans that have reached more than 450,000 children since the program’s launch in 2012. In 2024, introduced KELP items in our online store, and gave the program its own logo and mascot: Otto the Otter!
2024
Record Number of Platinum Level Clean Regattas
This year has been a huge milestone for Sailors for the Sea growth as we are on track to certify more than 500 Clean Regattas including 40 achieving Platinum Level.
2024
Our Impact and Looking Ahead
As we celebrate our accomplishments, we are looking forward to what’s next. Join us and help ensure a healthy, thriving ocean for generations to come.
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Learn more about our ocean conservation programs
The ocean is
30%
more acidic due to absorbing excess CO2.
