Five Best Sailing Towns You May Not Know About

by Dave Reed, Sailing World
The question was tabled after one evening’s race. “What if you had to relocate?” Someone asked. “And it could be some place where there was a ton of racing and a cool, laid-back scene?”

The group instantly dismissed the talent-laden havens of San Diego, Newport, and Annapolis. While these are considered some of the best sailing towns to live in, they’re just too known. This had to be something off the radar, the sort of place where nearly everyone on the racecourse knows your name.

Someone’s road atlas, dog-eared and tattered, was soon splayed out and the search for small-town sailing bliss was underway. There was possibility with each blue blotch-lakes, harbors, bays, and open oceans-the options were overwhelming. But we caught wind of their plight and picked up the task, gathering opinions and experiences far and wide to narrow the search to a mere handful amongst thousands of underrated sailing towns.

We had our demands: we had to have weeknight beer can racing-that would be our “in.” There had to be a community sailing program from which we could poach new and eager crew. Sailing conditions had to be reliable, there had to be a walk-in fleet so we wouldn’t have to start anew. And, of course, there had to be one good watering hole.

With all due respect for the natives of the following towns and cities, we apologize for spot burning, but thanks for putting out the welcome mat at the county line: Full report.