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CORONA DEL MAR, Calif. — The West Coast's premier sailing convention for women is set to launch on Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, Calif.

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is primary sponsor of the 24th Annual Women's Sailing Convention, presented by the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA).

The event is open to all women from novices to experts and the 2013 program is packed with workshops to choose from — both on and off the water — including the following:

• Welcome Aboard (for beginners),

• Intro to Sailing,

• Marine Navigation 101,

• Docking,

• Anchoring,

• Nighttime Sailing and Navigation,

• Suddenly Single-Handed Interactive,

• Weather Wisdom,

• Sail Trim,

• Offshore Cruising, and

• Intro to Racing and Tactics, among others.

Top women sailors from all over Southern California, many of them US Coast Guard-licensed captains, present all of the workshops.

"This is a great event for women to learn and ask every question they have always wanted an answer to in a very relaxed learning environment," said Gail Hine, the event's organizer.

Pettibone Featured Speaker

The featured dinner guest speaker will be world-renowned professional sailor Katie Pettibone. In 1995, Pettibone was selected from nearly 700 applicants to be one of a 28-member crew of America 3, the first all-female crew in the America's Cup.

From 1997-1998 she competed for Team EF Education in the Whitbread Around the World Race. Pettibone was a crewmember on America True, her second America's Cup, in Auckland, New Zealand in 2000 and crewed on Amer Sports Two in the Volvo Around the World race.

Also under her belt are a Worrell 1000, the Gulf Stream Challenge, several Mackinac races, and other international racing competitions. Pettibone will speak about her experience in the Middle East, training the all-female crew of Al Thurya Bank Muscat for the Sailing Arabia -The Tour.

Registration Limited

This year's participation is limited to 275 attendees. Registration is $185, which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, all workshops, handouts, and a souvenir (after Jan. 28 it's $200 per person).

To find out more or to register, go to http://www.womenssailingconvention.org or contact Gail Hine at phone 951-677-8121 or e-mail Gail@scya.org. For more information on women in boating, go to http://www.BoatUS.com/women.