While we all love Arizona lakes for both racing and cruising, one benefit of living here is the close proximity, and easy travel access, to opportunities beyond our state borders. At our March general membership meeting, we’ll hear from two of our AYC members who actively pursue those opportunities.
Joel Oglesbee, who will be stepping into the Cruising Captain role for AYC, will talk about continuing the tradition of monthly summer trips to Catalina, building on what’s already been such a great program. He’ll walk through what a typical Catalina trip looks like – basic itinerary, how we organize the trips, and what members can expect. He’ll also talk about activities on the island, some planning tips, and why these cruises are such a highlight of the season.
Beyond Catalina, he’ll touch on some additional cruising ideas for this year — San Diego, the Pacific Northwest, and the Channel Islands. The goal is to create more opportunities for people to get out on the water, whether they’re seasoned skippers or looking for crew spots.
Is racing more your game? David Newland has been exploring the Southern California racing scene for 4 years now. He is currently in 4th place in the ORC Spin 2 fleet of the 2026 Cabrillo Ocean Series. He will be speaking to AYC members about the good, the bad, and the ugly of his racing escapades. Have they been mostly good, bad, or ugly? Come find out!
This month’s meeting will be on Tuesday, March 10, at 7 pm. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for socializing and dinner. Guests are welcome!
Location: Dave and Busters in Tempe Marketplace (in the Showroom)
2000 E Rio Salado Pkwy / Suite 1100 / Tempe AZ 85281
Joel Oglesbee started sailing with his dad in the early 2000s as a way to spend time together. After a long break, he got back into sailing through lessons with ASF and joined AYC in 2022. He took his first Catalina trip that same year and has made about a dozen crossings since. His next adventure will be 10 days sailing in the BVI’s in May.
David Newland has been the AYC Lake Pleasant captain since 2017 and has owned Dreamline, a J92, since 2021. He is also frequently seen crewing on the Ferring’s J70 at Lake Pleasant.
