Forespar's Point of View

Contributions Made To Community Sailing In Bill Mosher’s Name

Milwaukee Community Sailing Center Receives Over $7000 To Foster Youth Sailing & Renames Annual Lobster Boil Fundraiser In His Honor

Forespar Products and the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center combined to raise a total of $7215 in funds to honor long time industry professional and Forespar representative William (Bill) Mosher. These contributions reflect individual donations from Forespar employees and Milwaukee Community Sailing Center members, as well as a matching donation from Forespar based on the received amount. Additionally, the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center announced that it will rename their annual lobster boil fundraiser in Bill’s honor.

Hired as the original Executive Director of the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center in 1979, Bill was a strong force in establishing and driving the organization forward throughout the years. When he unexpectedly passed away in July 2015, Forespar offered to donate matching funds for donations made to the MCSC in Bill’s name.  One year later the campaign’s funds have been realized and over $7000 of total donations will be used to help fund a successful STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) youth sailing program and a portion of a needed “new” safety boat.

The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center has also decided to rename its popular annual lobster boil fundraiser in Bill’s honor.  Now known as the Bill Mosher Memorial Lobsta Boil, the event will be held on the MCSC grounds, August 27th. A memorial “rock” and plaque will also be dedicated to Bill’s lifelong efforts during the event.

Forespar® is one of the oldest, most established boat hardware manufacturers in the United States. They are the number one manufacturer of downwind sailing poles and their diverse line of marine products includes Leisure Furl™ boom furling systems, Marelon® plumbing fittings and numerous other marine related products.

The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center is a private, not-for-profit 501 (c) 3 agency located just north of downtown in the heart of Veterans Park at McKinley Marina. MCSC provides educational and recreational sailing programs to those who wish to gain access to Lake Michigan and learn to sail; regardless of age, physical ability or financial concerns.

For more information visit www.sailingcenter.org or email kenq@broadreachmarketing.net

Olympics: A sailing surprise as the water and conditions are ideal on Guanabara Bay

RIO DE JANEIRO – Sailing, not the dirty water, was finally the focus on troubled Guanabara Bay during a spectacular start to the Olympic regatta.

Windsurfers sped across the waves toward Flamengo Beach in a fresh breeze, against the imposing backdrop of Sugarloaf Mountain. Christ the Redeemer, Rio’s highest and most magnificent landmark, was obscured by fog.

Across the bay, 43-year-old Robert Scheidt won the second race in the Laser class after finishing a disappointing 23rd in the opener. He’s trying to become the first Olympic sailor and first Brazilian to win six Olympic medals. He owns two golds, two silvers and a bronze. He’s seventh overall.

Charlie Buckingham of Newport Beach, making his Olympic debut in the Laser class, said the water “was great. No trash. It was warm. Splashes felt good.”

Buckingham finished 20th and seventh in the two races Monday, with eight races to go before the medal race.

Guanabara Bay seemed to pass the sniff test, at least on the surface.

The courses appeared clear of trash. Organizers have sent a helicopter over the bay every morning searching for rubbish. If any is spotted, boats are sent to scoop it up. Barriers have been put across rivers to try to stem the flow of garbage into the bay.

Under the waves, things are different.

An independent study by The Associated Press has shown high levels of viruses and sometimes bacteria from human sewage in the water.

“We’re not really concerned about that,” Pascual said. “We’ve been here for a while training and we’ve hadn’t had an issue. I’m just focused on racing. There’s been days when it rains you can see stuff floating around, but it’s like everywhere else I guess. It’s a bay.”

American Paige Railey, who finished second in the second Laser Radial race and is seventh overall, said the water was “great, totally fine. Warm, clean. We were happy. I really want to give hats off to Brazil. I came here in 2007 for the Pan Ams and they’ve done a magnificent job of cleaning up the water and there are really no problems. I’d jump off the boat and go swimming if I could.”

“This is like perfect conditions. You can’t get better than this. And the views are amazing,” said American windsurfer Pedro Pascual of Miami.

Conditions could change if it rains.

“There always have been problems here, Spanish windsurfer Ivan Pastor said. “It’s a very large bay. There is a lot of current, rivers flowing into it and we’ve seen quite frequently a lot of trash floating; plastic, which is the worst.”

Pastor said he’s not afraid of swallowing the water.

“I’ve been here a lot and fallen and it hasn’t been with my mouth closed,” he said. “Knock wood. Nothing has happened. It looks very clean today. There have been other years here when it was really dirty.”

Croatia’s Tonci Stipanovic led the Laser class while China’s Lijia Xu led the Laser Radial. Nick Dempsey of Great Britain and Charline Picon lead the windsurfer classes.