NOMINATE A SAILING LEGEND

BY THE SAILING COMMUNITY, FOR THE SAILING COMMUNITY

NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2024 CYCLE ARE CLOSED

Nominations for consideration in the 2024 cycle were accepted through January 31.

Please check back as we announce the 2024 calendar.

HOW IT WORKS

Before commencing the nomination process, please verify that your candidate has made a significant and sustained impact on United States sailing at a national and/or international level. All nominations are subject to review and acceptance by key members of the Selection Committee. Not all nominees will be accepted.

1: CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR CANDIDATE HAS ALREADY BEEN INDUCTED

Since 2011, 1`23 individuals have been inducted to the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Please confirm your candidate is not among them before submitting a nomination.

2: VERIFY THAT YOUR CANDIDATE HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN NOMINATED

Only one nomination is required to be considered for the Hall of Fame, and nominees are carried over each year. Therefore, voting or multiple nominations are not necessary.

3: COLLECT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CANDIDATE, AND NOMINATE ONLINE

Please collect candidate contact information (or info for a surviving relative if deceased), merit details such as a sailing resume, news clippings, etc., and photos to include with your nomination statement.

If your sailing hero has already been nominated,

but you have new information for the Selection Committee to consider, please email nominate@nshof.org

Nomination Categories

Nominees fall into the three categories. Please select ONE category when nominating your candidate.

Nominees also fall into two eras, Modern and Historic. Historic nominees are those born 100 years or more before the year in which they are being considered (i.e. born in 1924 or earlier for consideration in 2024).

Sailing

Recognizes achievements made on the water by a skipper or crew as a Sailboat Racer, Cruiser or Offshore Sailor.

Read full description here.

Technical

Recognizes those who have significantly contributed to the technical aspects of sailing. Examples include Designers, Boat Builders, Sail-makers, etc.

Read full description here.

Contributor

Recognizes those who have made other significant contributions to the American sailing experience. Examples include Teachers, Coaches, Administrators, Media (including authored works, TV, film, etc.), Artists, Musicians, Promoters and Organizers.

Read full description here.

The Hall of Fame Process

Election to the National Sailing Hall of Fame is determined by a Selection Committee, in a process outlined in the Hall of Fame By-Laws & Rules for Election.

1) A candidate is nominated through this site.

The Hall of Fame is neither a popularity contest nor a lottery, so a single nomination by one person will put that candidate up for consideration. All nominations are subject to review and acceptance, and not all nominations will be accepted.

2) NSHOF Staff & Selection Committee review candidate for eligibility requirements.

Candidates must be at least 55 years old (or in the case of passing before 55, 5 years posthumously), and have made a significant and sustained impact on sailing at a national level. While the majority of nominees are US Citizens, foreign nationals may be nominated if their work has contributed significantly to the development of the sport in the USA. Candidates may be Modern (living or deceased) or Historic (born 100 years or earlier from year of consideration). Nominees will have demonstrated sportsmanship both on and off the water and will have conducted themselves and their business dealings with integrity, their character being above reproach.

3) Verification and research by NSHOF staff to create a public profile for candidate.

Qualified candidates will appear on the list of Nominees. Please note, candidates are reviewed quarterly, but new nominees may not appear on the website until after nominations close for that cycle.

4) In April, the Selection Committee convenes to review the merits of
the nominees and vote.

From among all eligible nominees (all years), each Sub-Committee (Sailing, Technical & Contributor) presents their category recommendations to the full Committee for review and discussion. Committee members then vote on all nominees, and candidates are determined in accordance with the scoring system outlined in the By-Laws. The Selection Committee presents their list of candidates to the Board of Directors for ratification.

5) Early Summer, the next class of inductees to the Hall of Fame
are announced.

The Inductees to the National Sailing Hall of Fame are announced! All nominees not selected are carried over for consideration in the next year's selection process for a period of 5 years, at which time their nomination is reviewed by the committee. If a nominee is not carried forward, they may be renominated through the same process as new nominees.

6) Hall of Fame Induction

Inductees are honored at a Fall ceremony and reception.

2024

Hall of Fame

Induction Calendar

January 31

Announcing Soon

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Announcing Soon

Nominations for the 2024 Cycle Close 

Hall of Fame Nominating Committee Review Nominees 

Sub-Committee Discussions 

Full Committee Discussions

Committee Votes on 2024 Nominees 

Committee Presents List of Candidates to the NSHOF Board of Directors 

NSHOF Board of Directors Vote to Ratify the List of Candidates

National Sailing Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Announced 

Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Reception (Chicago, IL)

Who is on the Selection Committee?

The Selection Committee is comprised of men and women who are national representatives from the National Sailing Hall of Fame Board of Directors, U.S. Sailing, Hall of Fame Inductees, NSHOF Founding Member Yacht Clubs, the media, the sailing industry, sailing museums, community sailing and exploration/cruising. These representatives are highly knowledgeable about the sport, it's history, and personalities. The Selection Committee is carefully vetted annually and ratified by the Board of Directors. Members of the Selection Committee may serve up to (2) three-year terms, and all members are required to adhere to established criteria outlined in the By-Laws & Rules for Election.

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