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Gear up for summer with a brand new life jacket!

April 1, 2015 by jarndt
Gear up for summer with a brand new life jacket!

The 'share economy' meets the 'giveaway economy' with a 'Life Jacket Drive' offering a brand new lifejacket in exchange for an old one.  While Summer Sailstice looks to raise awareness and participation in sailing globally with a celebration of sailing we also work in our local, San Francisco Bay sailing area with a non-profit, SailSFBay.org to do the same.  This gives us a chance to partner with SailSFBay and GetMyBoat to get new lifejackets in the hands of sailors at next week's Strictly Sail Pacific show in Oakland.

GetMyBoat is spreading the word and picks up the story from here: 

Go ahead, make waves — with a brand new life jacket! GetMyBoat is thrilled to partner with SailSFBay and Summer Sailstice to host a life jacket drive at Strictly Sail Pacific on Saturday, April 11, 2015. Boaters need only to bring their used life jackets to exchange for a new, Type III personal floatation device (PFD).

“This life jacket drive is a great opportunity to help boaters get the resources they need to have a great, safe day on the water,” says Bryan Petro, CIO of GetMyBoat, the world’s largest boat-rental marketplace with 28,000 watercraft listed in 135 countries. “Partnering with SailSFBay is an excellent way to connect with our local community. Our mission is to grow boating, and it starts at our front door.”

SailSFBay is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that is committed to growing sailing in Northern California. John Arndt, a member of the board for SailSFBay, is a lifelong sailor committed to growing sailing. “Many of the 7 million Bay Area residents don't realize they live right next door to one of the world's best sailing areas and access is far easier than they think,” he says. “SailSFBay raises awareness of the many local sailing opportunities available for families, youth, and individuals to safely learn where and how to sail locally.” Arndt is also the founder of Summer Sailstice, a worldwide sailing celebration that takes place the weekend nearest the summer solstice and includes special events and sailboat rides — a great opportunity for people to take their new life jacket for a spin.

Available life jacket sizes include child, youth, and adult. Boaters who wish to exchange their old life jackets must bring it to booth 116 on the second floor of the Convention Center at Jack London Square in Oakland. Old life jackets will be given to the US Coast Guard who will then assess the condition of each and dispose of or reuse them appropriately. Donated by the California Division of Boating and Waterways, the life jackets are part of the California State Department of Parks and Recreation safety and education initiative. Those who wish to purchase Strictly Sail Pacific tickets online can use the code "GetMyBoat" to receive a discount on their purchase.

Stop by and visit Summer Sailstice and Encinal Yacht Club in booths 9 & 10 on the first floor too!

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