WHY JOIN?
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Now in our 54th year, BFSC was founded in 1971 for sailors who love sailing on Lake Lanier whether or not they own a boat. Originally a dinghy racing club, we've since expanded our racing program and developed a robust cruising one as well. And although COVID definitely curtailed our events these past few years, we were excited last year to slowly reintroduce social events where safe to do so. Regardless of your level of expertise on a boat, BFSC is one of the best sailing homes you can find on Lake Lanier.
SOCIALS
Monthly Socials
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First Saturday Brunches - Prior to the First Saturday Cruises, cruisers and non-cruisers alike socialize over brunch at The Diner at Sugar Hill. Join us whether or not you plan to cruise for the day.
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Our monthly Member Social and Meetings (usually 3rd Sundays) are open to all and a great place to get to know us. So, feel free to join us as a guest at any meeting.
New Year's Day Events
Kicking off the new year, we're up bright and early New Year's Day for the annual Dean Holcomb Poker Run. Back on land afterwards, we fiercely compete our chilis in the Chili Cookoff.
Each spring/summer, our mouth-watering potluck is an event you won't want to miss. Vegans, vegetarians and chicken-lovers welcome!
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Several other popular events include the Blessing of the Fleet, Post-Race Series Dirt-ups, and the SteakOut!
In December, we close out the year with a "Change of Watch" holiday party as we recognize several members w/club awards and present next year's slate of officers.
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CRUISES
Each First Saturday of the month, boat owners and boatless members suit up for a day of cruising the lake often ending with either a raft-up party or sit down for more talking and sharing of sailing life stories. Cruising is available all year long, including one of our most popular cruises held each February, the Polar Bear Express.
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Cruisers and non-cruisers first gather for a hearty brunch at the Diner at Sugar Hill for socializing and final crew assignment. Our cruises are open to interested individuals as well, so check out our Upcoming Cruises page and sign up to sail with us. See our Past Cruises page for photos and write-ups of previous cruises.
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Racing begins with our Spring Series in winter/early spring and ends with our club Dorton Cup in the fall. Several of our racing events are open to all sailors including the Joan Holcomb Memorial Women Skippers Regatta (March) and the Around (Lake Lanier) Alone Regatta (April). The Fall Series kicks off in late summer/early fall, followed by our premier event, the Barefoot Open Regatta, held each October. We encourage our sailors to participate in the LARC races and Barefoot hosts the popular LARC Moonlight Series each year.
REGATTAS
Our regattas capture both Social and Racing aspects for the most fun:
Joan Holcomb Memorial Women Skippers Regatta (March 14, 2026)
Named after a beloved Past Commodore of both BFSC and LLSC clubs, the women skippers regatta provides a space for growing the (still) small number of women skippers. For the races, only women helm the boat and make the tactical decisions. Both Joan's widow, the late Dean Holcomb, and subsequently, his widow Dee Rosenbaum, have been generous supporters of the regatta. In 2022, LLSC teamed up with us to start co-hosting the memorable and fun regatta. We look forward to many more years co-hosting Joan's regatta with LLSC.
Around (Lake Lanier) Alone Regatta (April 18, 2026)
The long time–honored tradition of the premier open solo regatta, the Around Alone Regatta, it is usually held in the early spring on Lake Lanier. Come on out with the rest of the hardy single-handers on a race from the Chattahoochee Bay area of the Lake, to Buford Dam and back! The perpetual trophy is a framed Barefoot Burgee autographed by Robin Davie, 3 time solo circumnavigator.
Barefoot Open Regatta (October 9-11, 2026)
This year will mark our 52nd year hosting the regatta, settling racing scores on Lake Lanier since 1975! And this year's regatta is not to be missed as participants will enjoy another fun Saturday evening with a delicious dinner, a silent auction and dancing to live music provided by the popular Thunder Gypsy.
As our club is all volunteer, we encourage members to get involved in assisting with our various events and committees - whether it be cruising, racing or social.
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Cruise Skippers (Monthly)
Come out on First Saturdays to our cruises where you can help new sailors get the bug for being out on the water.
Lake Lanier Association (LLA)'s annual Shore Sweep (September)
Join Team Barefoot Sailing Club each September for this necessary and ongoing cleanup of our lake. Our first year participating as a team was in 2019 and with the exception of 2020, we've participated every year since.
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Mentor program (Ongoing)
Seasoned members are matched w/newbies to help orient them to sailing and the club.
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Social Coordinators/Volunteers (Ongoing)
We invite you to help w/the socials, whether it be coordinating a race series dirt-up, provisioning food or helping setup/cleanup an event. We need and appreciate your help.
Not ready to join yet? Quite understand. We invite you to get to know us by attending Membership Meetings, First Saturday Cruises and our Racing events.
Also, don't shy away from reaching out to us. Our board members are available to answer your questions.
THANK YOU!
Barefoot Sailing Club
678-871-7937
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