Great Lakes Sailing Granted Life Jackets from the 2026 Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program Grant

At Great Lakes Sailing, the safety of our community is always our top priorities. As we prepare for another incredible season on the water, we are thrilled to announce that we have been named a recipient of the 2026 Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program Grant.

Receiving this grant is a significant milestone for us, and we are incredibly proud to partner with the Sea Tow Foundation to make boating safer and more accessible for everyone in our region.

Via The Sea Tow Foundation.

About the Sea Tow Foundation Grant

Via Marina Buisness World.

The Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program is the largest of its kind in the world. Funded through a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, this program provides local organizations with the resources needed to prevent drowning and promote life jacket or "PFD" (Personal Flotation Device) compliance. For 2026, the foundation selected organizations based on their commitment to boating safety and their ability to provide the public with easy access to life-saving equipment.

Thanks to this grant, Great Lakes Sailing will be equipped with a fresh inventory of high-quality life jackets in various sizes. These will be available for boaters to borrow free of charge for the day.

How the program works:

Sail Her Dreams.

1.) If you forgot a life jacket, have an extra guest on board, or have a child who has outgrown their vest, you can borrow one from our station.

2.) Have a safe and worry-free day out on the Great Lakes.

3.) Simply bring the life jacket back at the end of your trip so it’s ready for the next boater.

The Great Lakes offer some of the most beautiful sailing in the world, but they also demand respect. A properly fitting life jacket is the single most important piece of equipment you can have on board.

We are honored to be a part of this national effort. By removing the barriers to accessing safety gear, we hope to ensure that every memory made on the water this year is a happy and safe one. Stay tuned for more updates on where you can find our new loaner station as we kick off the 2026 season. We’ll see you on the water!

"The Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program allows local organizations to become part of a national effort to make safe boating easy and accessible in every community." — Gail R. Kulp, Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation

---

SAIL HER DREAMS IS A 501(C)(3) Nonprofit Organization

Empower the next generation of female leaders by supporting Sail Her Dreams, our youth girls STEM sailing Academy. We provide young girls with the opportunity to combine hands-on sailing experiences with STEM education, fostering skills in science, technology, engineering, and math while building confidence and teamwork on the water. Your donation will help us provide these life-changing opportunities, creating future innovators who are prepared to excel in both STEM fields and beyond. Join us in inspiring and shaping the future of young women — together, we can make waves of change.