Karen Prioleau Honored with 2026 BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award
Photo Credit: NWSA

SPRINGFIELD, Va., June 17, 2026 - In 1999, the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) and the National Women’s Sailing Association (NWSA) created an annual award recognizing a man or a woman for a record of achievement in inspiring, educating and enriching the lives of women through sailing. The organizations are proud to announce Karen Prioleau of Newport Beach, California as the 2026 award recipient. Her unyielding dedication to educating sailors, exceptional leadership skills and a lifetime of work to promote opportunities for women make her a worthy recipient of the award. Her leadership has inspired countless women to endeavor to serve the sailing community as professionals mariner careers on large private and charter yachts, cruise ships, passenger ferries, whale watch and as instructors.

Karen started sailing and instructing as a young girl at Long Beach Sea Base in Long Beach, California. Later, she and her family accomplished cruising internationally on their 1938 wooden sailboat. Upon sailing home to California, Karen joined the faculty at Orange Coast College (OCC), in Costa Mesa, California, eventually retiring as Associate Professor and Professional Mariners Program Coordinator. She coordinated and instructed in the Professional Mariner Program for the last 15 years, following her decade of work with the OCC School of Sailing and Seamanship. At OCC, she coordinated their Offshore Sailing Program and skippered the 65’ S/V ALASKA EAGLE with adult sailors on many offshore passages. She recounted, “It was amazing to do the sorts of things as a job!” She was rotated into trips from Hawaii to Alaska, through the Panama Canal, the longest being from Newport Beach, CA to Easter Island. “Learning so much. It was a blast!”  In the early years of her long tenure at OCC the professional mariners program consisted of all male students. Over the years women in the program grew and grew to be about 40%.

Sought for her training abilities, Karen Prioleau instructed in Safety at Sea trainings on the east and west coast of the US. Karen co-organized a crew-overboard research event in Newport, Rhode Island, in collaboration with the Cruising Club of America, Storm Trysail Club, New York Yacht Club and US Sailing. The event involved four offshore boats of various types evaluating different techniques for locating and rescuing individuals in the water, including nighttime and moderate sea conditions.

Karen Prioleau has been a vital member of the national faculty as Master Instructor of US Sailing for 24 years, contributing to the Keelboat and Powerboat programs. In this role, she has been instrumental in updating the navigational material, an area of sailing that offers opportunities for women of all ages and physical abilities to become proficient.

The award was presented in Newport, Rhode Island, June 16 as Karen prepares for her fourth Newport to Bermuda race, this year aboard S/V SELKIE, sailing with owner and 2018 awardee, Sheila McCurdy.  NWSA President Debby Grimm notes, “One pillar of the Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award is educating women in the sport of sailing. It was a pleasure meeting Karen Prioleau for the first time at our 2026 conference. She was a valuable instructor and met all our expectations with her knowledge and congeniality. Well-deserved, Karen!”

Visit https://www.womensailing.org/leadership_in_womens_sailing.php to learn about the accomplishments of past awardees.

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About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):

Celebrating 60 years, BoatUS is the nation’s largest advocacy, services and safety group with more than 740,000 dues-paying members. BoatUS is the boat owners’ voice on Capitol Hill, fighting for their rights. The TowBoatUS® fleet is available 24/7 to assist our members on the water when boats break down or run aground with some 660 vessels and 330-plus locations across North America, bringing our members safely back to the launch ramp, marina or dock. On the road, we are The Boat Owners Auto Club™, helping ensure roadside trailer and tow vehicle breakdowns won’t slow you down. BoatUS offers GEICO boat insurance policies that give boat owners affordable, specialized coverage and the superior service they need. Award-winning BoatUS Magazine is the largest circulation recreational marine publication in the U.S. with engaging content that speaks to the passion for boat ownership, while our 501(c)(3) nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers the nation’s only free online boating safety course and many other programs that keep boaters safe, and our waters clean. For more information, visit BoatUS.com 

About National Women’s Sailing Association:

Founded in 1990 by Hall of Fame sailor Doris Colgate, the National Women’s Sailing Association is a program of the Women’s Sailing Foundation, Inc. a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in the U.S. It maintains the mission of providing education, programming and support for women sailors of all ages. The organization seeks to help women find community and mentorship among their peers, as well as create leadership and education opportunities. Through membership, donations and sponsorship, they continue to maintain AdventureSail®, a program designed for girls who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to discover the joys of sailing, the Learn to Sail Youth Sailing Scholarship, the Sue Corl Sailing Scholarship and the NWSA/BoatUS Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award. For more information visit WomenSailing.org