US Sailing
Where good navigation matters most
We wanted visitors to this site to visualize themselves sailing; the heart of this site is a celebration of the art of the sport.
What do you create when you’re given access to a breathtaking collection of photos that captures the beauty and agile grace on the water that is at the heart of sailing? You design a site that celebrates the art of the sport.
From the first impression of a sailboat racing right up to the screen, we wanted visitors to imagine feeling the salt air and the cool spray of the waves. We wanted the site structure and content to reflect US Sailing’s value of making the sport accessible and promoting inclusivity at all levels. We hope visitors will immediately visualize themselves sailing when they experience this site. We want their inner sailor to picture jumping into the boat and being part of this exhilarating world.
Every Second Counts
Visitors will find exactly what they need at racing speed.
Our intuitive navigation and straightforward layout make it quick and easy to access a broad range of resources. With effective navigation aligned across hundreds of pages of information, visitors will find mega menus, sub sections and banded content they can easily jump to with anchor links and logically placed breadcrumb trails.
Responsivity in Action
Find what you need quickly and easily regardless of how you connect.
Beyond being mobile friendly, this site has been crafted to provide ease of access with ADA compliant text that is easy to skim, resize or translate as needed. This ensures optimal mobile compatibility and browser consistency no matter the gadget.
Structuring a wide range of content to a diverse audience
For optimal navigation of a data-rich site, we have found one of the best ways to structure hundreds of pages is by employing a system of jump-to-content sections -- the quickest, most immediate way for visitors to find exactly what they’re looking for instinctively.
Ready for the Olympic Games
A hub for US Olympic Sailing news and media
From competitors to supporters, we wanted visitors to stay informed in real-time without having to think about where to click. Integrating social media feeds allows fans to easily follow their favorite team members and chart their progress in competitions. One of our goals was to design clear pathways to finding more in-depth details and accessing available resources.
The Olympic Spirit is on Display
Designed to reach all visitors, so they may join us in celebrating the sport.
Promoting safety, good sportsmanship and education for all aspiring sailors; the site encourages membership, offers guidance and certification for race officials, supports athletes and provides resources for everyone.
Something for Everyone
Because Sailing is for Everyone
The US Sailing site celebrates the fine art of sailing and the camaraderie the sport inspires. From the moment the site loads US Sailing’s mission to promote inclusivity is evident. It is welcoming, not intimidating. It invites all who love the beauty of the sport and the ocean to be a part of this community. From seasoned sailors and experienced racers to novices and spectators -- No matter your background you will find something that speaks to you and encourages your inner sailor to get out there and get involved.
Whether you are a sailor, powerboater, student, parent, teacher, donor, athlete, race official, or Olympic medalist...whether you are experienced or new to the sport...young or old...wealthy or not...there is content specifically geared to you. From a class for a novice to a certification path toward becoming an umpire or a judge, you will find the resources you need to aid you in your journey.
Logical Site Organization
Finding elegant solutions to navigational challenges across hundreds of pages
We crafted a system of pages that allows for smooth navigation with precision. The layout serves many subpages full of diverse information without feeling overwhelming. Call to action buttons are always immediately available, and the structure of our sub navigation bars and breadcrumb trails makes for consistent and easy way-finding. The sticky sidebar on the left helps visitors to stay grounded while exploring long scrolling pages full of information.
The mega menus, sub sections, on-page navigation, breadcrumb trails, banded jump-to content sections, and the documents resource library we created were all very important to ensuring ease of navigation. Our site architecture allows for the consolidating thousands of pages of content, while offering quick access to drill down to highly specific content.
