Small sailboats making it big
Tuesday January 07, 2003SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Some speedy hot rods in the San Francisco Bay area emit nary a puff of pollution. That's because they're completely powered by fresh, salt-fragrant breezes.
Next time you see sails crowd the bay, scan for the bright, darting triangles of the tiny ones. Big yachts may offer glamour, but small-boat sailors claim they have the most fun.
``When the Aussie 18s were here for a regatta last September, I watched them literally explode out of the water,'' said Ward Latimer, who directs an aquatics program at Lake Merced for San Francisco State.
These boats, 18 feet long, weighing only 350 pounds, with a hard-working crew of three, can hit speeds up to 30 mph. They are also infamous as one of the world's hardest boats to sail.
However, the bay's fleet of small boats includes user-friendly El Toro dinghies, kid-pleasing Optimist prams and nimble Bytes for smaller adults. A proliferation of models to suit an array of uses is gradually transforming the marine scene.
``We now see as many adults as kids get into dinghy racing,'' Latimer said. ``Some of it is economics. For about $1,000, you can find a used skiff, put on a life jacket and go play. You'll learn a great deal more about sailing in a small boat than you ever can in a large one. To succeed, you've got to understand nuances of things like sail trim and weight distribution.
Last December the Richmond Yacht Club held one of its pair of annual ``Sail-a-small-boat Days.''
Racer Jannelle Kubinec, who bought a Byte three years ago and sails it weekly while training said, ``it's a great boat for women to control. It's my water-Porsche. My favorite toy.''
But another female racer returned complaining of the Byte's tight quarters, and her need to kneel to trim the 12-foot hull in light conditions.
Canadian boat-builder Ian Bruce, who first produced the fabled Laser three decades ago, designed the Byte as a high-performance single-hander for sailors weighing 90-150 pounds making it ideal for women.
Bytes have been around for eight years, said Gail Yando, the club's racing chairperson. Richmond Yacht Club members boast a fleet of 25. A dozen or so show up for each race.
``A percentage of our members love small, single-hand boats,'' Yando said. ``They're after the speed and the independence. It's easy-breezy. When you're done, you just hose it off and put it away.''
Of dozens of yacht clubs in the Bay Area, three are reputed as major centers for small-boat sailing: Richmond, San Francisco Yacht Club in Tiburon and Encinal Yacht Club in Alameda. All three enjoy protected waters nearby. That means sailors can be selective about how much they take on brisk challenges of the open bay.
Yando says small-boat sailing leagues were extremely popular on the bay . The advent of windsurfing siphoned away many of those pursuing small-craft excitement. But as windsurf boards have become more expensive, small boats are reclaiming some allure. Modern builders present a huge range of options.
Occupying the upper end of the performance spectrum, besides Aussie 18s, are International Canoes with a sliding crescent-shaped beam athwart the hull, so sailors can hike out and keep the boat in trim and International 14s dart-shaped speedsters whose sailors hang on a trapeze tied to the mast to achieve trim.
These boats are far more high-strung and temperamental than a pram or dinghy. Nothing matches their sizzle over the seas or the swift punishment they mete out for errors.
``About the worst thing that happens is, you get wet,'' Canoe sailor Del Olsen said. ``You fall down, get back up. I can count on fingers of one hand the number of times I went out in the last 20 years without a wetsuit. I always come back with a profound respect for Mother Nature and her power.''
If You Go ...
GETTING THERE: The next Richmond Yacht Club ``Sail-a-small-boat day'' will be on March 1 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (510) 232-6310, or www.richmondyc.org. The club is located at Point Richmond, on the Richmond Riviera of San Francisco Bay.
From San Francisco: I-80 East onto I-580 West near Albany. Leave the freeway at the Canal Boulevard/Garrard Boulevard exit. Turn left at the bottom of the off-ramp onto Canal Boulevard. Get into the right lane. At the traffic signal, turn right onto W. Cutting Boulevard. Get into the left lane. At the first stop sign, turn left onto S. Garrard Boulevard. Continue straight at the next stop sign.
GENERAL INFORMATION: The best way to start small boat sailing is through a commercial or cooperative program. Contact your local yacht club to find club programs or sail instruction in your vicinity.
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