Wind and wave - High adventure in your own back yard

Sailing. The word alone conjures images of the America’s Cup, whaling ships of Old New England, even pirates on the Spanish Main. Romance and adventure are certainly part of sailing’s lore, but the lure of wind and sail need not drag you off to foreign ports and exotic shores, as a worthy alternative can be found in our own backyard. This summer, discover sailing at Fremont’s own Lake Elizabeth.

In the summer of 1968, avid sailor Charles Coffey looked at the sailing clubs centered in San Jose and Lake Merritt and decided that Fremont could use its own. Coffey was certainly a visionary, because the Lake hadn’t been built yet. Nonetheless, the idea of a club was popular and the Fremont Sailing Club (FSC) proved a formidable force of more than a hundred members, even convincing the City to build not a series of small canals in imitation of wetland, but a large navigable 83-acre lake. Ever since, the FSC has provided thousands of volunteer hours maintaining race markers, providing weed control, and offering educational programs.

From the beginning, FSC has staffed the summer boating programs at Lake Elizabeth, teaching three sets of classes every year, plus hosting week-long youth sailing camps. For summer 2017 the lead instructors are Vern Tucker, Roy Jordan, and Bruce Prickett (FSC Commodore).

For many, day cruising the lake is a relaxing and rewarding experience, but once boaters have acquired some skill and experience, they might find the excitement of racing more attractive. FSC is home to three fleets based on boat types, with races appropriate to each type.

The smallest of the boats is the El Toro, an eight-foot boat easily handled by a single person, and even though it is a serious vessel for adults, it is typically the first boat mastered by youth sailors. America's Cup skippers Paul Cayard and Tom Blackhaller, both Bay Area natives, learned to sail in El Toros. “You can have kids racing against adults in these boats,” says FSC Commodore Bruce Pickett, “and they can be pretty competitive.” In 2016, at Pinecrest Lake, FSC member Arthur Lange won the National Championship in the El Toro class.

The Lido 14 is a very popular boat introduced in the late 1950s that was designed with comfort and safety in mind. At 14 feet, it holds two people and uses two sails, a mainsail and jib. Boaters looking to race around California and the Northwest will find many events for this class. Boaters in FSC’s Lido 14 fleet have an active social and sailing schedule.

The FJ class is a two-masted dinghy of about 14 feet that holds two to four people.  On these versatile boats, a crew member may hang from a “trapeze,” a cable attached to the top of the mast, and act as leverage against high winds, preventing the boat from keeling over. The FJ also takes on a spinnaker, the large billowing, often colorful sail at the bow. Once popular with experienced racers, the FJ is giving way to lighter and faster replacements. Today, the FJ fleet races in the Open Class, which pits boats of different designs against one another.

Sailing can get pricey, to be sure, but it need not be expensive to get started. Prickett still sails a Lido 14 (with trailer) he bought in 2010 at a bargain. “That’s one of the great things about sailing,” says Prickett, “for about a thousand dollars, you can buy a good used boat and go sailing.” One major expense is sails, as they should be replaced regularly, but they need not be brand new. There are a surprising number of deals to be had in the used market as many competitive boat racers replace their sails yearly and sell the still good used ones.

For novice boaters, completing FSC courses through the intermediate level will get them prepared to race safely. Still, Prickett recommends “sitting in on one of the races as part of a crew to get out there and see what it’s like.” Crewmembers might simply act as ballast, or they could be assigned to handle sails, depending on their experience and the captain’s judgment.

The Fremont Sailing Club is always open to new members and the annual membership fee is only $36. There are awards banquets through out the year, including the Bailer’s Banquet and Crew Appreciation Brunch. FSC also participates in the community, donating toys at Christmas time. To find out more about the FSC, visit their page at www.fremontsailingclub.org.

Junior Sailing Camps

Monday – Friday beginning June 19, 2017

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Lake Elizabeth

40000 Paseo Padre, Fremont

www.regerec.com

For more information: (510) 494-4300; email RegeRec@fremont.gov

$309 for Fremont residents, $314 Non-resident.

Basic Sports Sailing Classes

Beginner 1: Saturdays, June 10 – June 24, 2017

Beginner 2: Saturdays, July 8 – July 22

Intermediate: August 5 and 19

All classes 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Register: www.regerec.com

For more information: (510) 494-4300; email RegeRec@fremont.gov

$149 for Fremont residents, $154 Non-resident.

Upcoming FSC Regattas

Sundays, June 11 and June 25, 2017

11:30 a.m. - Skippers meeting

Noon - Race start

Lake Elizabeth

40000 Paseo Padre, Fremont

Races run through Oct. For full racing schedule: http://www.fremontsailingclub.org/calendar/calendar.htm

Free