The San Francisco Summer Sailstice may have changed locations but the fun didn’t stop, it only grew! After five years on Treasure Island this year’s Sailstice on San Francisco Bay was held at the Encinal Yacht Club in Alameda. Not quite a tropical island, but the weather – warm, sunny with a mild breeze, made it almost feel like one.
The festivities could begin as early as Friday night for sailors interested in cruising in, eating at the club restaurant, and spending the night on board their boats. As a Friday-night arrival, I was there early Saturday morning to see an empty parking lot the yacht club transformed into a carnival-like setting, complete with a winch grinding contest, a full bar, food tents, stage and music, sailing related games and business booths. Small sailboats were on display on the club lawn while marine plein aire artists were on hand painting scenes from the day. Walk down to the docks, and some larger boats from manufacturers like Hunter, Catalina, Jeanneau and Beneteau were on display, along with free sailboat rides for anyone who came by and signed up.
Everything came together just in time for the crowds to arrive at ten. Sailors from the Encincal Yacht Club, elsewhere on the bay, and non-sailors interested in joining the checking it all out all showed up to enjoy some sailing fun in the sun. Some came by boat and others by land. South Beach Yacht Club showed up with a flotilla and took over the docks at The Boat Yard at Grand Marina. Others anchored off across the estuary.
Along with all the activity at the tents and docks, visitors could also attend hour-long seminars offered throughout the day inside the club. A day-long boat building contest also took place sponsored by Woodenboat Magazine and Berkeley Marine Center. Two teams, one from West Marine and one from Berkeley Marine Center spent the day building boats of their own design to be launched and raced at the end of the day. In keeping with the times, the team from West Marine built a catamaran out of plywood complete with a wing sail. In addition, the past Oracle racing America’s Cup boat, USA 76, sailed in to spend the afternoon on the docks open for tours.
USA 76 on her way down the estuary to Encinal Yacht Club
Out on the Bay other Sailstice sailors were racing for the OCSC Sailing Summer Sailstice Perpetual Trophy. After the boat building contest, the bay racing finish gun and final band on stage wrapped up those still looking for some more evening fun headed next door to the Oakland Yacht Club for dinner, music and dancing. Those who had sailed in spent the night on board, and woke up to another beautiful day – and a pancake breakfast, before a sunny Sailstice cruise to their homeport. It was a spectacular Summer Sailstice weekend and we’re looking forward to returning to Encinal Yacht Club again in 2012!
Built in just one day the 'Team West Marine' catamaran featured an ambitous team of boatbuilders creating the first plywood catamaran with a plywood base wing-sailed rig!