Sailing Science Center News
October 2023
Vol. 7, No. 2
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Welcome to the October issue of the Sailing Science Center News! The theme this month is Fun. It meshes well with our spotlight on the Pacific Cup Yacht Club, and the Pacific Cup, billed as The Fun Race to Hawaii. It also meshes with the SSC's upcoming gala, and its emphasis on PLAY! Fun is an important part of life, and indeed, an important part of success. But what makes something fun? Read our thoughts about this in We Had Fun!, this month's leadership blog. |
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There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.
– Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
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October Spotlight - The PacCup and PCYC |
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This month’s spotlight is on the Pacific Cup (PacCup) and the Pacific Cup Yacht Club (PCYC). We had the privilege of interviewing Hawkeye King, PCYC’s newest commodore, and two of PCYC’s earliest members, Jim Quanci and Mary Lovely, to gather information for this piece. Billed as The Fun Race to Hawaii, the Pacific Cup has been running since 1980, held every other year on even-numbered years. The race has been run 21 times, missing only in 2020, due to the pandemic. The race starts inside San Francisco Bay and finishes outside Kaneohe Bay on Oahu. |
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The Pacific Cup alternates years with the Transpac race to Hawaii, which started in 1906 and has been run on odd-numbered years since 1939. The Transpac goes from Long Beach to Diamond Head, also on Oahu, and is known for its well-funded campaigns with sponsored boats and professional crews. With the Pacific Cup’s ethos of being The Fun Race to Hawaii, it has appealed more to the dedicated amateur, while emphasizing a Corinthian spirit, camaraderie, and fun that go beyond the race’s competition. Says King, “The race is known for its arrival parties. When you get to Kaneohe you are greeted with leis and trays [of tropical drinks] and you become part of the Ohana*!” |
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You become part of the Ohana! |
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The first four runnings of the Pacific Cup were hosted by Alameda’s Ballena Bay Yacht Club. In 1987, when Ballena Bay decided they no longer wanted to run the race, enough past competitors had been hooked that a group banded together to form the Pacific Cup Yacht Club, a “paper club,” lacking a physical clubhouse, and created for the express purpose of running the race. That first group included Quanci and Lovely, who continue with the club today. Mary Lovely was the club’s second commodore, after George Barrett, who stood the first watch. |
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PCYC members meet monthly at friendly hosting locations. Presently, this means the Berkeley Yacht Club, but the Richmond Yacht Club and others have hosted in the past. At $50 for a 2-year membership, it has to be one of the most cost-effective yacht clubs around. They also have social events, like the October 1st event we attended (see below), and run Safety at Sea seminars and the Pacific Offshore Academy (POA) 2-4 times per year. POA covers everything from provisioning, to downwind driving, to how to be a good crew member.
Considering the number of races, and the number of sailors who have done the races, PCYC deserves to be proud that there has never been a death on the PacCup (knock on wood!). But that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been drama. Boats have had rudder and steering failures, crew have been evacuated**, and Quanci relates that in one of the 15 PacCups he has done, they hit a sperm whale at 10 knots, compromising their steering with a damaged rudder bearing.
Like most yacht clubs, PCYC is looking for new members. Check them out if racing to Hawaii is on your bucket list—they can help you make that happen!
Pictures, top to bottom: Hawkeye King on his Olson 30; Jim Quanci and Mary Lovely in Kaneohe after finishing the 2014 PacCup double-handed; Hawkeye King hiking out on the Santa Cruz 50, Oaxaca; Jim and Mary's Cal 40, Green Buffalo (foreground boat) at the start of the 2014 PacCup. All pictures courtesy Hawkeye King and Jim Quanci.
*Ohana – Hawaiian for Family
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If you are not having fun you are doing something wrong.
– Groucho Marx
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SEPTEMBER VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES |
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In 2021 the SSC was putting on about one external event per month. By 2022 the cadence had doubled, and this year, in 2023 we reached a cadence of nearly an event per week. On September 16th, for the first time, the SSC held two events in a single day, doing one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It's exciting as we refine our routines, become more efficient, and increase our capacity. See below for snapshots of September's events. |
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September 7 - Latitude 38 Crew List Party |
The month's events started at the Latitude 38 Crew List Party at Spaulding Marine Center. These events are mostly attended by accomplished sailors toward the mature end of the age spectrum, but every once-in-awhile... |
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Aaron tests the new Coriolis exhibit as Damon watches |
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September 8 - Women's Sailing Seminar
SSC Community Engagement Coordinator, Natalie Corkhill, and Volunteer, Taylor Lacey, represented the SSC at the 31st Northern California Women's Sailing Seminar (WSS).
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Natalie addresses the group of more than 100 women |
Our new 3D-printed anchors showed how design matters! |
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WSS Co-Director, Melissa Grudin, goes at The Grinder, as Natalie watches |
A boat load of happy women share a selfie! |
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September 16 - Clipper Cove Cleanup
This was the SSC's fourth year supporting California Coastal Cleanup Day. The last three have been in partnership with neighboring nonprofit, One Treasure Island. There has always been a strong social aspect to the event, and every year there have been fun and unpredictable finds. Previously, we had had a three-year streak of people finding money. There was no cash with the trash this year, but there were still some interesting items, as you will see below. |
Volunteers line up for the Clipper Cove Cleanup. Safety vests, claws, sandwiches, and gift items were provided by One Treasure Island |
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Unusual Items, clockwise from upper left: Henry & Kaz with a fire extinguisher; Chris Winn knocks on a door, held by Jim; Red-sneakered Natalie grabs a gear; David holds a Construction Sign |
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September 16 - Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire
The scene at the Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire was a nonstop flow of people. SSC volunteer, Steve Malton, pressed us to do this event, despite it being on the same day as the Clipper Cove Cleanup. We are glad we listened to Steve and took the time. Faire organizer, Patrick Remer, reported an estimated 3,000 attendees during the day, roughly half of whom were kids. He also said that the SSC's setup was one of the most popular areas of the faire. We wouldn't know... we couldn't get away long enough to check out any of the other exhibitors. It was great to have so much engagement from this largely non-sailing audience, furthering our conviction that the SSC is for everybody, not just sailors!
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The wave tank, sporting a new-and-improved Lego beach, maintained its usual level of engagement with the kids. |
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October 1 - PacCup Aloha Social |
As you will have seen in this month's spotlight, the Pacific Cup Yacht Club holds regular social events. Their October 1st event was in Building One, on Treasure Island, with the Treasure Island Yacht Club as their host. It was only natural that the SSC should be there with a few of our exhibits.
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Above Left: About 70 people were there.
Below Left: The SSC set up four exhibits.
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Fred demonstrating the New Coriolis Exhibit. It was of particular interest for this audience. |
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It is fun to have fun!
– Dr. Seuss
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OCTOBER 29 - SAN FRANCISCO MODEL YACHT CLUB |
The Sailing Science Center will be helping the San Francisco Model Yacht Club celebrate their 125 th anniversary at Spreckels Lake in Golden Gate Park! Come join the fun!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2023
11am to 3pm
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NOVEMBER 11 - THE SSC 2023 GALA! |
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The Sailing Science Center 2023 Gala is themed around PLAY. PLAY is the most important word in the SSC mission statement, and at this year's event you'll learn why it's time to get serious about PLAY. You don't want to miss this!
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2023
5PM to 9pm
USE THE COUPON CODE PLAY25 TO SAVE $25
(DISCOUNT GOOD THROUGH OCTOBER 28)
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This Month's Newsletter Banner |
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Weatherly leads Rage at the start of the 2022 Pacific Cup. The two boats, a Santa Cruz 70 and a Wylie 70, finished second and third behind Pyewacket, Roy Disney's Volvo 70. These are the Big Boys in the race, but boats as small as 24 feet compete as well, often single- and double-handed. It's pure fun for those who like ocean sailing. |
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Wanted for the Sailing Science Center |
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Photos
Do you have photos to share? The SSC is looking for shots to use on our website, in our newsletter, and elsewhere. Photographer attribution will be given.
Volunteers
The SSC needs volunteers! We especially need volunteers who can staff one-day exhibitions as docents. Training, lunch, and SSC logo polo shirts are provided.
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Here is the current SSC schedule through December. Check our online calendar for the latest information.
Oct 29 - SF Model Yacht Club 125th*
Dec 3 - SSC Board of Directors
* Event open to the public
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These are things YOU can do to make a difference and Move the Needle
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Leadership Corner - We Had Fun! |
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After a sailboat race, it is common for crews from different boats to ask each other, “How did you do?” If the crew being questioned did well, they might say, “We came in second!” or “We were first in our division!” On the other hand, if they did poorly, a common response is... Read more…
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We want to give a big SSC shout out to Jim Fitzgerald, Jacqueline Amikhas, Barbara Styne, Karen Brenner, Khamly Chuop, Debbie Chang, Elsa Bailey, Krista Zarembinski, Anne Aldridge, Ray Gustas, John Zuorski, Reginald Smith, Galen Loving, Amando Miller, and Mark Jordan, who raised their hands to volunteer since our last newsletter.
We are thrilled with the interest you have shown and look forward to working together.
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That's all for this month.
Cheers!
Jim Hancock
President and Founder
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The San Francisco Sailing Science Center is a Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation recognized under IRS Section 501(c)(3), Tax ID 82-3631165. Your donation to the Sailing Science Center is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. |
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AN INTERACTIVE HANDS-ON LEARNING CENTER:
DELIGHTING “KIDS” FROM 5 TO 95
PROVIDING STEAM* LEARNING EXPERIENCES
FOCUSING ON THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATH
AND KEEPING IT FUN!!!
OUR THREE PILLARS
OCEAN STEWARDSHIP * STEAM EDUCATION * LEADERSHIP
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
NATALIE CORKHILL
EXHIBITS TEAM LEADER
LARS ANDERSON
JOHN ARNDT * ANDREW ROBERTS * ANA BLANCO
*STEAM – SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, AND MATH
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The Sailing Science Center News is published on the first business day of each month. It is sent to team members, partners, volunteers, sponsors and supporters of the San Francisco Sailing Science Center. You are receiving this because you are considered to be in one of these groups. If you wish to be removed from the mailing list, please click the Unsubscribe link below. We do not sell, share or otherwise give out our mailing list beyond our organization. |
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San Francisco Sailing Science Center
1 Avenue of the Palms, Ste 16A
San Francisco, CA 94130
510.390.5727
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