TISC Opening Day 2013 was smooth sailing from first launch at low tide to 6pm high fives thanks to the massive volunteer effort coordinated by our team. I spent the day driving Skipper’s Gift, secretly envious of the lucky RS Venture drivers.
Based on the iPhone activity from the sixty six Skipper’s Gift “crew” yesterday there will be plenty of images on social media of smiling faces, happy families and passionate volunteers. This blog is about the volunteers who helped enable our 850+ visitors to have enjoyable day On Clipper Cove.
Mother Nature delivered up a nearly astronomically low tide of -1.4 just as we were launching the J/24s, RS Ventures and safety boats. Made for a long drop, although we were rewarded later in the day with a convenient high tide for hauled out.
Two USF Service-Learning teams working with our staff played a huge part in the planning and preparation of the day’s events. I’m still not sure if they’ve all had a chance to get out for a sail, and will try to make sure that happens as they wrap up their work on the volunteer-enabling software for us and make their recommendations for any opening day “tune ups” we should consider for next year.
As they have done for all major events over last few years, the Cal Berkeley Sailing team turned out in force. They were there from first launch until last evening shadows began to settle over TISC launching boats, keeping our drivers on time, and helping visitors – many who had never sailed or even been on boats – on/off the J/24’s, RS Ventures and smaller water craft. Their team sails out of TISC and are a model tenant in terms of sail hard, enjoy the bay and give back to enable others to benefit from the sport of sailing.
Tenants from TISC turned out in force to support opening day. 21 skippers and crew from our J/24, Melges 24, Thistle and V15 fleets showed up to help with driving and managing a small armada of watercraft. A great showing of support from the “locals”.
The real stars of the day were the kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, Optis, RS Ventures and J/24s. People came to enjoy the water and it doesn’t get better than an exciting eco-friendly day On Clipper Cove.
Most common questions from guests on Skipper’s Gift were about TISC, our mission and sailing lessons. Other popular ones: “How do boats sail upwind”, “where can I rent a boat like this”, and “what’s inside that large gray barge on the big pier”.
What started out for many as a Facebook link, email from a friend or outdoor pick on funCheapSF turned into an opportunity to share background on our mission of delivering life-lessons to kids through sailing.
THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS, or enabling our team to kick off another year as a “Launching Point for New Horizons” for bay area kids, and a fun place to sail and race for adults.
Regards from on The Cove, Dave G
In the wake: As I was preparing to swap out five smiling faces for a new crew just after lunch I was taken aback by a sleek PROTECTOR ribby parked under our two-ton hoist. With a PIZZA sign on top? I later found out Waypoint Pizza (history here, founded in 1997 same year as TISC) made a high speed run from Tiburon to provide hot pizza for many of our volunteers. More in a later blog on the many “gifts in kind” that added to the cost-effective success of TISC Opening Day 2013.