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Community S TO R I E S A B O U T P E O P L E A N D E V E N T S I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y
Patrick Wilkinson of Woodside stands on the centerboard of the capsized sailboat and grabs the gunnel as part of an exercise to pull the craft upright.
Setting sail Local foundation teaches sailing and leadership skills to teens Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer, the coach and director of the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation and a 2012 Olympian in sailboat racing, works on assigning boats to students.
Photos by Magali Gauthier & Michelle Le | Story by Dave Boyce
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he combination of white sails, saltwater, fresh breezes and youthful enthusiasm combine to make for a good time on most weekends just off the Port of Redwood City. As it has since its formation in 2000, the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation teaches kids to sail. The boats are dinghies: the 7-foot, single-sail Optimist for young kids, and for older kids, the 13-foot Flying Junior, a pure racing craft with main and jib sails and rigging for a spinnaker — the spectacular but high-maintenance balloonlike sail used for running downwind. The sailing foundation is co-hosting the PortFest at the Port of Redwood City, held this year on Saturday, Oct. 5. Along with an onshore fair, on-the-water activities will include an introduction to sailing for kids and teens, boat rides, kite boarding and crewing. Vessels expected include the Gryphon, a restored Army transport vessel operated by the Sea Scouts; and the Robert G. Brownlee, a research vessel operated by the Marine Science Institute. The coach at the sailing foundation since September 2012 is Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer, a sailor of note and a participant in the 2012
“I am a very competitive person and I see sailing for me as a sport I will do for the rest of my life,” says Patrick See page 27 Wilkinson, left, as he and shipmate Maddie Roman practiced maneuvers off the Port of Redwood City. September 18, 2013 N TheAlmanacOnline.com N The Almanac N 25