SIGHTINGS
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trophy season of the Pacific Interclub Yachting Association for all the work they do and for the honor of receiving the Perpetual Yachtsman of the Year Trophy. One of Our Favorite Sailors Was Also Recognized During the PICYA ceremony, I was happy to be standing next to Molly O'Bryan Vandemoer, who accepted the Admiral Chester W. Nimitz U.S.N. Perpetual Trophy for the exceptional work done by the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF).
Michelle SlaDe
the sea calls for a young sailor When Dilan Lovato was 4 years old, holding his stepmom's hand, he walked from El Salvador across the US-Mexican border. His dad, who he did not remember clearly, was already in the US waiting for them. The memories of that journey are on quick-recall for Lovato, now 12 years old. "It was scary when the border patrol grabbed us and it was cold in the detention center; they just gave us aluminum foil for blankets," the youngster said. "We stayed there for two days. I didn't recognize my dad at first until he said my name. It had been a long time — he left before I was 2." A handsome young man with a great smile and sense of humor, Lovato is well-adjusted to life in Marin these days: he's a sixth grader at Davidson Middle School in San Rafael, his favorite activity at school is volleyball, he loves camps and anything to do with being on the water. His dad, Adrian, has a steady job working for Luiz Martinez, co-founder/owner with his wife Alison Healy of Bay Area Marine Services in Sausalito. One day, Martinez took the young Lovato sailing for the first time. "I got to steer," Lovato grinned. "It was a bit challenging as the wind wants to take you a different direction!" That one experience plotted a course for Lovato that set sailing firmly on his agenda. He couldn't go sailing, however, without Healy, who has known the Lovato family for three years. She helps by ferrying the young Lovato, a typical latchkey kid, to and from after-school activities. Healy couldn't help but notice the big smile on Lovato's face when they returned to the dock after that first sailing experience: He was captivated by seeing so many boats on the water. She asked Lovato if he'd like to go sailing again, and he replied that he'd first like to learn to kayak to be sure he wasn't afraid of the water. Healy took Lovato to the kayak center in Sausalito by the Bay Model Visitor Center, which is where Lovato got his first sighting of the tall ship Matthew Turner and Seaward, both owned and operated by the not-forprofit Call of the Sea (COS). "I saw those big boats and asked Alison about them," Lovato said. "I just stared at the Matthew Turner and thought, 'That's a big boat!' When I got home, I researched the boat online and learned about it." Over the past two summers, Lovato has enjoyed two weeks of summer camp with COS, and a day at Aloft camp, for a total of 11 days on the Matthew Turner and Seaward. "I get to coil lines, wrap lines around the pins, do the bow watch, and I like all the maritime words that are used," Lovato said. "We went out under the Golden Gate Bridge one day and suddenly I heard the crew telling us to look over the starboard side at the dolphins. I didn't know which side was port or starboard, so I asked one of the crew and they started teaching us right/left port/starboard." Lovato continued, "I also like the captain giving us instructions and telling us what needs to be done. I learned that you don't make your own decisions when you are on a tall ship because you are part of a crew." Lovato receives a partial scholarship, which Healy facilitated on his behalf, to attend the COS programs. He also received a 100% scholarship to attend sailing camp for two summers at the Sausalito Yacht Club (SYC), where the program focused on learning to sail and captain small boats. "His dad contributes, but a high percentage of it is a scholarship, without which unequivocally he would not be able to participate," Healy noted. "He would also not be able to participate if I was not helping to drive and pick him up. Our dollars make a difference at COS: If Dilan were not in sailing camp, he would be home alone all day." Fluent in Spanish, Healy has dedicated much of her career working in executive positions for nonprofits including Sail San Francisco and Smile Alliance: She's simply driven to help, and Lovato's situation is no exception. "His culture in general does not know about camps, and it would be too complicated to figure out rides, lunch, payments etc.," Healy explained. "It is typically not something they have navigated before and often outside of their comfort and awareness zone. I'm sure so many kids like Dilan would like to be mentored for sailing!"
Spread: 'Matthew Turner' has been a tremendous resource for young, under-represented sailors who wouldn't normally get a chance to be out on the water. Inset, left: That's Dilan Lovato on the left. Inset, right: Dilan with the amazing Alison Healy.