SIGHTINGS freda — continued
new wyliecat The latest addition to the Wyliecat line of sailboats, the Wyliecat 40, is taking shape at the Wyliecat factory in Watsonville. Wyliecat is the last of the local production boat builders, and continues the proud tradition of fast, fun-to-sail boats that the Santa Cruz area was known for.
effort to upgrade Freda to her present status as a "nautical jewel," to quote Darr. After the gleaming hull was lifted by Spaulding's appropriately antique crane, it was held hovering over the water while Darr ceremonially 'walked a plank' to reach it. He then re-christened Freda with a tot of very old whiskey, while the sloop's admirers raised raised their glasses in unison. If you'd like to see this wooden beauty up close, drop by the Spaulding Center and take a look. Or better yet, ask the staff there how you can arrange to go for a spin around the Bay aboard her. Hopefully she'll often be seen blasting across Bay waters for decades to come. — andy
continued on outside column of next sightings page Page 76 •
Latitude 38
• July, 2014
LESLIE RICHTER / WWW.ROCKSKIPPER.COM
With the Master Mariners Regatta and the Freda launch, this seems to be wooden boat month at Latitude, so it's an appropriate time to run a profile of the Bay-centric Bear Boat class: Sporting names like Kodiak, Pola and Panda, the graceful 23-ft Bear Boats are out of winter hibernation and roaming Bay waters — often in packs. Built of wood with cast-iron keels, and a cute bear silhouette on their mainsails, Bears have been playing on the Bay — exclusively — for decades. Conceived in 1931 by Ernest Nunes and Marty Martinson at the Nunes Boat and Ways Company in Sausalito, the first 'cub' was christened in 1932. Commodore Cliff Smith of the San Francisco Yacht Club got a glimpse of this pocket cruiser, designed for the Bay, then commented, "That is a bear of a boat." The name stuck, and hull number one was christened Merry Bear. The Bear Boat Owners Association tells us that the last Bear, #69, was built in 1976: Velerosa. Her local habitat is Berkeley Marina, where sistership Renegade is berthed nearby. Owned by Russell and Christine Katz, this 1946 Bear is actively raced and cruised. Drawn to Renegade because of her history, they liked the boat's size and stability which made her a perfect fit for a young family. "We rescued her from sinking in Napa Valley Marina in 2009 and have been restoring her since — most recently replacing the interior. Renegade seems the most rambunctious of the pack, having been singlehanded down to the Sea of Cortez in 1982 by then-owner David Bacon." Brothers Tim and Daniel Maloney care for two other Bears, following the family tradition. From 1953 to '65 their grandfather owned Panda, #9. Their father, Tom, loved that Bear, but just couldn't afford to keep her while raising 12 (!) children. Years later though, Daniel successfully convinced his dad that they needed a boat. So in 2005, they bought Magic, #65. As brother Tim says, "The memories are too thick to sweep away." Magic and her sister, Cindy, #66 (last spotted in Santa Cruz), were built by Charles Borden to lines redrawn by Robert Keleher. It’s believed that around 1959, the Association approved Keleher’s plans.
LATITUDE / ANDY
LESLIE RICHTER / WWW.ROCKSKIPPER.COM
bears on the bay