Spaulding as a Catalyst to the Maritime World
For this month’s storytelling series, we turned the pen over to one of our students of the Spaulding education programs, Elliot. Elliot has been involved with Spaulding since 2021 and it's safe to say that the experience and connections that Spaulding sparked for him has played a major role in his admiration of sailing and boat repair. Read on to hear from Elliot directly:
Elliot, June 25th, 2024
My introduction to sailing began through my good friend Julius, whose mother Heather Richard recommended Spaulding Marine Center. Since fall of 2021, I have attended their homeschool sailing and woodworking program where I gained my first hands-on sailing experience. The instructors were incredibly enthusiastic and not only taught me how to sail but also fueled my passion for sailing and boat building.
At Spaulding, I had the incredible opportunity to sail aboard Freda, the oldest active sailing yacht on the west coast. The traditional rigging fascinated me, and is so different from modern boats. That Freda is still sailing the bay after 139 years is a testament to the dedication of the volunteers who maintain her.
Sailing with Spaulding inspired me to seek more opportunities on the water. Each year, our class sailed with Captain Memo Gidley on Basic Instinct, a racing yacht from New Zealand. I enjoyed it so much that I asked Memo to consider me as a crew member. I am proud to say that I am now a member of his racing crew. Being on foredeck as part of a well oiled crew has accelerated my sailing skills and further increased my love of sailing.
Not content with just crewing, I began searching for a boat of my own. Again, the Spaulding community proved invaluable, helping me find a c420 in need of a new home. With the skills learned at Spaulding through their education programs, I was able to restore the boat myself.
Without Spaulding, I wouldn't have discovered my passion or met so many wonderful members of the sailing community. I'm incredibly grateful to the people at Spaulding for their warm welcome and invaluable support in advancing my maritime interests. It's an incredible place for anyone interested in sailing or boat work.
