Anchors Aweigh

Single Sailors Raft-up and Party Down


George Carvalho
Photo by Bob Kuzmeski

Singletons of various ages with a yen for salt air and good cheer come from all around the Bay to hang out with the Single Sailors Association down at the Ballena Bay Yacht Club. Everyone is welcome—lifelong sailors and landlubbers alike. An interest in sailing is the only requirement. That’s essential, because canoodling, while not exactly verboten, is frowned upon, and this attitude is reflected in their unofficial motto: “A sailing club for singles, not a singles club for sailors.”
    Rene Canham, 43, who owns a Cal 3-30 named Blue Note, became a member in January and is impressed with the quality of the club’s sailors. When she lived in Southern California, she belonged to the Single Mariners of Marina del Rey, but was chagrined by a certain blowzy element of women who made no secret of the fact that their primary interest in attending club activities was ferreting out a rich husband.
    The SSA also states emphatically that it’s not a boat-ride club. This, however, does not mean everyone is a crackerjack sailor. People with no previous sailing experience are encouraged to come on down and check things out. In this respect, common sense and participation are all that’s required. When you show up at the dock for a day sail, wear appropriate shoes and dress warmly, even on sunny days. The conditions on San Francisco Bay are extremely variable, so smart crew members bring extra clothes in case they get soaked. Once aboard, make yourself useful. There are lots of little jobs that anyone can do: toting sails up on deck, stowing fenders, coiling lines, keeping a lookout for container ships and organizing the snacks everyone brings.
    Members enjoy an action-packed social calendar that’s full of activities both on and off the water. There are simple day sails to places like Angel Island and Sam’s Anchor Cafe in Tiburon. Perennial events like Opening Day on the Bay and the KFOG-FM, 104.5, KaBoom fireworks spectacular make for fun outings. There are invitations galore from various yacht clubs to celebrate special occasions.
    Jim Bradley, 62, who owns a Colorado 25 named Viking, loves SSA raft-ups in Clipper Cove. These might attract a half-dozen boats. The bigger ones drop anchor and then everyone else ties up alongside them. After that, people wander around from boat to boat chatting and goofing off, just like a backyard barbecue.
    Variety is what really makes the club tick. You get to sail with different skippers on different types of boats from locations all over the Bay: Benicia, Berkeley, Coyote Point and beyond. This is a great way to get acquainted with the sport. The prevailing conditions—weather, currents and boat traffic—vary considerably around the Bay, and so sampling them all can really help hone your seamanship.
    Susie Wilson, 52, who works from home as a bookkeeper, has done just that. Four years ago, she’d never set foot on a sailboat, but after being invited out by Bradley for a day sail, she was hooked. She soon joined SSA, and began learning to sail. Along the way, she met Sam Crabtree, 70, a fellow club member with a Cal 39 named Catch the Wind. They hit it off—discreetly, of course—and are now busy making preparations to go cruising. They’ve had new fuel tanks installed and plan to sell a house. Then this fall, they’ll join the 12th annual Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers Rally and sail from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas on the first leg of an open-ended trip.
    The SSA has a $30 initiation fee. Annual membership dues are $55. There are about 140 members, and many of them pitch in to keep things running smoothly. The focus is on casual day sailing, but once you obtain your sea legs and get acquainted with the sailing community, it’s not hard to branch out into racing.
    So take a chance, attend one of the SSA meetings on the second Thursday of each month, cast off your worries and share the experience.
    For more information, visit www.sailssa.org or call (510) 273-9763.