SB Youth Sailing Foundation Celebrates New Clubhouse

On August 15, the Santa Barbara Youth Sailing Foundation (SBYSF), a nonprofit formed and supported by members of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club (SBYC), held a jubilant “kelp cutting” for its new Clubhouse on Marina One, just past the yacht club.

At the cutting, SBYSF President Lauren Bell, who recently took the helm of the nonprofit, welcomed donors and other guests. She shared how the foundation is dedicated to providing youth with the skills, confidence, and camaraderie that sailing offers. Many individuals were recognized for the hard work and talent they contributed to the project, but “The Erics” — Boardmember Eric Andresen and immediate past president Eric Stokke — got the highest praise for their leadership in the planning and building phases, and Andreson was lauded also for his custom woodworking.

Previously, there was a basic storage shed on the site and classes were held inside the yacht club, a situation that became increasingly inadequate for the popular and growing program. The new clubhouse, right on the dock, includes a well-appointed classroom and storage area. Program Manager Nick Kaschak described the new facility as a massive upgrade that creates a “culture of excellence” that fits with his philosophy of “Sail like a champion today.”

The facility was built offsite to avoid the challenges of building in the harbor, but transport and relocation provided their own challenges. Smart minds collaborating solved these.

Lots of donors were recognized, including the Deardorff family, whose sizable fund provided seed funding, Roger and Sarah Chrisman, Harry and Wendy Atterbury, Kenny and Krista Kieding, Jody Holehouse, and Stanley and Lil Nelson. 

From this column’s perspective, the best part of SBYSF is that the program doesn’t just serve yacht club and other financially well-off kids, but also serves low-income kids through full scholarships for sailing lessons. Each year, Santa Barbara Yacht Club Women, a nonprofit foundation comprising female members of the S.B. Yacht Club, funds scholarships so about 20 low-income youth get the same fun and rewarding experience as yacht club kids get. So far this year, $10,000 has been granted and since SBYCW’s inception in 1989, more than $250,000 has been doled out. Scholarship recipients comprise about 10 percent of participants.

According to SBYCW Scholarship Committee Chair Tracy Schifferns, sailing provides a multitude of benefits to kids, including developing problem-solving skills, boosting confidence, promoting physical fitness, and fostering responsibility and respect for nature.

Much of the recent funding has gone through the Police Activities League (PAL) for summer lessons, which is by far the biggest component of SBYSF’s activities. PAL youth have fully embraced the experience, according to PAL Executive Director Judie Lugo, and they typically find it incredibly rewarding. The kids “love the thrill of learning something new, the challenge of mastering it, and the unique connection they feel to the environment around them,” Lugo shared. “It’s been a truly transformative experience for many, building confidence, teamwork, and a sense of adventure.”

SBYSF offers programs year-round, but the summer is by far the most active. Lessons go from beginner level, with kids as young as 6, through the highest level of youth competition. The nonprofit nature of the foundation and generous support from the S.B. Yacht Club and its members enable SBYSF to keep fees lower than they otherwise would be.

SBYSF has a large, impressive fleet of sail and powerboats, including 24 Optimist dinghies, 10 Optimist SailQubes, 11 CFJ sailboats, Club 420s, Lasers, and RIBs. At the high school level, youth participate in competitions organized by the Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Association (PCISA).

At the kelp cutting, SBYC Rear Commodore Matt Wilson talked about watching the youth progress from young beginners to racing quite well nationally and internationally. Along the way, he explained, the older kids acquire the ability to teach the younger kids. He recounted witnessing this “magic” one day, when he saw a teenage instructor calmly transform a frightened young beginner into a confident sailor, a feat that could only have come from the experiences she had received from the foundation. With the community’s continued support and hard work, Wilson related, he expects the magic to continue for many years.