Alameda Community Sailing Center’s Work Day Success
On March 14, Latitude 38 ambassador Gerry Gragg spent a couple of hours at the Alameda Community Sailing Center’s annual Work Day helping to get their fleet fully operational and ready for splashing. “I was VERY impressed with the quality of their volunteers and the leadership provided by the program director, Emily Zugnoni, and her volunteer coordinator, Rachel Finci,” Gerry says. Below is Gerry’s full report on the day.
Alameda Community Sailing Center (ACSC) program director Emily Zugnoni and volunteer coordinator Rachel Finci led 15 energetic volunteers in ACSC’s annual Work Day dedicated to getting their large fleet fully operational and ready for the water in just a single Saturday! Emily’s grandfather, Emil Zugnoni, introduced Emily to sailing on the Bay at an early age aboard his Tartan 30, Lelo Too. Emily has continued this family tradition with award-winning leadership recognized by US Sailing with the Outstanding Program Director (2021) and the Outstanding Community Sailing Program award in 2023.
The ACSC is located on the northwest tip of Alameda Island on land owned by the City of Alameda. Sailing activities are funded by donations, grants from the CA Division of Boating and Waterways and summer camp tuition of $1200 per person for a two-week session. Scholarships are offered for students with limited ability to pay. Classes are staffed by 40 instructors and counselors and run weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students are grouped according to age, ranging from 7 to 17, with certifications at various skill levels allowing access to boats of increasing size and complexity.
The fleet consists of an impressive variety of craft: 12 Sail Cubes made from plastic to better endure rocky groundings, as well as FJs (6), 420s (6), RS Fevas (7) and Lasers (4), all of which are supervised on the water by six RIBs and two Whalers.
Open sails are available to the public on Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at a cost of $45, and Sundays have regularly scheduled and supervised adventure sails to various points across the Bay.
The volunteer staff are welcoming to all interested sailors and strive to make the ACSC the “Third Place” you would rather be, after home and office! Volunteers are a necessary component of many sailing organizations, particularly those dedicated to teaching young sailors how to sail. With limited financial resources, these groups use volunteers for the manpower required to operate, maintain, and administer their sailing activities, reserving paid positions for summer camp instructors and counselors.
For more information on ASCS’s sailing programs, or to make a donation or volunteer your time and skills, go to sailalameda.org.
*Check out this Good Jibes podcast with Emily Zugnoni as she shares the story of her transition from sailing passenger to sailing instructor.