Boy Scout Troop One’s Camp Cody Received West Marine Donation in 2013
Many years, ocean miles, and mergers and acquisitions ago, sailing was a more locally driven, community activity, supported by the neighborhood businesses that built long-term relationships with their area’s sailors. It’s when people going to work in the sailing market were more likely to go to work in a foul weather suit or a bathing suit than a pin-striped suit. Times have changed.
We were reminded of that when reader Peter Detwiler wrote inquiring about West Marine’s declaration of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Peter was reflecting on his time as a volunteer for Boy Scout Troop One (Sacramento), which has been running its summer camp at Cody Lake in the Eldorado National Forest every year since 1937 (except 1942 during WWII and 2020 due to COVID). We all know many sailors, such as Brigadoon owner Terry Klause, who started sailing with the Sea Scouts. Peter says, “Both the Sea Scouts and Boy Scouts of America (BSA), humorously known as dirt scouts, have introduced generations to the fun of sailing!”
Peter continues, “I started teaching the Sailing Merit Badge in 1989. It’s a joy to see kids get new skills and find their confidence. West Marine’s donation was a big help to the Cody Lake Yacht Club. Back in 2013, West Marine awarded $500 to our Boy Scout troop’s summer camp waterfront program. We were able to replace almost all of our aging, sagging life jackets with brand-new West Marine-brand PFDs. The staff at the Rancho Cordova store were super-helpful, and that’s why I have been a big fan of Randy Repass.”
As outlined in our story on the West Marine bankruptcy, these are much harder times for big-box stores. The boating lifestyle has changed, and internet shopping has been growing for decades, accelerating during COVID. As the digital world disrupted close connections, it became harder for “local” retailers to keep the shelves stocked and maintain the loyalty of customers. In addition, given the enormous sums of money involved in West Marine’s private equity owners (it is private after all), L Catterton, it’s hard to know how much partner LVMN/Groupe Arnault returns impact the company, though it is widely understood that Bernard Arnault is currently building an approximately $650 million, 470-ft Feadship.
According to the West Marine bankruptcy filing, they are currently planning to close 60 stores nationwide. Though this may be good for some local retailers, it may be hard for those who have already downsized or gone out of business to step into the void.
Peter Detwiler shared a little more about the Boy Scout camp for kids, describing the location. “Cody Lake is about 7 miles south of Highway 50 at 7,260-foot elevation. That spot (which we lease from the Forest Service) lets us assert that the Cody Lake Yacht Club runs ‘Scouting’s premier alpine waterfront program,’ because we think our property has the highest elevation of any youth sailing program in California! There might be some other place in Colorado, but we haven’t looked!
“We’re honestly off the grid. The older scouts hike in all our food and supplies from the Forest Service trailhead. No electricity, no piped water, no sewers. We rely on spring water, propane and hand-dug latrines. It’s a rustic challenge for 11–17-year-old city kids.”
It can be hard for community sailing programs like Sea Scouts to get support from the vanishing number of local, small businesses, but Peter suggests his gratitude and loyalty to West Marine over the years is a direct result of their support of the Cody Lake Yacht Club youth sailing program. We wonder where those youth sailors are today.