Radio Controlled Boats Sail on Scenic Lake Gregory
Hidden about a half hour (and about an hour and a half out of Los Angeles) from San ‘Berdoo’, a few thousand feet up in the SoCal mountains is 120-acre Lake Gregory. Far smaller but no less scenic than its more famous neighbors, Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, the lake has a growing fleet of radio-controlled sailboats.
On successive Saturdays, May 15 and 22, the Lake Gregory Yacht Club hosted events centered on these vessels.
May 15 was R/C racing practice. On May 22, the yacht club presented activities for Long Beach-based Girl Scout Troop 70133. The troop participated in a community cleanup of the trails surrounding the lake and then enjoyed some R/C lake sailing and a BBQ at the club facilities in nearby Crestline.
It is not at all like ocean sailing — the winds can go 180º at the drop of a hat, and the challenge is to keep from rounding up or going into irons. The boats can go pretty fast, and sailing an R/C Laser was lots of fun. One of these will set you back about $325, but there are no slip fees and you don’t need bottom service. A tool set and spare parts are mandatory as in full-sized sailing. The club furnished a ‘rescue’ kayak in the event of gear failure.
LGYC staff commodore Marsha Philippe and former SCYA commodore Rick Dinon put on the event. For more information, see www.lakegregoryyachtclub.com.
