The Art and Science of Growing a Sailing Exhibit Center

With their first annual fundraising gala, the San Francisco Sailing Science Center took the next big step toward reality. Held December 12 on the Ohana floor of the Salesforce Tower, the event assembled a stellar crowd of board members, volunteers, boosters, donors, supporters and sailors. Jim Hancock’s vision to build the sailing museum on Treasure Island has inspired them all.

While the Sailing Science Center is built around the science of sailing, its website makes sure you know that it goes beyond STEM to STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. The event displayed the organization’s first exhibit and reportedly raised enough funds to build the next six displays. Themed ‘Charting a Course to Success’, the event featured some of the technical aspects of sailing with special guest Saildrone. The auction offered plenty of art.

If you’re a dedicated reader of Latitude 38, you know that Max Ebb and Lee Helm just can’t stay away from this stuff. The hands-on exhibits will help every sailor and landlubber better understand aerodynamics, foiling, hydrodynamics, weather, and mechanical advantage. They’ll help translate textbook concepts into practical, on-the-water knowledge. You can learn more about it in Max Ebb’s story in our January issue.

Hancock is definitely pleased with the progress he and his all-volunteer team have made since recently receiving their official nonprofit status. As he stated, “My pride in the team and how they pulled together on a very aggressive deadline is beyond what words can express. You guys are awesome!”

Like all science and art, it’s a long road from a creative idea to a finished product. Judging by the enthusiasm of the board, volunteers and guests, we believe this science experiment is going to deliver practical results right here on San Francisco Bay.