Do I race against kids my own age?
Do the parents of the sailors need to know how to sail?
What are the parents' responsibilities?
Do I have to commit to sailing every Sunday?
Who is the SBSSA?
The Santa Barbara Sea Shell Association is a local group of about 50 families in Santa Barbara who are continuing a 55-year tradition of teaching young people to sail by putting them on the water, by themselves, in their very own boat, racing against others at their own level. You can learn more about the history of the Association here.
Who can join SBSSA?
Any child who will be at least 8 years old by Memorial Day, and is not over 15, can become a member of the Santa Barbara Sea Shell Association, although the Board can approve a younger skipper if the situation warrants.
Do you really race?
You bet! Our kids learn to sail by racing against others at their own level. We follow the same rules and regulations that govern sail racing all over the world. But if that conjures up an image of serious, stressed-out sailors and tense parents, that couldn't be further from the truth! The spirit is enthusiastic fun, and winning is never more important than good sportsmanship, learning, and family time together.
Do I race against kids my own age?
Not necessarily. Skippers are ranked by experience and skill, not age, into different classes (although of course the older skippers are usually in the higher classes). All new skippers start in the “Novice” class, where they are allowed to have another, experienced sailor in the boat with them - often a parent, but those whose parents do not sail can always find a willing partner to help them out. There's a lot to learn to become a competent sailor, and Novice Class is where our young sailors literally “learn the ropes.”
After a while, Novices are ready to solo, and there are always cheers on the beach when a young Novice crosses the finish line after his or her “First Solo!” Then after 10 solos, the Novice is ready to move up to the “Sea Shell” class or, if he or she owns a Sabot, the “C Sabot” class. Eventually a young skipper gets his or her “First First,” (first first-place finish) which is an occasion for more spirited cheers and usually a friendly dunk in the harbor at the hands of the other skippers. Then it's on to “B Sabots,” and for those who stick with it, “A Sabots”. Hopefully, along the way will be trophies, out of town sailing trips to San Diego and Lake Lopez, picnics, and lots and lots of sun and sand.
What does it cost?
Membership costs $100 per family and $10 per skipper. Condo fees for those who store their boats on the beach (highly recommended) are an additional $125 per year per boat.
A Sea Shell can be purchased from a graduating family for as little as $300, up to $1,000 or more for a nicely-built, newer boat. You can also build a Sea Shell, as families do every few years; we love to see new boats get built, and have a nice christening ceremony on the beach when one is added to the fleet. Sabots can be purchased new from Catalina Yachts for about $2500 or from a graduating family for as little as $700. See our Boats for Sale page for current offerings.
When evaluating the purchase of a boat, keep in mind that when your skipper graduates, you can usually sell your boat for only a little less than you paid for it, if you take care of it. (But we should warn you: many families find themselves hooked on sailing by the time they leave Sea Shells, and trade their Sabot or Sea Shell in for something they can all sail in.)
In addition you will require an anchor, a paddle, and at least 2 life vests (nobody goes on the water without a life vest, not even the adults, and adults are required to help on the Safety Boats).
The rest is up to you: beach chairs, umbrellas, car-top carriers or trailers for the boat, cleats, lines, and tiller extensions are common but not always necessary purchases. We will not hit you up for additional donations during the year, nor do we do door-to-door fundraising like some youth organizations.
Will I need a boat?
The Association owns one boat that we can loan you if you don't have one (the “scholarship” boat) but typically, yes, you have to buy a boat. Normally our sailors start with a Sea Shell, then graduate to the lighter, faster, more maneuverable, but slightly more tippy Sabot. More information about the boats can be found here.
Where can I store my boat?
We have an arrangement with the City in which we can store our boats in a series of storage sheds we refer to as our “condos,” right on the beach next to the launch ramp. There aren't always enough condos to go around, so those who can store their boats at home and trailer them to the launch ramp are encouraged to do so. There is a fee of $125 per year, and one work day at the beginning of the season to paint and repair the condos.
Do the parents of the sailors need to know how to sail?
No! It helps, of course, but there are many parents in the Association who do not sail. While we have regular “hut meetings” in which we teach young skippers the fundamentals of sailing and the racing rules, most of the learning takes place out on the water while the skipper is a Novice. Those parents who do not sail will want to make arrangements with an experienced adult or older skipper who can go out with the Novice during these crucial early races and provide on-the-water instruction. There is usually no problem in finding someone who can help out. And many non-sailing parents have been inspired to learn to sail themselves so as not to be left behind by their kids!
What are the parents' responsibilities?
We are not a “drop and dash” organization. Parents are required to stay with their kids on the beach during racing, to help their kids and to help run the races. At minimum this help takes two forms. Once or twice a year you will be asked to be one of two families on the Race Committee. On those days, your responsibilities are to get the Safety Boats over to the beach from their dock near Marina One, lay out the racing marks, decide which courses to sail during the 3 kids' races, run the starts, and at the end of sailing pick up the marks and return the Safety Boats to their dock. If you don't know anything about sailing, have no fear - new families are always paired with experienced families, and there are always lots of helpful adults on the beach if you have any questions. Secondly, parents are required to help crew the two Safety Boats, which are on the water throughout each race to help any skipper who gets into trouble. In addition, you will be asked to help out during our one fundraising event, the Wine Tasting / Open Boat event held each October, during which we raise the majority of our operating budget for the year. For those who wish to become more involved, we have many opportunities to volunteer to help run the group. See the SBSSA Board page for more details.
Where do you sail?
We sail in the quiet-water area of the harbor, a stretch of West Beach known (at least to us) as Sea Shell Beach.
How often do you sail?
We sail Sundays at 1:00 from mid-April to the end of October, with two-day regattas (Memorial Day, Semana Nautica, and Labor Day), and no sailing in August. Our calendar can be found here.
What are the races like?
At about 12:00 on Sunday the boat ramp at the far end of the harbor starts to fill up with families arriving and rigging their Sea Shells and Sabots. The boats, most of which are stored right next to the boat ramp in our “condos,” are wheeled over to the ramp, rigged, and carried or rolled into the water. Experienced skippers sail around from the launch ramp to the beach, but new skippers can always find someone to help them “bring the boat around.” On a good day we'll get 30 or more boats out there - a marvelous sight to see that many boats getting rigged all at once!
By 1:00 all skippers have all sailed around and signed in for the day, and the mast meeting begins -- a few announcements, things to watch out for, “Did anybody find a blue sweatshirt on the beach last week,” that sort of thing. Then the race course for the first race is laid out, and the countdown to the first race starts with a toot on an air horn. “A” skippers start first, followed 3 minutes later by the “B” skippers, the “C” Sabots, the Sea Shell fleet (Sabots do not sail against Sea Shells), and finally the Novices. Following the same clear right-of-way rules as any sailing race, the skippers duck and weave at the start, trying to get that all-important good start without hearing the dreaded “over early” call from the beach. Then all high-tail it for the A mark, with cries of “Starboard!” and “Room at the mark!” reminding those who need it who has the right of way.
While the skippers are racing, parents can relax and watch the races. If you've never raced before, it is really amazing how caught up in the action you can get. You can call out help and instruction from the shore to Novice skippers, but this will get any skipper higher than Novice disqualified. In addition, several parents crew each of our two safety boats in each race, righting boats that capsize, giving help and encouragement to the Novice skippers, occasionally untangling over-zealous skippers from the mark bouys — and otherwise just relaxing and chatting.
Each Sunday features 4 races - 3 for the kids, and one race for the adults who care to participate. (The adult races can become very competitive!) Then it's back to the boat ramp to de-rig, cart the boats back to the condos or the cars, and we're usually on our way home by 3:30 or 4:00.
Do I have to commit to sailing every Sunday?
No. Don't let the time commitment scare you off. While skippers do need to participate in every race of a particular regatta to be in the running for that regatta's trophy, there is no reason you can't come down when you want, sail as much as you want, and go home when you want.
What is a High Point?
You may hear about High Points as you get involved with the group. It is a series of 10 Sabot races held around Southern California every year. See this page for more information.
For More Information
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