Every Monday, TGS students collect their life jackets and flock to the dock down at the South Carolina Maritime Museum for Sailing Club.  Dr. Gates is the coach and Sophie Richer helped us get started back in the fall.  The SCMM loans us the boats in return for community service hours. 

The boats we use are small two-person racing craft called 420s.  The SCMM stores them on Goat Island, so the first task is to go tow them over to the dock.  Mr. Jim Edwards brings his launch to do this job and rescue the sailboats if they get into trouble.

Every week, we practice getting the sails and lines ready, then we go out for a quick turn in the Sampit River.  One person is the driver and handles the tiller and mainsail.  The other person minds the jib and does whatever the “captain” says. Ethan Ab, Morgan, Jack S. and Baryck are the sailors in the Club.

 If the weather is bad, we meet inside the SCMM and Dr. Gates and Mr. Jim teach us how to tie different knots: bowline, square, proper cleat hitch.

We are very grateful to the SCMM for their support of our program.  The kids enjoy sailing and sometimes running into the docks.  They also like to see Dr. Gates sail the two-person boat alone.

By Ethan Ab.