West Coast's Largest Sailboat show at Oakland's JLSQ April 14-18

my Oakland Estuary photo essay



Pacific Sail Expo is coming to Oakland's Jack London Square. Lots of cool stuff to look at, good photo ops, and you can go out on the estuary (free) in a cool sailboat with Discover Sailing.



"Half-hour sails with experienced skippers are free to showgoers. Sign up for a sailing time when you arrive at the show: with sponsorship from Corsair, Hunter Marine, and Johannsen Boat Works, you'll be able to take your pick of boats--multihull or monohull, big or small."



Plus some Tall Ships will be there.







When: All days of the show



Where: In Water Display



"PSE 2004 will include a special section that showcases classic sailing vessels. Among those featured this year will be: Tall Ship Hawaiian Chief, Alma and Grace Quan. If you're like most sailors, you appreciate vessels of all ilk. You might prefer a souped-up high-performance ride for the racecourse, but the timeless beauty of classic boats still turns your head.



At PSE, you'll see a bit of everything if you make a detour to the show's special section for classics of all sizes. The Tall Ship Hawaiian Chieftain is the headline act: at 103-feet, she is the longest, and with a replica design that dates to 1790, her lines date back the farthest.



Built in 1891 and measuring 80 feet, Bay Area scow schooner Alma will give you a glimpse into the maritime history of the Bay. Alma transported hay, lumber, and salt; from the 1920s to the 1950s, she dredged for oyster shells; in 1988, she was designated a National Historic Landmark and is part of the fleet at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.



Smaller vessels will include Grace Quan, at 42-feet, a just-launched replica of a traditional junk that also resides at the Park; and Runa IV, built in 1918 in Copenhagen, Denmark of Norwegian pine and oak. Runa IV sailed to California on the deck of a steamer in 1933 and was subsequently sailed by a series of California owners. Current owner Terry Tucker gave her some TLC and got her prepped to race last summer from Berkeley.



If you want to step back in time and sail a classic while at PSE, Hawaiian Chieftain will be offering 2 hour sail training excursions. These sails have an added cost of $20 per person and can be reserved in advance by calling 888-833-SAIL(7245)."



GTPP

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