Skill, Intelligence, and Training

"I was born so long ago that I grew up before the era of gasolene. As a result, I am old-fashioned. I prefer a sail-boat to a motor-boat, and it is my belief that boat-sailing is a finer, more difficult, and sturdier art than running a motor. Gasolene engines are becoming fool-proof, and while it is unfair to say that any fool can run an engine, it is fair to say that almost any one can. Not so, when it comes to sailing a boat. More skill, more intelligence, and a vast deal more training are necessary." --Jack London

By Scott Alumbaugh  
Published: October, 2007 

As you cross the San Francisco Bay, you often see tall ships—not large ships, like tankers or container ships. I’m talking about tall ships, as in ships with tall masts and no engines, from what is generally referred to as the Age of Sail.

And as much as I like roller furling and oversized self-tailing winches and other conveniences of a modern boat, I much prefer the look of a square or gaff-rigged sail to the triangular Bermuda rig. I especially like this look as it sails hard by the Golden Gate, silhouetted against a setting sun.

I’m not alone in that regard. Many are taken in by the romance of wooden ships. And for those who want to learn more, we are lucky to have the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. The SFMNHP has acquired and restored a number of historic ships, creating floating museums along the Hyde Street Pier.

There is no charge to stroll the pier and get a close look at ships like the 300-foot Balclutha, or the lumber schooner C.A.Thayer. The entire area is filled with artifacts and equipment, and their histories and uses. For instance, you can learn why the toilet on a sailboat is called the head while you are, well, using the public toilet on shore. But be forewarned: You might find that after reading the explanation and seeing the illustrations, you’d prefer to sail on a fiberglass boat after all.

But before you stroll back to your civilized life, take a close look at the scow schooner Alma, docked near the end of the pier. From 1891 to 1918, Alma shuttled cargo around the Bay under sail. In those days the best highways around the Bay Area were the waterways, and over 400 of these craft were constructed around the Bay.

Back in her working days, Alma would load up with oyster shells from Alviso, and then sail them up to Petaluma to sell to chicken farmers. The chicken farmers would grind up the shells and feed them to hens to harden the hens’ eggshells for the wagon trip to the city. On other runs, hay would be loaded up to 30 feet above deck level, and the captain would have to stand on a ladder to steer.

Five generations of Californians have stood on Alma’s decks. Thanks to the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association—which operates the Maritime Museum, membership programs, fundraising and education programs on behalf of the SFMNHP—the latest generation is the youngest. The Association enables 2,000 school children a year to sail Alma and learn about their seafaring heritage.

Most sailors today wouldn’t even try to get their boats in or out of a slip without an engine, let alone try to maneuver cargo in the strong winds and currents of the Bay. Some sailors might even note that just as the gasolene engine can be operated by almost anyone, other conveniences like the GPS, auto-helm, and wind indicator have made it so that almost anyone can operate a sailboat. Or think they can, anyway.

Take a minute, then, to appreciate the skill, intelligence, and training it would take to sail a fully-laden, flat-bottomed schooner like Alma from atop a ladder. And think about contacting the Association to see how you can help keep this heritage alive.