On Saturday, July 16, about 60 people gathered on the Richmond shoreline to unveil a sculpture dedicated to the origin of the venerated El Toro racing dingy.
The El Toro Sculpture at its location on the Richmond Inner Harbor. Photo by Nancy Malone
By Bruce Brubaker
Published: August, 2016
On Saturday, July 16, about 60 people gathered on the Richmond shoreline to unveil a sculpture dedicated to the origin of the venerated El Toro racing dingy. They celebrated the popularity of the little sailboat that could and its connection to Boat Ramp Street, a public park next to the former site of the Richmond Yacht Club, where the boat was created in 1940.
One of the participants, Dr. John Tysell, told the legend of the boat’s creation: “The original design was created during a bull session with four or five Richmond Yacht Club members standing around drawing boat shapes on the ground. When they were done, there was so much bullshit on the ground they named the boat the El Toro—and that’s why the symbol on the sail is a shovel.”
Out of this colorful beginning came a boat that has been built, sailed and raced across the country and internationally. At least 12,000 El Toros have been built, most of them by individuals. There are probably several in every Bay Area marina, and there may be one in your neighbor’s back yard. The boat was specifically designed to be easy to construct, as the hull can be cut from two pieces of marine grade plywood.
Many of those who attended the ceremony learned to sail in an El Toro and had fond memories to relate. Gordy Nash, President of the El Toro International Yacht Racing Association (www.eltoroyra.org) told how he jumped in his father’s El Toro when he was five years old and took off. His father saw the youngster (who had no sailing experience) sail away—and thought he wouldn’t get far. He finally caught up to him at the Sugar Dock, about half a mile up the channel. Sixty-six-year-old Gordy has been racing about ever since, and has won two El Toro National Championships.
Vicki Gilmore described the teaching program at the Richmond Yacht Club, where they train youth to sail in El Toros. She described the training program, which reaches out to disadvantaged youths to give them a chance to experience the Bay in a new way—by sailing on it.
Nancy Strauch conceived the El Toro sculpture that brought this crowd together. Three years ago, she learned that some money from the Bay Conservation and Development Corporation was available for a public access project on the Richmond shoreline. She had heard the story of the El Toro and thought it would be great to have an exhibit to tell it to the public, near the site where the idea for the boat was hatched.
She brought me on to design the sculpture. I’m an architect without a lot of sailing experience, but the El Toro captivated me—especially the central idea of a design that anyone could build. We ordered a set of blueprints from the El Toro Association for $25. From those we made the stainless steel hull parts in full scale, but they are pulled apart in the sculpture to make the assembly process visible. Kers Clausen and Clausen Engineers did the structural engineering.
Steelworker and artist Melissa McDonald fabricated the sculpture in her shop in West Berkeley. Contractor Mark Howe’s firm drilled and placed the foundation. The sculpture was lifted by crane onto the foundation under the skillful supervision of KKMI owner Paul Kaplan. Jan Brown designed the plaque that relates the story of the El Toro.
At the end of the ceremony, Nancy Strauch and I shattered a bottle of champagne on the structural upright of the sculpture after Nancy said these words: “May God bless these little boats and all who sail them.” By all accounts of those who attended the ceremony, the origin, history and future of the El Toro is well worth celebrating.
How to visit the El Toro Sculpture:
By Bike: Ride SF Bay Trail along Cutting Blvd to Boat Ramp Street.
By Vehicle: Exit Canal Blvd. from I-580, drive one block toward Bay, turn left on Cutting Blvd. Boat Ramp Street is on the right side between the San Pablo Yacht Club and KKMI.
At least 12,000 El Toros have been built, most of them by individuals. The boat was specifically designed to be easy to construct, as the hull can be cut from two pieces of marine grade plywood. Photo by Nancy Strauch
