Participants of sailing fundraiser keep cool while helping the needy

By Lori Porter Acorn Staff writer

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn ON THE LOOKOUT-Logan Rosenstein, 15, sits on the bow of a chase boat that helps sailors if their boat overturns during the 10th annual charity Sail-A-Thon on the lake in Westlake Village. The event last Saturday, hosted by the Westlake Yacht Club, generated funds through pledges involving nine hours of continuous sailing for Casa Pacifica Child Crisis Center, Create-A-Smile and Santa Monica Bay Foundation. See story, below left.

On what was possibly the hottest day of the year, there was no better place to be Saturday than at the lake in Westlake Village where the Westlake Yacht Club presented its 10th annual charity Sail-A-Thon to benefit Casa Pacifica, the Santa Monica Bay Sailing Foundation and Create-A-Smile.

The event, designed as a sailing marathon team race with competitive squads sailing laps around a defined course, lasted about nine hours, beginning at 11 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m.

The Sail-A-Thon consisted of three categories of sailors and vessels. The Junior Fleet was for sailors 17 years of age and younger who sailed in sabots, which are 8-foot single-handed dinghies, with teams of no more than three sailors each taking turns sailing.

The Mariners Fleet sailed lasers and C-13s, with three boats making a class fleet and an unlimited amount of sailors. The C-13s are 12-foot boats with one sailor. Finally there was the Double Mariners, who sailed in C-14s and FJs, which are 14- to 15-feet long and have two sailors.

Each crew skipper had to raise a minimum of $50 in pledges to be eligible to participate. Pledges were based on laps completed.

For those with land legs, there was a barbecue lunch in the boat house and after grabbing a bite, they could walk out in The Landing parking lot to examine various vintage automobiles in a car show.

The car show attracted everything from Jaguars, MGs and Austin Healeys, dating back as far as 1966. There was even a 1956 black Thunderbird on display with its original factory invoice dated 6/8/56 that featured a price tag of $2,502.02.

For those who felt that standing in extreme heat while staring at old cars wasn’t worth a golden tan, the silent auction inside the clubhouse was a cooler option.

Silent auction items donated by various businesses and vendors included unique items such as a helicopter ride for two from the Lost Hills Sheriff Station valued at "priceless."

Hyatt Westlake donated dinners for two with starting bids at $40. There were also tickets for two to the Chicago concert at the Greek Theatre, doggie baskets, restaurant vouchers and gift certificates to various local clothing stores and salons.

"The Westlake Yacht Club is very kind and generous," said Lynn Abernathy of Create-A-Smile, a charity dedicated to the Human-Animal Bond that visits children and seniors in nursing homes, hospitals and mental institutions with dogs that are specially trained to bring comfort and love to patients and clients.

Abernathy and his wife, Sheilah, live in Moorpark and are team leaders for the Ventura County and San Fernando Valley areas, training people and dogs in animal assisted therapy teams.

Casa Pacifica is a shelter in Camarillo that takes in and cares for abused and neglected children.

The Santa Monica Bay Sailing Foundation supports and promotes youth and adult sailing at all levels, and provides training, scholarships and grants. In addition, SMBSF supports several local high school and college sailing team programs and will help send two sailing and Special Olympian children to the World Games later this year in Ireland. A major goal is to help children experience the joy of sailing.

Saturday’s event raised over $30,000, which is a record. The sailors raised a total of $9,600. The net proceeds from this event will be split between the three charities.

For more information about the Westlake Yacht Club, visit the Website at www.westlakeyc.org or call (818) 889-4820.