The beating sail tightens against the push of the wind, as the small boat majestically cuts through the chop of Lake Washington.
As preppy as sailing’s reputation is, the Renton Sailing Club breaks the stereotype with its members more likely seen scrubbing dirty boats in salty faded t-shirts than smoking cigars in loafers.
“We’re small, and we’ll always be small,” said dock master Gary Bagnell, who has been sailing in Renton since the ’60s.
The club partners with the City of Renton to offer public sailing courses to anyone, including youth as young as 9, and in return gets the use of a small dock in Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.
“It’s fun to watch the kids get that look on their faces when that boat takes off,” Bagnell said.
Club members volunteer to teach classes May through September.
“When you do something you enjoy, you want to share it,” said instructor Ross Chamberlain.
Exposing people to sailing beats at heart of the club.
In an introductory sailing class, grey-haired couples join with 20-somethings and the occasional child to learn how to jibe and turn the dinghies.
“We both enjoy sailing, but it’s kind of a hassle if you own your own boat,” said member Roy Slettevold.
Lee Chicoine, a five-year instructor with the Renton Sailing Club, waits for students to finish instruction before taking them out for the first time. The club docks its boats in Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, where it offers lessons.
The club owns about 30 boats, most are the smaller dinghies, but some are larger with cabins. The majority of them are donated, Chamberlain said.
“They get a tax write off and we get a boat,” Chamberlain said, adding that Bagnell found a majority of the boats. “He can work Craig’s List with the best of them.”
The club is rooted in Renton’s history, playing a key role in the establishing Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, after the land was considered for development.
The club struck a deal with the city, after being forced out of the park.
“When you take a sailing club from a dock, you kill it,” Bagnell said.
This season closed out well, though enrollment was down about 10 percent, because of the tight economy, Chamberlain said.
However, good weather and the economy helped bolster participation from existing members.
“We had good winds this summer, better than last,” he said. “We had nice warm temperatures so people felt like coming down.”
All of the classes are taught by Red Cross-certified instructors, and the basic course is designed for those who don’t have previous experience.
Students wait impatiently through a 30 minute lecture, which includes tying knots and finding the wind, before hitting the lake for drills and exercises.
“The basics are more simple than I imagined,” said student Jen Sargeant.
The four 2 1/2-hour introductory classes cost $32 for Renton residents and about $38 for non-residents.
Experienced members took part in regular Monday races, a casual event using the smaller boats.
“It can be as expensive as you want it to be,” Chamberlain said of sailing. “It’s a true lifetime sport.”
Instructor Miguel Escobar (left) explains to Renton’s Jen Sargeant (right) how to properly rig a sail to the mast.
