Tufts University launches new sailing center

By Ken Legler, Tufts Sailing Coach since 1980
I wish to introduce you to the new home of Tufts Sailing, the Bacow Sailing Pavilion. Named for former MIT sailor, our most recent college president and first lady, the Lawrence and Adele Bacow Sailing Pavilion is a beautiful three-story boathouse for the sole purpose of hosting college sailing regattas and practices.

Since 1972 we have hosted all our events in Larks, an adult one-design class in England, but modified to maximize fun for college athletes. With deep narrow blades, tall tapered carbon rigs, large color-coordinated fat-head mains and jibs, these boats are far more responsive and fun to sail than any other boats in college sailing. In short they are perfect for team racing.

The new sailing pavilion features a seven foot wide, 65 feet long, and 30 foot high observation deck. There is no part of the race that cannot be perfectly be seen by spectators. Coaches can set up tripods for video, then immediately show that footage on our 60″ screen in the “Great Room.” The “Crystal Lake Room,” a combination conference room/library, is designed for protest hearings or homework. The “Porter Family Kitchen” and office also overlooks the water for scorekeepers and/or parents bringing hot food.

The new floats (double the old float space) provide for quick rotations to allow more races, and five bathrooms (yes five, the building codes required that many) prevent any waiting; even the boats are seeing some TLC with all new indoor storage and a large modern “Duplin Carpentry Shop” after living outdoors for the past two seasons. Even the coach boats are designed for the most efficient possible race management.

Prepare to by styled on the gorgeous Upper Mystic Lake in Medford, MA, within eight miles of Logan airport, Boston and Cambridge.

The pictures show the deck, a team racing fleet ready to go, and the view of the start for coaches and spectators.

Click here for more photos including boathouse build process.