Making good humans who sail

One year after awarding its annual youth-training honors to a program committed to supporting non-racers, the Pacific Coast Yachting Association (PCYA) has chosen for its 2023 Garrett Horder Memorial Trophy a program with competition in its veins—the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF).

Located in Redwood City, California—Silicon Valley’s access point to San Francisco Bay—PYSF has grown from small beginnings to an ambitious, year-round training and development center.

“From Gold Rush times, Redwood City has been the only deep water port on the bay, south of San Francisco, but its potential for small boat sailing was under-appreciated until Molly Vandemoer came along,” said Pacific Coast Yachting Association Commodore Kimball Livingston. “We’re fortunate to be able to recognize her accomplishments in the centennial year of PCYA.

“Young sailors at PYSF are trained in Optis, Flying Juniors, and C420s. They sail from a harbor that benefits from insightful development and management, and they go racing with a ‘We are PY!’ spirit. Molly is achieving her goal to make good humans who sail. You gotta love it.”

The PCYA was founded in 1923 to promote yachting on the Pacific Coast of North America and Hawaii, and to facilitate that mission, the Garrett Horder Memorial Trophy is annually awarded for excellence in junior boating education.

“What a fantastic honor for our program to receive the Garrett Horder Award for best junior program on the West Coast!” shared PYSF executive director Vandemoer.

“When I came to PYSF just over ten years ago, I was drawn to the sense of community and love of the sport that I found here. I saw amazing potential in a relatively small group of passionate folks. Now here we are, thriving, thanks to rock star coaches, supportive community members, volunteers willing to help in any way they can, and kids that love our sport. A big thank-you and pat on the back to all.”

The PCYA unites yachting and cruising associations from San Diego, CA to Vancouver, BC. These associations are in turn comprised of hundreds of clubs representing thousands of West Coast citizens united by a love of water and boats.