Sabot connects earth hemispheres

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
In the realm of sailing in North America, California is an island. Surrounded by ocean and desert, it’s a long drive to anywhere. But in the realm of youth sailing, Southern California is barely an islet. With the world covered by the Optimist Class, the Naples Sabot extends just 100 miles along Interstate 5.

As a parent of Naples Sabot sailors, I appreciated how the pull of faraway events was not a consideration. Supporting a kid’s interest can have few boundaries, and has led Optimist parents to home schooling and an active travel schedule. Plus, the local kids were doing fine as they aged up, so no need to travel the world.

But if that urge was unleashed, Australia would be calling. Apparently they read the same issue of Rudder Magazine that published the Sabot design in 1939. Each nation took the basic lines and modified it for local needs; the USA version was suited for light winds with a leeboard while Australia has a daggerboard and stayed rig.

Both classes remain strong with Fenton Wallace winning the 77th Naples Sabot Junior Nationals while Alyssa Mathieu recently topped the 62nd Sabot Nationals in Airlie Beach, Australia.