“Everyone lift on three. One, two, three!” The breeze is starting to blow off the Blue Ridge and members of the Keowee Sailing Club are dropping their boats into the water.
“It’s beautiful. Conditions here run the full range,” says sailor Phil Cook. “You can have no wind at all, or you can have a very aggressive wind that kicks up wave action on the lakes, coming down from the mountains.” The latter makes a smile burst forth on his face like a spinnaker as he heads toward his MC Scow racing dinghy.
The Commodore
Cook is not just a sailor at the club, he’s also the current Commodore, which is the term for the elected president of a sailing or yacht club. He joined KSC not long after moving to the Upstate from the Midwest, navigating a squall called retirement. “I’d driven past the club several times on a motorboat and decided it was a place I wanted to get involved,” the 73-year-old reveals. “I’ve always loved being at sea and out on the water. I grew up the son of a diplomat, and when we came home on leave, I would sail a big 36-foot Swedish double-ender with my dad and uncle.”
He now works the lines on a variety of boats owned by the club and others. Access to different vessels is one of the perks of membership.
The Keowee Sailing Club
A handful of friends founded Keowee Sailing Club in 1973, not long after the lake was built by damming the Keowee and Little rivers. Membership has grown to include 425 people, with active members ranging in age from 8 to 89. Unlike traditional yacht clubs, which often require ownership of large watercraft, the sailing club welcomes anyone passionate about the sport, regardless of boat size or ability. Open regattas, Sunfish Saturdays, JAM Races, women’s weekends, and youth sailing camps are just some of the water activities that complement year-round, dockside socials.
The Convert
Ava Carr is heading down from Asheville. The architect and her husband, Buddy Tignor, spend two weekends a month sailing and sleeping aboard their Hunter 25. “We’ve learned to sail by doing,” the 64-year-old says. “We took an intro class and then we got the boat and started figuring it out.” The Indiana native spent decades whitewater kayaking, but as she got older, realized sailing was more her speed. “This has been a really good thing for us to share together,” the empty nester reveals. “There’s a real feeling of camaraderie and support. We have this shared community and friends. We’re even visiting some club members in Maine and will sail up there with them.”
Reasons to try sailing spill from her lips like a halyard slapping against the mast in a gale. “There’s always something more to learn,” she explains. “It’s a great way to spend the day outside with friends. It’s a cheap way to have a place at the lake. I find real friendships are made when you’re doing things together, not just sitting and chatting. Some sails are fast and exciting, other times relaxing and peaceful.” She pauses. The breeze is picking up—her attention shifts to the sky. It’s time to sail.
Nautical Know-How
- Come About: Sailing maneuver to change direction
- Commodore: A club’s highest-ranking officer
- Double-ender: boat with a pointed bow and stern
- Halyard: Line attached to the sail head.
- JAM: Jib and mainsail
- Jib: Triangular sail at the front of the boat
- Sailing Dinghy: Small, lightweight boats
- Spinnaker: Kite-like sail for sailing downwind
- Squall: Sudden, significant increase in wind speed
- Sunfish: Iconic sailboat for learning the basics
- Tack: Turning the bow through the wind
Find out more at keoweesailingclub.com.
