Sailing program accepts two stunning donations

Excitement abounds on Orange Coast College’s campus.

In recent months, the college has been the beneficiary of two

unprecedented and spectacular gifts valued at more than $8 million.

In May, the college’s renowned School of Sailing and Seamanship

was given Kialoa III, the legendary 80-foot maxi yacht that dominated

offshore racing in the 1970s. The boat was donated to the college by

its owner, John B. “Jim” Kilroy of Marina del Rey. Kialoa III is

valued at $1 million.

In late July, Roy E. Disney announced that he was giving his

record-breaking 86-foot yacht, Pyewacket, to the college. The former

Walt Disney Co. vice chairman presented the gift to OCC officials in

Honolulu following the Transpacific Yacht Race.

Launched in 2004 at a cost of about $7 million, Pyewacket is among

the fastest and most advanced racing sailboats in the world.

“These two gifts are spectacular,” said Brad Avery, director of

OCC’s School of Sailing and Seamanship. “Many students who otherwise

would never have had a chance to get close to boats like Kialoa and

Pyewacket will now gain hands-on experience on these state-of-the-art

yachts.”

Kialoa III was sailed from Uruguay to OCC’s Sailing Center on

North Lido Channel in Newport Beach, arriving in June. Pyewacket,

having recently been sailed back to the mainland from Hawaii, is

having her keel reduced from 18 feet to 12 feet so that she can clear

the bottom of Newport Bay. She’ll arrive at her OCC berth in October.

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens in New York City and built in 1974

by the Palmer Johnson Shipyard in Wisconsin, Kialoa was the third of

Kilroy’s five big racing yachts.

The five Kialoas spanned nearly half a century of ocean racing.

Kialoa III, however, was always Kilroy’s favorite. When her racing

career was over in the early 1980s, Kilroy converted her into a

comfortable cruising yacht and used her to explore the world.

“Kialoa is a tremendous addition to our fleet,” Avery said. “She

was launched at a time when racing boats were conservatively designed

and heavily built, which makes her ideal for taking students offshore

safely and comfortably. She’s big, fast and recognized the world

over.”

Pyewacket is a magnificent yacht, with a mast that towers 120 feet

and a movable hydraulic keel. She was sailed by Disney in venues

throughout the world.

“Pyewacket is the largest, fastest and most advanced sailboat ever

given to OCC,” Avery says. “She’ll give our advanced students an

incredible learning experience that can’t be duplicated anywhere in

the world.”

OCC plans to develop a Pyewacket sailing team for advanced-level

students as well as an introductory course for students with

intermediate experience.

Now 50 years old and the largest public sailing program in the

United States, OCC’s School of Sailing and Seamanship provides

nautical education to more than 4,000 student and adult sailors

annually. OCC has more than three dozen boats in its armada, and six

are more than 50 feet in length. All boats are used by sailing

students.

Academic year under way

OCC successfully launched its 58th academic year on Monday, Aug.

29.

The college’s 16-week fall semester continues through Dec. 18.

Second eight-week classes are scheduled to begin the week of Oct. 24.

A four-week winter intersession will run Jan. 2 to Jan. 29, 2006.

Orange Coast will open its spring semester on Jan. 30. The

semester will run through May 28. Spring break is slated for March 27

to April 2, and second eight-week classes begin the week of April 3.

OCC’s 58th commencement ceremony is tentatively scheduled for May

24.

Hurricane relief drive

Orange Coast College students are collecting funds to aid

residents of the Gulf Coast who’ve fallen victim to Hurricane

Katrina.

For the next several weeks, a collection table will be staffed by

students from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, in OCC’s

quad.

“All funds collected by the students will go directly to the

American Red Cross,” says Carla Martinez, coordinator of OCC’s

Student Leadership Program. “Later, if we’re able to identify a

community college in Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama that’s been

particularly affected by this tragedy, we’ll direct a portion of the

funds to that institution and its students.”

For information about OCC’s collection drive, call (714) 432-5185.

* JIM CARNETT is senior director of community relations at Orange

Coast College. He writes the biweekly “On Campus at OCC” column.

Reach him at jcarnettocc.cccd.edu or by calling (714) 432-5725.