Boat U.S. - May 2008 - (Page Insert-A) Diesels Demystified There’s a little known aspect about diesel engines that would surprise most women boaters. You see, once you touch (a clean) one — really smooth your hands along the curvy parts, get to know the different swirling turning bits, the piece that goes squish-pop, and learn what the parts do and how they all work together, you realize that diesel engines are not that much more involved than threading your average sewing machine. “But what about the rods?” a student asked. “You don’t need to make it that complicated,” Capt. Holly Scott told the group of 27 women sailors. “You’re not repairing the engine, you’re maintaining it.” These women were among 204 sailors at the 19th Annual Southern California Yachting Association Women’s Sailing Convention, held at Marina del Rey, CA in early February. The class, Dabbling in Diesels, gave the women a hands-on approach to understanding and maintaining what is commonly considered a mysterious and daunting part of any sailboat. Capt. Scott showed the group helpful tips including painting the oil dipstick ring and hole bright yellow so it can be easily found while standing on your head, fitting a “drainy thingy” on the oil pan nut for a mess-free oil change, and identifying problems with coolant systems. “Should I use distilled water?” one eager student asked. “Save it for your iron,” Capt. Scott replied. “What iron? I think it’s called an anchor,” someone called out. Capt. Scott explained how a diesel engine was no different from other parts of a boat in that it “talks to you.” It says: “Notice me, notice me,” when something’s not right. So you have to pay attention to what “normal” sounds and looks like in order to recognize and resolve a problem before it turns into a disaster. The class was one of a dozen offered for novice to experienced sailors at the BoatU.S-sponsored convention, which was hosted this year by the Del Rey Yacht Club. Other dockside and on-the-water workshops Captain Holly Scott displays and identifies diesel engine parts for her students during a handson demonstration. included: Welcome Aboard (for beginner sailors), Going up the Mast, Knots Know How, Suddenly Single, Spinnaker Rigging, Anchoring, Docking, Navigation, Safety at Sea, Sail Trim and Offshore Cruising. By all accounts, participants experienced “Ahh” moments like never before. “Today has been a total turnaround,” said Becki Wolters, of El Cajon, CA, who started boating with her husband in 1996. “I’ve been uncomfortable in the boat and afraid for lack of knowledge. Now I’m totally energized to use my boat.” Much of the success is credited to organizers — convention founder and director Gail Hine and a committee of volunteers, who annually put together the one-day multiworkshop program, which is led by 25 top women sailors, 15 of whom are U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains. “It’s inspiring to see these women captains as role models because I’ve always considered sailing to be a men’s club,” said Marianne Simon, of Santa Monica, CA. “Not that it’s not true, but if these women can do it, then I can too.” The strong presence of mature women sailors also surprised younger counterparts, who had not realized accomplished female sailors have been around for so long. Hine said many women sign up for the limited-enrollment event year-after-year, while other sailors experienced the highenergy fast-paced convention for their first time. Organized and promoted through the Southern California Yachting Association, it’s not surprising that 90% of attendees came from California. Meanwhile, Del Rey Yacht Club and BoatU.S. member Tom Redler said it was fitting that the event was staged this year at his yacht club (renovation work kept the event from its usual home at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, CA). “We were among the first yacht clubs to recognize that women didn’t belong in the galley,” he said. The year was 1964, and Redler recalls club organizers were laughed at when they ran their first Ladies Got Guts Race, which put women at the helm in this southern California yacht race. Hine had high praise for the volunteers and yacht club members who loaned their boats for on-the-water workshops. “It was another wonderful year in which more women learned new things, became more confident in what they can accomplish aboard and had the wonderful experience of meeting, learning from and sailing with outstanding instructors who were so inspirational,” she said. — By Jill Culora
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