Adopt-a-Boat

Would you like to sail on Sunday afternoon on Tempe Town Lake but don’t have the right boat for the job? Well, adopt a boat!

Cleaning and tweaking the fleet of adopt-a-boat ASF Lasers.
Photo: Mike Ferring

Members of the Arizona Yacht Club can adopt a Laser, C14 or O’pen Bic boat during the Sunday afternoon TTL racing and race committee training sessions. No charge. Just arrange for it in advance and enter the race series (you must sign up for the entire fall or spring series). You do not have to race, but we require that you enter the race series and sign a waiver.

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA (click to expand)

First, you need to be an AYC member.  If you’re not a member yet, click here to join!  And, of course, you need to know how to sail. If you don’t, we suggest an Arizona Sailing Foundation course.

  • Contact Gordon Briner to discuss your skills, and then we’ll need the completed paperwork (linked below on this page), including signing up for the race series.
  • Get to the lake to meet a coordinator (or someone they designate) 60 minutes before the start of racing (start times vary by season). That will give you time to turn in the required documents and rig the boat.

You’ll need to complete the following homework:

  1. Boat Use Agreement. Here’s the legal stuff for the Arizona Yacht Club. It’s a variation on the Pottery Barn agreement: You break it, you fix it.
  2. Read and follow the Regulations established by the City of Tempe for Tempe Town Lake use.
  3. In order to qualify for use of an Adopt a Boat, you’ll go through a check-out, and you must meet the criteria defined on the Boat Check-Out Sheet.
  4. Here’s where you register for the race series.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about the program (click to expand)

Can I sail the boat sometime other than when there’s racing?
No. We realize you’d like to sail whenever you’d like, but by adopting a boat only during race days, you’ll be covered by the club insurance, we’ll have a safety boat ready to help if you get in trouble, and there will be other club members around to assist. We suggest one of the ASF courses for more time on the water.

Where are the boats?
We keep the boats in the TTL boatyard located at the marina, so they’re easy to rig and launch.

Do I need a vehicle with a tow hitch?
If you’re sailing a C14, be sure to bring a tow vehicle with a 2-inch-ball hitch to launch the boat. Lasers and Sunfish can be launched with dollies – no vehicle necessary.

Will there be people around to help me rig the boat?
Yes, but an orientation must be arranged, which includes rigging of the boat and key safety information. If further help is needed, let your Fleet Coordinator know in advance so they will be able to assist.

I don’t really want to race, just sail. Can I still use a boat?
That’s fine and we encourage it. If you’re comfortable in the boat, you may decide to race sometime in the future. You do need to enter the race series, but be sure to tell the race committee that you’re not competing. This is important because they may hold up the start of races waiting for you. You can notify them on land before you launch or sail past and tell them when you’re on the water (they’re by the flag pole). The boats are only to be used on AYC race days since this is when a rescue boat is available to assist.

Any more resources I can tap into before I head out?
If you’ll actually be racing, here are some helpful explanations: Tempe Town Lake race procedures and some information about the C14 fleet and the Laser fleet and various tips for starts and racing fast.
Have fun!

A drone view of the Laser pack slowly moving to the mark.
This could be a Rule 18 lesson shot. Photo: Mike Ferring