Margaret Clarkson sails the CSC dinghy series. Photography by Mark Alexander
Sailing — the age-old metaphor for resilience, courage, and strength. The Gospels tell stories of the disciples’ faith being challenged as they sail across treacherous waters. Walt Whitman penned the famous line “O Captain! My Captain!” when writing about the tremendous bravery of President Abraham Lincoln in leading his “ships” through the stormy seas of war. Louisa May Alcott, the prolific American author of the 19th century, once said, “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea uses a man’s quest across the waves to showcase the endurance of mankind. This common motif is no coincidence — sailing produces a special kind of mental fortitude.
Sailing not only builds character, strengthening and enriching those who dedicate themselves to it, but it also creates friendships and community, a common language between sailors of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. It sharpens cooperation and teamwork skills. It heightens awareness and appreciation for nature. It is a wonderful family activity! This is the passion of Lake Murray’s premier sailing clubs, Columbia Sailing Club and Lake Murray Sailing Club. For decades, their members have dedicated themselves to providing opportunities for sailors, new and experienced, to get out on the water and encounter these benefits firsthand.
Columbia Sailing Club
The Columbia Sailing Club, or CSC, boasts a rich history that spans several decades. Founded in 1957 by a group of passionate sailors eager to share their love for the sport, the club began modestly, with a few of the founding members offering up their own properties around Lake Murray to be used for the club’s first races. However, with its strategic location, stunning scenery, and welcoming community, the club quickly became a hub for sailing enthusiasts throughout the state. Just two years later at their 1959 regatta, their volunteered facilities were no longer sufficient for the growing number of out-of-town participants.
The winds blew favorably when founding member, Robert “Bob” Webster, and his daughter were sailing near the Lake Murray dam and discovered a small island. They contacted SCE&G to inquire about the property and were told that it was essentially “nonexistent” — it did not appear on its maps. Apparently, it had originally been intended as fill for the dam but was no longer needed. Bob was able to pay one dollar to lease the island from the company on behalf of the CSC. From there, a small clubhouse was constructed as a judging shelter for races.
The CSC has come a long way since those days, though. As the club continued to grow in popularity, it underwent several expansions and renovations to accommodate its evolving needs. These improvements included a beautiful new clubhouse, a youth clubhouse, numerous slips in a well-protected back cove, multiple launching ramps, a gin pole, and other sailing related amenities. These enhancements further solidified CSC’s reputation as a premier sailing destination in the Southeast.
Much of the renovations and additions to CSC have been a result of a renewed passion for handing down the tradition of sailing to the next generation, a top priority for the club since the late 1990s. Current CSC Commodore Jerry Jowers speaks from personal experience as he knows firsthand the club’s impact on his daughter, Catherine. Jerry joined CSC the very same year Catherine was born. “From the time she was born, she was on a boat,” Jerry warmly says. He firmly believes sailing has been invaluable for his family, bonding them in a common interest. Catherine grew up going to every CSC summer camp, participating in youth racing, and is now hoping to be a counselor for the summer sailing camps. Countless others have similar stories, such as Alan Leichtle, whose daughters Brooklyn and Tilly started out in the PB&J sailing class, the summer camp class for ages 4-8, and are now branching into Optimist sailing and competitive racing. In their words, it is all about “fun and freedom;” sailing is a chance to relax, laugh, and practice independence.
In 2018, CSC hired its first sailing director, David Van Cleef, whom Jerry describes as “the visionary for summer camps.” David oversaw the launch of new programs to provide training for first-time sailors, high school and university sailing teams, the CSC Junior Sailing Team, and a greatly expanded summer camp program. Sadly, David died of cancer in 2021, but he left quite the legacy. CSC dubbed its summer camp the David Van Cleef Youth Sailing Summer Program. The Midlands Regatta, the biggest CSC-hosted race held in November each year, had a whopping 196 boats competing in 2023. “It’s working,” says Jerry. “All of the effort to get more people sailing is working.”
CSC also caters to adults who want to learn how to sail. Adults of all experience levels, club members or not, can participate in group or private lessons. Women on the Water, also known as WOW, is designed to “give women of all ages and from all walks of life the opportunity to experience sailing through a variety of educational and social activities” and is for women of all skill levels, from beginners to the most advanced.
When club member Amanda Horton and her husband joined the CSC, she was skeptical. She had never sailed before and thought her husband would have an easier time getting comfortable on the water. That all changed when she joined WOW in 2018. At her first WOW sailing lesson, the women were immediately taught how to handle perhaps the worst-case scenario for a sailor — a capsized boat. The pupils were told to flip the boat and then shown how to right it. Even though the instructors were present, it was an intimidating assignment … at first. “From the first moment, you’re working as a team and conquering your fears head on,” Amanda says. Besides confidence in sailing, the WOW program has brought her some special friendships; she and her newfound “crew” often linger after lessons, enjoying a glass of wine and conversation.
Columbia native Margaret Clarkson has been sailing most of her life and is a passionate member of WOW. “Sailing has been my passport to the world,” she says. From England to Boston, D.C. to Singapore, sailing was an instant access to community across the cultures and allowed for incredible friendships while she lived in these diverse locales. And it has remained her passion upon returning to Columbia as well.
This is the common factor between all CSC members, young and old: a love for the sport and a love for the community. The founding members would beam to see the club that exists today.
Lake Murray Sailing Club
The Lake Murray Sailing Club, or LMSC, was founded in 1969 by a group of dedicated sailors whose love for the sport brought them together. With a vision of promoting sailing and fostering camaraderie among other sailors in the area, the founding members purchased their current property in 1971 and laid the groundwork for what would become one of the premier sailing organizations in the region.
Their first clubhouse was built in 1974 but was quickly outgrown by their rising number of participants. In 1988, it was replaced by the clubhouse that remains to this day. Situated on a stunning 6 acres with lush, green lawns sloping down to the sandy beaches of Lake Murray, it is used for everything from club functions to social events, weddings, and even birthday parties. Throughout the year, but especially during summertime, families can be seen picnicking on the lawn and cheering on their favorite sailboats. Events on the LMSC calendar include a game night, burgers ‘n’ beer night, and a swap meet in which attendants bring their surplus boating equipment to create a sailor’s “flea market.” Club members especially enjoy the annual shrimp boil every May.
With nearly 60 slips, two deep-water launch ramps, and 100 parking spots for boats, the club is able to host a variety of elite races and regattas throughout the year. The Lake Murray winds carry much excitement, particularly during the month of September, as the LMSC hosts its two biggest regattas. Nearly 70 competitors participated in 2023, with some coming all the way from Texas to join in the friendly competition. To truly challenge each crew’s skill and ability on the water, ensuring that victory is due to the sailor rather than the boat, these regattas are one-design races. This means that all of the boats are identical with the same rig and sail specifications. The first regatta, dubbed Scots on the Rocks, is made up entirely of Flying Scot dinghies, a versatile boat and excellent racer that can be easily crewed by two. The second regatta is Bottoms Up, another one-design race but for MC Scows, 16-foot boats designed for competitive sailing and typically manned by one sailor.
September is not the only month of excitement for LMSC. Club members sail all throughout the week, nearly every week of the year! Similar to the one-design regattas in September, the club has two one-design fleets that consistently meet year-round; whether new or experienced, participating sailors receive thorough and proven coaching as well as opportunities to compete in a variety of races and events.
The first fleet, the Flying Scot Fleet 158 “Bombers,” has an especially meaningful name. Lake Murray’s Islands, including “Bomb” Island, were used by Columbia Army Air Base as bombing ranges during World War II. Practice runs for B-25s were conducted in preparation for the 1942 Tokyo Air Raid but five were lost to the waters of Lake Murray. Now, the LMSC Flying Scot “Bombers” can often be seen sailing swiftly across those same waters, their steady course a gift passed down from the pilots who trained and fought to defend such simple joys as sailing.
The second fleet, MC Scow Fleet 89, is a great fit for all kinds of sailors. The MC Scow is easy to rig, launch, and retrieve, which is perhaps why it is one of the most popular sailboats in the United States today. This LMSC class has wide-ranging participation in different divisions, including sailors under 21 in the Youth Division and sailors over 75 in the Old Salt Division. This fleet meets every Wednesday to train, race, or sometimes simply to cruise and enjoy one another’s company. They also compete in a year-long series every other Sunday. Former Commodore and visionary for the club’s “Sailing for Fun” class Ryan Gaskin says, “Sailing is a social activity. You can’t enjoy it without other people.” It was this very open, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere amongst the club members that first attracted Ryan to LMSC. The focus is truly on the fun … and maybe a little bit of competition.
The LMSC coaches’ philosophy of education involves teaching the sailors, even the first-timers, how to race. Lessons involve lots of chalk talks, mentors sailing alongside of or behind their mentees, and the assurance that no sailor feels too overwhelmed. Longtime LMSC member and coach Allan Gowans says, “We teach people to race, and by learning to race, we find their skill sets develop incredibly fast. You’d be amazed at how quickly they learn.” Allan has seen competition drive sailors to advance quickly, press on, and enjoy the accomplishment of personal growth. He never sugarcoats the difficulties of learning to sail; it is a challenging sport with a yearslong learning curve. But for those who are “up for a challenge and like to see projects through to completion,” Allan says the reward is well worth it. And the reward is compelling for him as a mentor, too! He says the best moments of his coaching career have been when a student has refined his skills so much that he is able to turn the tables and beat Allan himself. “Now that’s something else,” says Allan.
Whether seeking a race, a cruise, a social, a first-time lesson, or some family entertainment, LMSC is a wonderful place to look. With its knowledgeable coaches and friendly members, new nautical adventures await anyone who seeks them here.
