Santa Monica Bay Sailing Foundation Holding Collection Drive

Bargains ahoy!

Residents can donate nautical items -- and savy shoppers can buy those donated nautical items -- this weekend during a collection drive for the Santa Monica Bay Sailing Foundation at the Del Rey Yacht Club. 

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 19 and 20 at 13900 Palawan Way, the non-profit will be accepting seafaring stuff including sails, gear, tackle, dinghies, boats, engines and anchors. 

Barbara Patman, foundation president, says that they’ve been doing the May event for at least five years, and locals sometimes find some surprising deals.

“We never know what’s going to be there,” Patman said. “Things come and things go and you just never know.”

Just recently, Patman said, the foundation sold a pair of self-stablizing binoculars for a four-figure price.

Contributions will be noted for tax purposes, and all proceeds go to support youth sailing equipment, coaching, scholarships, instructor training and a number of other related activities.

For example, this spring, the foundation paid to send 13 young local sailors to an advanced sailing seminar in Long Beach, Patman said.

And at $500 a student, it wasn’t cheap.

Patman says the foundation also tries to help young people participate in competitions throughout the nation.

“A lot of our young sailors excel and are invited to compete all around the country,” Patman said. "It can cost in the thousands."

Sailing give purpose to the young, Patman says.

“Sailing teaches fairness and good sportsmanship and ethics and education and tenacity," Patman said. "It helps people of all ages conquer their fear of different things and (helps them) learn to master something very, very technical while respecting Mother Nature.”

For more information or to arrange a pick-up, contact Foundation Vice President Ed Gold at 310-387-0747 or visit the foundation's website at www.smbsf.org