Sailing the Bay — A Classic, Signed by the Author

A little sailing history, a flat tire, and a friendship that began in Fremantle.

I first met Kimball Livingston in Fremantle, Western Australia, during the 1987 America's Cup.

I'd taken a year off from college to travel Australia, and being in Fremantle for the Cup was a milestone I wasn't about to miss. After Dennis Conner's Liberty lost the America's Cup to Australia II in 1983, the 1987 competition promised to be something special.

Kimball was there covering the event for the San Francisco Chronicle, on what would become the longest assignment a reporter from the newspaper had ever undertaken.

Our paths crossed outside the US-61/St. Francis Yacht Club boat pen, where I found Kimball staring down at a flat tire on his bicycle.

Now, as a young sailor traveling on a college student's budget, I was always looking for an E-ticket into the action—preferably one that included free beer or a chance to see what was happening behind the fences of an America's Cup campaign.

So I pulled out my trusty tire repair kit and fixed his steel horse.

The free beer never materialized, but I've been bumping into Kimball ever since.

Nearly four decades later, I'm pleased to offer a few signed copies of his book, Sailing the Bay.

A San Francisco Bay Sailing Classic

Written by longtime sailing journalist Kimball Livingston, with a foreword by Paul Cayard, Sailing the Bay explores the people, places, history, and experiences that make San Francisco Bay one of the world's most remarkable sailing destinations.

From its challenging winds and currents to the sailors and traditions that define it, the book captures the character of a sailing community Kimball has spent much of his life documenting.

It's a fitting addition to any Bay Area sailor's library, and a particularly thoughtful gift for someone who has spent time sailing these waters.

We have just six new, unread copies, each personally signed by Kimball Livingston.

$59.95 each — Available while supplies last.