There's a New Girl in our Fleet

Her name is Opal Bella and she's our own Colgate 26 sailboat! We invite you to hop onboard for some serious sail training and some fast-action fun. This versatile keelboat makes handling easy for beginners, presents challenges for dedicated racers, and is also lots of fun for families. When you take control, you feel the boat respond immediately – the perfect touch for a state-of-the-art training boat. With a 15’ cockpit, Opal Bella easily has room for six crew plus one or two instructors.

The Colgate 26 was the brainchild of Steve Colgate and his Offshore Sailing School. Steve is a renowned sailing school master – a leader in sail training since 1964. His goal was to design and build the best vessel on which to teach. Testimony to his successful vision, the US Naval Academy and other college sailing teams have the Colgate 26 as their main training vessel.

Safety was an important factor at the top of Steve’s list, so his reinforced hull design incorporated foam floatation making the boat very difficult to swamp. He designed the transom (the very back end of the boat) to be flat and only a few inches above the water, making it easier and safer to climb back onboard. The aft (back) of the boat has two positions for passengers or instructors where they are positioned out of the way so as not to interfere with the actions of sailing. The cockpit is a large area with enough space and seating to be comfortable for everyone. Learn more about the Colgate 26.

If you’re interested in taking the American Sailing Association Basic Keelboat Certification course with us, or if you aspire to enter the Annual Premiere’s Cup Regatta during Bravo 1 this summer, you’ll appreciate time well spent learning and practicing your sailing techniques aboard Opal Bella. Join us, grab the tiller, and take control!