Sailing/Yachting is an Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad (1896 Olympics in Athens Greece). With the exception of 1904 and the canceled 1916 Summer Olympics, sailing has always been included on the Olympic schedule. The Sailing program of 1932 consisted of a total of four sailing classes (disciplines). For each class races were scheduled from 5–12 August directly off the Los Angeles Harbor on the Pacific Ocean.

Venue Source:

Los Angeles Harbor

Sea breeze Due to the predicted Sea breeze in Los Angeles Harbor it was decided to race the Snowbirds in the lighter morning breezes. However, during the mornings there was virtually no wind at all. Therefore, some races of the Snowbird were sailed in the afternoon in heavy conditions. Luckily no capsizing took place. It also gave issues for those sailors who were competing not only in the Snowbird but also in one of the other classes.

Course areas The courses had been well prepared. The marks were laid by the United States Lighthouse Service in the form of large Government buoys, and kelp beds under the lee of Point Fermin were marked by the United States Navy Department as restricted area. Visiting yachts were kept at a safe distance from the racing boats by the US Coast Guard. Tows were arranged by the US Navy to and from Los Angeles Harbor to the race area's. On the Pacific side of the San Pedro Breakwater the Star, 6 Metre and 8 Metre yachts had their races. Those classes had to pass the Angels Gate light in order to reach the course area. The Snowbird stayed inside the breakwater to protect them from the ocean swell.

Competition Source:

Overview ContinentsCountriesClassesBoatsMaleFemale 311423570 However all events were gender independent it turned out to be a male only event.

Continents ● Africa ● Europe ● North America

Countries

Classes (equipment)

Class Type Venue Event Sailors First OG Olympics so far Snowbird Dinghy Los AngelesMax. 1Max. 1 substitutes19321 Star KeelboatLos Angeles Max. 2Max. 2 substitutes19321 6 Metre Keelboat Los Angeles Max. 5Max. 5 substitutes19086 8 Metre Keelboat Los Angeles Max. 6Max. 6 substitutes19086 Legend: = Mixed gender event

Race schedule Source:  ● Opening ceremony ● Event competitions  ● Event finals  ● Closing ceremony Date July August 30Sat31Sun1Mon2Tue3Wed4Thu5Fri6Sat7Sun8Mon9Tue10Wed11Thu12Fri13Sat14Sun Sailing (actual) ● ●● ● ● ●● ● ●● ●● ● ● ●● ● ● ●● ●● ●● ●●● ● ● Total gold medals 8 Metre 6 Metre Snowbird Star Ceremonies ● ●

Medal summary Source:

1932: Snowbird  France (FRA)Jacques Lebrun  Netherlands (NED)Bob Maas  Spain (ESP)Santiago Amat

1932: Star  United States (USA)Gilbert GrayAndrew Libano  Great Britain (GBR)George Colin RatseyPeter Jaffe  Sweden (SWE)Gunnar AstherDaniel Sundén-Cullberg

1932: 6 Metre  Sweden (SWE)Tore HolmOlle ÅkerlundÅke BergqvistMartin Hindorff  United States (USA)Robert CarlsonTemple AshbrookFrederic ConantEmmett DavisDonald DouglasCharles Smith  Canada (CAN)Philip RogersGardner BoultbeeKen GlassJerry Wilson

1932: 8 Metre  United States (USA)Owen ChurchillJohn BibyAlphonse BurnandKenneth CareyWilliam CooperPierpont DavisCarl DorseyJohn HuettnerRichard MooreAlan MorganRobert SuttonThomas Webster  Canada (CAN)Ronald MaitlandErnest CribbPeter GordonGeorge GylesHarry JonesHubert Wallace No further competitors

Medal table Source:

Notes

Star The 1932 Olympics featured for the first time the Star as Olympic discipline. This turned out to be so far the longest run for a sailing discipline in the Olympics. The Star was an Olympic class from 1932 to 2012 with the exception of 1976.

Snowbird The USOC proposed to discontinue the 12' Dinghy in favor of a small V-bottom Catboat locally known as the Snowbird as the single handed one design class. This proposal was approved by the IYRU and IOC. The locally available Snowbirds were equipped with new masts, sails and rigging.

Medical assistance For medical incidents during the Yachting events a United States Navy boat and a US Coast Guard boat were on duty during the races. This boats were equipped with an inhalator and crew furnished by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Seven local physicians provided voluntary service (in alphabetical order): Edward G. Eisen, M.D., Head Physician Stanley Boller, M.D. J. Park Dougall, M.D. K. E. Kretzschmar, M.D. G. A. Laubersheimer, M.D. Wayland A. Morrison, M.D. Ewald Werner, M.D.

Other information

Sailors in multiple disciplines Three sailors attempted to sail in the Snownbird and the Star. This was a challenge since the schedule of the Snowbird was modified due to the light air weather conditions in the mornings of the regattas.

Sailing During the Sailing regattas at the 1932 Summer Olympics among others the following persons were competing in the various classes: , Jacques Lebrun, French boat designer and technical director of the French national association , Bob Maas, Dutch long time Star sailor , United States yachtsman and American industrialist Donald Wills Douglas, Jr. in the 6 Metre , United States yachting legend and inventor of the Swimfin, Owen Churchill in the 8 Metre

Further reading

References