Kialoa III: World-class gift

Many of us don’t know much about boats, but we can certainly

recognize a generous gift when it sails into the harbor.

Such is the case with the Kialoa III, an 80-foot, world-class

racing boat recently donated to Orange Coast College’s School of

Sailing and Seamanship. Kialoa III’s owner, Jim Kilroy of Marina del

Rey, said he chose the college because it is close to his home and

because of the quality of its sailing program.

That must be quite a program.

The fast, aluminum racer won several ocean competitions during its

31 years, and it broke the speed record for the 1975 Sydney to Hobart

race. Brad Avery, director of the college’s sailing program, said

Kialoa III is one of the best-known ocean racers in the world.

That must be quite a boat.

Kialoa III will arrive in June after its crew sails it here from

Panama. Students then plan to sail the boat to Catalina Island this

summer and to use it for future educational trips.

That’s quite a gift.