Keelboat Sailing in the Kaohsiung Harbor/馳騁高雄港灣 重型帆船
Keelboat Sailing in the Kaohsiung Harbor
◎Written by Peng Hsin-yi
◎Photos by Lin Yu-en
Kaohsiung's scenic bay has always been a great tourist attraction. Recently, Kaohsiung City Government finished a vast renovation of the waterfront, resulting in an increased popularity of the area. The new coffee shops and restaurants make the harbor a great place to just relax and view vessels passing in harbor.
Keelboat sailing has also recently gained a great deal of popularity in Kaohsiung. Kaohsiung began hosting the Keelboat International Regatta in 2008 and two years later the people of Kaohsiung still enjoy watching the breath-taking sight of hundreds of masts sailing along Glore Pier. This past July, Kaohsiung again hosted the International keelboats Regatta 2010.
"Kaohsiung is definitely the best place in Taiwan for keelboat sailing" states Mr. Pan Tai-an, a 10 year veteran of the sport, "The weather is mild and sunny all year round and the scenic mountain surroundings are spectacular." Mr. Pan's love for keelboat sailing began when he was at graduate school. He feels nothing compares to the pleasure he gets riding the waves and feels it is a great way to make friends, particularly those who are as enthusiastic about the sport as he is.
Keelboat sailing gets its name from the keel that serves as the ballast for the boat. There are many variations of Keelboats. Competitive Keelboats are designed for speed, whereas recreational keelboats focus on safety and comfort. Appearance also depends on what the boat is used for. The interior not only houses the nautical instrumentation but often includes kitchens, bathrooms and sleeping quarters. Some boats are operated by only one person, while larger ones require multiple sailors. Larger boats require team work, physical strength and navigation skills.
For many years, Keelboat sailing has been popular in many countries around the world. However, Taiwan is still relatively new to the sport. This is due to previous licensing controls and restrictions that began during martial law. However, Kaohsiung City and Harbor have recently undergone a merger and is now making it possible for a variety water sports to be enjoyed there. Keelboats can now be docked at the Shaochuantou Yacht Dock in Kaohsiung City and the Hsingda Harbor in Kaohsiung County. Local enthusiasts are now able to meet and interact with people from all over the world, who share the same passion. Mr. Pan has also witnessed this increased interest in the sport. Attendance at his one-day introduction course has also been steadily growing.
The city government has been working with sailing clubs to promote the sport and develop courses. Some keelboat clubs in Kaohsiung also offer introductory courses. These courses include basic navigation skills, etiquette at sea and hands-on operations. The public can also now take Keelboat rides along Kaohsiung's scenic coastline. It is certainly a new and exciting way to experience Kaohsiung's bay area.
馳騁高雄港灣 重型帆船
◎文／凌卓民
◎攝影／林育恩
高雄市港合一、港灣景觀再造，同時吹起高雄的河岸、港邊的親水休閒風潮，船影點點......多姿多彩的活動，點綴著港灣，散發無盡活力。陽光清朗的光榮碼頭內，一字排開的重型帆船，船桅筆直朝天，船帆鼓脹蓄勢待發 ，這是2010高雄國際重型帆船邀請賽的景象。
「高雄應該是台灣玩重型帆船最好的地方！」十年資歷的老手潘泰安說。傍山面水的開闊水域、穩定的氣候、普照的陽光，一年四季都是恣意揚帆的好時節，高雄近年玩重帆人口快速成長，潘泰安說，重型帆船停泊的港口應該具備生活機能完善的條件，方便船隊補給生活日用品、汽油等物資，此外，還能提供水手上岸後的休閒娛樂活動，高雄就是這麼一個獨特的港口城市。
重型帆船一般指具有壓艙龍骨物的帆船，依性能分為競賽與休閒兩大類，前者講求的是速度，後者則強調安全與航行時的舒適度，依不同需求而設計的船型不同，內部有操控索具之外，還有廚房、衛浴、艙鋪等空間，依不同船型，可一人至多人操作，因此除了體能、航海知識，團隊默契也很重要。
就讀研究所時一頭栽入重型帆船世界的潘泰安說，交朋友是這項休閒運動最吸引他的地方。來自各地的同好，一起享受迎風破浪的樂趣，沉浸在南台灣涼爽海風與燦爛陽光下。
重型帆船休閒運動在國外行之有年，台灣過去因為戒嚴、船牌、碼頭等因素 ，重型帆船發展受到限制，不過自從推動市港合一後，各種水上運動逐漸在港灣流行起來。目前重型帆船在高雄的停靠點有位於高雄市哨船頭的遊艇碼頭，以及高雄縣的興達港。
高雄市從2008年開始舉辦國際邀請賽 ，藉由邀請世界各地好手齊聚高雄交流技藝，推廣重型帆船休閒運動，除了讓本地好手結交國際同好，這項時興休閒運動在高雄的人氣更因而扶搖直上，潘泰安說從參加體驗活動的人數就可以明顯感受到。
近年市府與民間合作舉辦一些體驗營活動，高雄市也有重型帆船俱樂部固定推出帆船教學體驗課程，都是不錯的入門方式，從基本航海知識、行船禮儀到實際操作，或只是單純享受海上馳騁，欣賞港灣海天一色美景，高雄又多了一項親海休閒的新選擇。