El Toro

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El Toros are the perfect sized pram for two children. Photograph courtesy of The Center for Wooden Boats.
El Toros are the perfect sized pram for two children. Photograph courtesy of The Center for Wooden Boats.

Boat Type

Livery Sailboat
West Coast Boats

Location

South Lake Union, Seattle

Year Built

1930's

Beam

3' 10"

LOA (Length Overall)

7' 11"

Boat Plans

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El Toro drawing (labeled)

Project Sponsors

King County 4Culture

Website Link

http://www.eltoroyra.org/

Oral History

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Listen to longtime El Toro racer Jean Gosse speak about the advantages of small boats.
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Listen to El Toro owner Jean Gosse speak about forming friendships and sailing El Toros.
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Listen to El Toro owner Jean Gosse tell a short personal story about sailing her El Toro.

The El Toro is a one design racing boat that originated in the late 1930s in the San Francisco Bay area.  Resulting from many Richmond Yacht Club ‘Bull Sessions’, the members decided the 8’ pram should be named El Toro (Spanish for ‘bull’) and bear the emblem of a shovel on its sail.  The Center for Wooden Boats partners with local schools to teach students how to build El Toros.  CWB also uses El Toros to teach youth sailing classes.

Boat Story

Fun Fact: CWB owns Birdie the 253rd El Toro to receive official certification.  Built from a kit in 1948, Birdie was measured at the Lake Meritt boathouse in 1949.  She now resides in CWB storage.  Boat enthusiasts who wish to see Birdie can do so on select occasions by appointment.

Additional Images

Children rigging one of CWB’s El Toro fleet for an afternoon sail on Lake Union. Photograph courtesy of The Center for Wooden Boats.
Birdie, the 253rd El Toro to receive official certification. Photography by Larry Roth, courtesy of The Center for Wooden Boats.
The measurement certificate for Birdie, the 253rd El Toro to receive official certification. Image courtesy of The Center for Wooden Boats.