Our Laser district secretary asked me why I'm not sailing in San Francisco this week with all of the other old farts. This picture of some British guy "sailing" at the Laser Masters Worlds in the "magnificent amphitheater of San Francisco Bay" this week has nothing to do with the reason I'm not there. Of course not.
Update 12 August: Thanks to the anonymous commenter who identified the sailor in the picture as their father and who also pointed me to these two photos of the same incident.
16 comments:
I notice the sailor has not read Tillerman's advice about holding the sheet but letting go of the tiller when you capsize.
I thought this was going to be a drinking post.
I think that dude in the photo is drinking.
To me, this is an iconic image of Laser sailing.
It reminds me of the day, so many years ago, that I took my wife sailing on a Laser. It was probably that day more than any other sailing experience that was responsible for her eventually letting me get a 30-foot boat.
For that reason, I am forever indebted to the Laser.
I agree O Docker.
It reminds me of the day, so many years ago, when I first experienced a downwind windward capsize in a Laser (aka as a death roll) just outside the entrance to Fornells Harbour on the Mediterranean island of Menorca. It was probably that day more than any other sailing experience that was responsible for me not eventually getting a 30-foot boat.
Why travel all the way across a continent to do what you can do at home?
Right on Panda. I must admit I am enjoying the summers in Rhode Island for all sorts of reasons, not only because of all the fabulous places to sail and great Laser regattas around here. I just couldn't see the point in spending a lot of money to cross the continent to sail somewhere colder at this time of year.
On the other hand if an opportunity comes up to go to Australia to sail some time next March.... that would be very tempting!
Now come on T-Man does that blue collar on the mast not tell you everything? This man is a mere apprentice and clearly does not have your depth of experience! Little more than a beginner in all likelihood.
Hmmm. Is that band green or blue? If it's green then it must be Orlando Gledhill (only GBR sailor in full rig Apprentice Master fleet) who, to say the least, is no mere beginner.
I thought it was blue, meaning the poor fellow is a Grand Master like me.
O-Docker, Trophywife and I bought a couple of Lasers to resolve the issue as to which of us should have the helm of our International 14. We enjoyed the Lasers for a decade and half and sold the I-14. The issue about helmsmanship has never been resolved.
BTW, it's settled history that even good sailors will hang on to the tiller extension, breaking them off. It's instinctive to hold on to anything at hand. I dislocated my shoulder once because I hung on to the mast as I was going over. That's just the way it is. Of course, the only thing you should hold on to is your beer. But who's going to be thinking ahead?
Spend a lot of money?
How can you put a price on a magnificent natural amphitheater? An iconic waterfront? The thrill of sailing just footsteps away from the birthplace of Irish Coffee?
Well, of course, O Docker that is the other side of the argument. One of the SF sailors said to me something like, "There will always be summers in Rhode Island. There might never be another Masters Worlds in San Francisco in our lifetimes."
I guess the money isn't really the issue. If I had wanted to go I would have spent it gladly. But at this point in my life I am just happy to enjoy the many pleasures of summer that are close to home. I felt the same way the few years I lived in Rutland about which I was being nostalgic on the blog a few weeks ago.
Winters are a whole other issue. I am more than happy to travel to warmer places to escape the New England winters!
It's a great Laser photo - all three boats in the foreground are in one of the stages of capsizing!
"I thought it was blue, meaning the poor fellow is a Grand Master like me."
I can confirm that the 'poor fellow' is a Grand Master, it just happens to be my father! 195144 in the Standard Grand Masters fleet:
http://sailingresults.net/site/event/17/overall_3_1.html
...actually the picture you posted is just before the one I was talking about:
http://www.pbase.com/chucklantz/image/137145761
Ahah. I thought he looked familiar. Hats off to 195144 Chris Fyans.
He and I were thrashing around near the back of the Grand Master fleet at Hayling Island last year. I don't know about him but I capsized a lot in that regatta too.
Just for the record I did beat Chris in every race we both finished, but he beat me by several places in the overall standings by hanging in there and finishing more races than me. Good for you sir!
And he seems to be doing even better this year.
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