NSHOF, offshore racing and foils - Sailing news from North America

by David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor on 12 Jul 2016 The list of sailing’s merits, virtues and beauties is long-especially in the eye of the sailor-and distinguished. Take, for example, the fact that sailing can easily be a lifelong pursuit. Compare this with other sports where the ripe old age of 30 represents a glass ceiling, and you have done well to pick sailing as your game. After all, many of sailing’s grand masters easily have double this life mileage on their internal odometers, yet they still have no trouble schooling younger sailors.

Not surprisingly, the admirably full competitive careers that many sailors enjoy also lends itself to a rich history, which-in the case of the US of A-is at least partially recorded at the National Sailing Hall of Fame (NSHOF), which is located in Annapolis, Maryland. Each year, the NSHOF inducts a class of highly respected sailors into their midst, and this year’s list of inductees is no exception.

Ed Baird, Malin Burnham, Bill Ficker, Exy Johnson, Irving Johnson, Bob Johnstone, Rod Johnstone, Tom Perkins (who won the Lifetime Achievement Award) an Dave Ullman have won sailboat races ranging from local Laser regattas to World Championships to the America’s Cup, while also cruising across oceans of all sizes, starting world-famous businesses and influencing generations of international sailors.

“The achievements of this year’s group of inductees – whether on-the-water, at a drafting table, or in teaching and coaching others to succeed in the sport – have at their root a joy of sailing that has inspired and affected countless competitive sailors and recreational boaters,” said Gary Jobson, the NSHOF’s president. “The NSHOF is proudly preserving the history of the sport and its impact on American culture while inspiring the next generation of sailors by recognizing these contributors and sharing their stories.”

While the NSHOF does a fantastic job of recognizing the luminaries in our metaphoric mooring field, sailing also offers a lifetime of near-shore and offshore beauty, ranging from a quiet Thursday night PHRF regatta to offshore events to the Olympic Games. In that sense, 2016 is a special year, as the Olympic Games are set to unfurl next month (August 5-21) in Brazil, and 2016 has also seen a flurry of offshore competition.

Sailors living on the East Coast enjoyed a fantastic Newport Bermuda Race last month, while West Coast sailors are currently enjoying two classic Hawaii races, namely the Pacific Cup, which runs from San Francisco to Oahu (near Kaneohe Bay) and which started on July 11 (with a series of staggered starts that run until July 15), as well as the Vic-Maui, which runs from Victoria, British Columbia, to Lahaina, on Maui’s northwest coastline and which began on July 9 (with a series of staggered starts that run until July 12).

Speaking of near-shore pursuits, there’s plenty of racing tradition associated with the New York Yacht Club’s biennial Race Week. Part One of the regatta took place from July 9-10 and featured Classic and multi-hull racing, while Part Two is set to unfurl from July 13 to July 16 and will feature One Design and handicap racing. According to reports, and if the right conditions present, Part Two of this classic regatta will also feature a “mid-distance race”, and event organizers will also try to incorporate some stadium-style racing for fans ashore.

Unlike displacement sailing, foiling represents a new generation of sailing, and while it now has tradition steeped in America’s Cup lore, it has a long way to grow and develop before anyone will be throwing the term “classic foiler” around, however that certainly isn’t stopping a new generation of sailors from gravitating towards its high speed and constantly evolving apparent wind angles.

For example, Foiling Week Garda (July 4-10) just wrapped upon Italy’s Lake Garda and tested sailors racing aboard GC32 catamarans, Flying Phantom catamarans, Moths, Waszps, foiling kiteboards, and the “Prototype” class. Foiling Week Newport (September 8-11) will see foiling thrills played out on the waters of Narragansett Bay, proof positive that foiling is coming of age on one of sailing’s most storied stages.

So, as the rest of the sporting world continues to celebrate the prowess of youth, sailors can celebrate the fact that our sport presents an entire lifetime’s journey, from a first sailing lesson aboard an Optimist all the way to big-boat sailing and offshore racing as a “highly experienced” adult. And while other sports have their halls of fame, these institutions typically tell the story of a decade or two of the athlete’s life. Not so with the NSHOF inductees, as these bios reflect the beauty of an entire lifetime of achievement, commitment, service and dedication.

Sailing’s beauty might be in the eyes of its beholders, but I can assure you that it’s a mighty fine view.

May the four winds blow you safely home,