Why do we go sailing? Cherubs answer the question

by Oliver Hartas on 30 Nov 2011 Why do we go sailing? When did mankind first sail? When did our early ancestors understand to make themselves bigger - to stand and hold out skins perhaps - during downwind legs in their dugout canoes or rafts? When did they first raise a mast? Though some will say differently, the closest thing to the truth is that we don't really know - at least not within scores of thousands of years.

Sure, some would have us believe that humans had no actual boats (aside from rafts and coracles) until relatively recently, and that idea has sat rather unchallenged for quite some time. However, new archaeological evidence has surfaced which exists to prove the contrary, including that of habitation on islands which were never accessible in any ice age, and ancient boat building tools high on the shores of glacial lakes long gone.

So this poses the question: When we hear the breeze build, or feel the vibration of water rushing against the hull, or see a full set of sails pulling like Mylar steeds like in this photo of Phil Kurts and Adam Watterson in Camel Toe, and we feel that something - that 'sailing thing' that gets us all smiling and shouting and grinning ear to ear - is it nature or nurture? Which is to say: Is this learned behaviour, or is it something deeper?

Don't laugh, now. We have 'natural' fears that keep us from naturally playing with angry animals or crawling off cliffs as children, and 'natural' drives which allow us to survive both individually and as a race, so is it that impossible that perhaps, way back when, some of us had ancestors who survived solely because they were the ones willing to climb onto some ridiculous and deadly-looking contraption of wood and twisted fibre sitting impossibly atop the water, smile and say: 'Let's go Sailing!'?

Of course it's not.

However, on the cold and drizzly morning of Saturday November 26th 2011, the Cherub sailors were less than impressed with the conditions that greeted them at Day 1 of Round 2 at Belmont 16’ Sailing Club for the NSW State Titles. Arriving from Lane Cove 12’ Sailing Skiff Club, Drummoyne Sailing Club, Taree Aquatic Club and even some visiting competitors from Queensland, there were plenty of old faces, a few new ones, but none of them super excited about the 5-12 knot shifty ‘nor-easterly breeze that seemed to be swinging through almost 20° seemingly without any pattern. The start of Race 1 was scheduled for 1pm so naturally, in typical Cherub style, the first warning signal wasn’t until 1:45pm.

Local knowledge seemed to benefit the skilled sailors on-board Wally steered by Kris Fay and crewed by Morgan Frew as they charged out of the blocks, leading the fleet to the top mark. Keeping a tight watch over his protégé was Kris’s Old Man, reigning Cherub National Champion Trevor Fay and Nathan 'Chippy' Chipchase on board Boob Buffer. Hot on the heels of the family feud was another father and child, Claire and Rolf Lunsmann, on the same team that is, on the fiery Alchemy.

The leading trio caught a lucky gust and extended away from the rest of the fleet. Unluckily, Alchemy had to avoid a party cruiser which ran directly through the course, leaving it up to the veterans on Boob Buffer to reel in the young guns on Wally eking out a win for Fay Snr. by a close 4 seconds with Alchemy in third.

The closest margin however, went to Adam Bolton and Tom Woods on Adam’s recently launched home-build Never Ready who managed to cross the line a mere 0.2 seconds ahead of Getcha Cans Out with Simon Blatchford helming and Oliver Hartas crewing. Cans certainly had an interesting weekend, as Ollie Hartas of Team Southern Cross, had returned to Australia only two weeks prior from a 9 month stint touring the European Sailing Circuit. Hartas, in completely borrowed sailing gear, his own gear still in transit, was surprised when Simon launched himself into the water directly after crossing the finish line. After getting a ride back to the start line on board Never Ready, it seemed that the refreshing dip had cooled him down and so enabled him to perform better in the following race.

Indeed, with Getcha Cans Out rounding the windward mark in first place, it seemed the improvement was drastic! Alchemy and the Harrington’s on Cauchemar followed but with a slight gap behind race leader.

60 seconds ahead, tactician on board Getcha Cans Out, Ollie Hartas, made the call to remain conservative, having everything to lose and no places to gain from taking risks. However, to their dismay, half the following fleet gybed at the top mark, caught a small squirt of breeze and caught up, with Alchemy and Cauchemar pinching the lead from Getcha Cans Out.

After cat and mouse was played for the remainder of the race, Alchemy managed to secure the win, with Getcha Cans Out eventually finishing in sixth place.

However, it wasn’t just Getcha Cans Out that had an epic saga to tell at the end of the day…

The larrikin team of Ryan Clifton-Smith and Tom Drury on Enough Rope posolutely proved the namesake’s origin of 'give someone enough rope and they’ll hang themselves' but in a slightly different way; Within the first 5 minutes of the race, they boat hung itself on a crab pot line, putting them in last place.

However, despite the disadvantage, Enough Rope sailed a brilliant race, pulling themselves back through the entire fleet, only just missing out on roping a win at the finish line to end up a close second.

The Cherub class is renowned for its social happenings and this event did not disappoint. A Chinese restaurant was booked for 40 people and the cast majority of the fleet made an appearance. Once the food was eaten, drinks were drunk and paper aeroplanes flown, the fleet made its way back to the designated house for refreshing beverages.

The next morning was a much more typical Australian summer’s day. Bright sunshine, 30° C and a strong breeze. However, for some reason, most of the fleet seemed a bit reluctant to venture outside without a hat and a good pair of sunglasses.

Again, the fleet was late to the course area, however, once the race had started; it quickly became apparent that although the wind strength was more consistent with expectations, the direction was neither consistent nor expected. Huge, unpredictable shifts made racing frustrating yet interesting.

The majority of the fleet headed to the right hand side of the course and a group of maybe 4 or 5 headed left. This small group came out on top in a big way, Kathryn Wotherspoon and Nigel Blatchford leading the way on board Spoilers. Second to the windward mark was Everything Zen Jen Pagett and Andrew Stephenson with the boys from Team Southern Cross on Getcha Cans Out again mixing it with the leaders rounding in third.

However, the weather gods certainly had their fun reshuffling the leader board with every upwind. Eventually it was Wally who claimed line honours after a spectacular display of skill and speed. This leaves Wally with a huge lead in the overall standings with half the races sailed in the Season long Series.

The final results are yet to be determined, however, there is still a question that needs answering. Why do we go sailing? Why do we drag ourselves, hundreds of kilometers, burning petrol, money and getting burning headaches in the morning? The simple answer is, for the brief moments where only 10% of the boat is in contact with the water. Those brief moments where our hearts beats twice as fast as usual. Those moments where you feel you truly are, living on the edge.