Start of the Gasparilla Women’s Regatta. Photo by George Cussins.
the windward mark. Disillusioned and disheartened, we boycotted the remainder of the practice starts. Finally, the racing started after about an hour and a half of sailing back and forth, complaining about practice starts in lieu of going over maneuvers, checking the wind and planning or practicing our approach to the starting line. Not too surprisingly, our first start was simply awful. Our maneuvers weren’t too bad, but I found that, watching from the back of the boat, spinnaker hoists, douses and jibes appear to take about three times longer to execute than when you’re up there doing it yourself. The second and third starts were equally horrendous,
News & Views for Southern Sailors
but the overall crew work did get a little better, with only a few exceptions. When you’re well on your way down the leeward leg and the main trimmer hasn’t eased the mainsheet, is it considered sportsmanlike to berate her for getting all liquored up the night before? And for the love of sailboat racing, why didn’t she tell me she never trimmed the guy before? After coming in conspicuously last in all three races, we were humbled and thirsty. Lucky for us, the Appleton Rum girls were at the club again, doling out liquid consolation. As the results were read, we sipped our drinks quietly and applauded for the winners. “Go Hos!” someone shouted. Looking around the room sheepishly again, I was quite certain they were talking about someone else’s crew. They were in fact cheering for the crew of HoSoBad, the third-place boat, whose virtue may or may not be in question, but whose racing proficiency definitely is not. Unfortunately, the catfight I was anticipating wasn’t meant to be. But there will be more opportunities and more women’s races coming up. From beginners in the coached class to the seasoned sailors I was racing against, there are opportunities for women of any skill level. Coming in DFL three races in a row can certainly teach humility, but it can also inspire you to learn from your mistakes and get back out there and try again. DIYC and Tampa Sailing Squadron regularly hold women’s regattas on Sundays following their Saturday regattas. For information, check www.diyc.org or www.tampasailing.org.
SOUTHWINDS May 2007
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