Cruising Club Notes
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A Salute to Tom Jackson By Kristin West
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This article was originally published in the ESSA’s Tell Tale newsletter.
he Eastern Shore Sailing Association (ESSA) Great Shoals Lighthouse Award is presented to an ESSA member who has demonstrated the most outstanding sailing accomplishment, or who has performed the highest level of meritorious service in the promotion of sailboat racing, or a combination thereof. This year, the recipient of the Great Shoals Lighthouse Award is Tom Jackson of Reveille (Tartan 30), and there is no one more deserving of this award. I am honored to contribute to the Tell Tale on his behalf. Each summer for the past 17 years, Adventure Kwest has enjoyed friendly competition with Tom as we have tried, in earnest, to pass Reveille on the water. With the exception of two glorious wins, we (and most sailors) glance mostly at his transom! This past summer, with Adventure Kwest on the hard, I was yearning to sail, and Tom was looking for crew. Together with a past crew mate Bryan Twigg, navigator Gary, Ben, and two rookie sailors, we sailed the summer with Tom. I thought “what a great opportunity to glean some secrets” from him! Boarding his vessel for the first race of the season, he stepped slowly and carefully up the wooden steps built to allow him to board Reveille at deck level. He gingerly worked his way back to the
cockpit gritting through some discomfort he was having. Little did I know, he had just recovered from 42 days in the hospital from serious medical issues now requiring dialysis three days a week. This night was his first time back on the water after receiving dialysis that morning. “Thinking of sailing kept me going every day in that hospital,” said Tom. Sailing was a passion that sustained him and that first night of the season, he won the race proving he could still do it! Sailing with Reveille, you quickly learn that he is an extremely skilled sailor, studying the weather and tides and using his observations of the wind and water to create his strategy and tactics. Once the race is underway, he sails a quiet boat that allows everyone to focus on their respective jobs but doesn’t hesitate to call for trim if the boat seems to slow down. Sitting in the cockpit afterward, Tom enjoys replaying the details of the race, teaching where it is needed, and contemplating what could be done differently the next time—but never boasting a win and always graciously giving credit to the crew and not himself. Tom is a consummate sailor who thrives on competition, but fair, sportsmanlike competition. He is stickler for rules, even if the rules are not in his
##L to R: Tommy Jackson’s grandson, crew Brian Twigg, Tommy Jackson, and ESSA commodore Neill Carey
52 February 2021 SpinSheet.com
##Jackson with his grandson
favor. With an issue on his mind, he does not hesitate to question the board. Questioning not to reverse a decision in his favor, but for the board to carefully consider decisions that will impact all sailors present and future, in an open and honest way. And of course, he always congratulates his closest competitors on Tamarind, Touche, and Jambo. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the Great Shoals Award. He overcame amazing adversity, returned to sailing, and has excelled to win both non-spin series and to come in second in the Choptank Cup, after driving the entire race at 81 years of age! When asked if he needed relief from the helm, he declined saying “Who knows the next time I will have a chance to sail out to Sharps Island and back?” Tom’s passion for sailing and advocating for the sport is evident in all that he does. It was an honor to sail with him this summer season, one that I won’t soon forget. We all know that he can make Reveille fly, but I think he may have a cape tucked away in the starboard lazarette just in case! Learn more about ESSA at essasailing.com.