It’s often said how rare a sport sailing is to allow rank amateurs to trade tacks with rock stars. It’s both a privilege and an opportunity to learn from the best, but only when learning is allowed to occur. It’s not much of a test when you’re using a wooden racket to the competition’s composite model.
“Everybody might say they want to race against the best sailors in a highly competitive environment, and for some that is true,” says Hall of Fame inductee Dave Ullman. “But there is a larger group that might like it for a while, but ultimately it becomes too much. The big question I believe we need to ask, therefore, is whether the impact of professionalism is too much.” Excerpt from Craig Leweck’s article ’Pros Among Us’ in Sailing World. Maybe ‘too much’ for some big boat classes where hiring pro crew, skippers, and coaches is needed to compete, the cost concern of the referenced article. But this is not a problem in IOM radio sailing.
We enjoy excellent support from sailmakers, builders, and designers; and on race day we learn more competing against them (if we can just get to A-fleet). This is like it was when I started big boat racing in the 70’s and 80’s in Seattle. Afterwards we can share a beverage in the bar too, like it was in the 70’s and 80’s. Our pros are another thing that make IOMs such a great class.
For just one personal example: to aid Britpop owner’s preparation for 2013 IOM USA Nats, BG emailed a memo to participating BP owners with tips and encouragement to have our boats properly prepped for best performance and to get our minds right too. Then he spent time fine tuning each of the BP owner’s boats before the first race started, something like 15 BPs.
Everyone gained from Tuning Tips by Ian Vickers while waiting for breeze to come in at the South Island Champs