BREAKING THROUGH THE BOTTLENECK
Sailing World|Summer 2023
One local initiative proves that funneling dinghy sailors out of college sailing and into big-boat racing takes commitment from all sides
LUCAS MASIELLO
BREAKING THROUGH THE BOTTLENECK

TRANSITIONING from collegiate sailing to keelboats can be difficult for many young-adult sailors who lack experience or connections. It's not a new problem, and while there are national events and local efforts across the US to retain these young sailors, one program in Rhode Island is having a real and positive impact on the local crew pool.

"You have a lot of people between 18 to 25 that love sailing and maybe do it in college, but then life takes them in different directions, so sailing loses them," says Peter McClennen, a beneficiary and supporter of Sail Newport's EOS Sailing Program. "Our view is that college-age sailors don't really have strong big-boat crew skills. A lot of sailors have never used a winch before and never really worked in anything more than a two-person crew, so we start to introduce the important aspects of teamwork, communication, trim and choreography. We try to have them build two to three role skills so that they can be helpful on other boats."

Sail Newport's EOS Program was founded by a group of local sailors in 2017 in honor of renowned big-boat sailor Edward Oliver Sanchez, known for his work ethic and positive attitude. "Tad was always the first one on the boat, the first person down in the bilge bailing it out, and the last person to leave," says Thomas Loughborough, a professional sailor who coaches with the program. "If you needed a sail moved, he was the first person to jump up and help you move it. The ethos and values of this program were lived by our friend Tad, who was taken from us too soon from bowel cancer in his late 30s."

With a fleet of donated C&C 30s, the program instructs about 40 sailors, who compete in the local weeknight racing series. To maximize learning and skill-building, the boats are helmed by experienced sailors, and each boat has one professional sailor on board to coach.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Summer 2023 من Sailing World.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Summer 2023 من Sailing World.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من SAILING WORLD مشاهدة الكل
Tips for More Successful Epoxy Projects
Sailing World

Tips for More Successful Epoxy Projects

That have nothing to do with epoxy mixing or application techniques

time-read
5 mins  |
Fall 2023
Auxiliary Rear Station Build
Sailing World

Auxiliary Rear Station Build

From past fishing experiences, I've learned that quick changes in speed and direction are often required when retrieving a hooked fish.

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2023
TARGETED PERFORMERS
Sailing World

TARGETED PERFORMERS

Defending their title at the 420 Youth Worlds in July, Freddie Parkin and Asher Beck were on a roll-until they weren't.

time-read
6 mins  |
Fall 2023
BALANCE ON THE PINNACLE
Sailing World

BALANCE ON THE PINNACLE

The path to gender equity in the Olympics has been a long and twisted one, but when the sailors assemble in Marseille next year, we'll finally see what's been a long time coming.

time-read
5 mins  |
Fall 2023
SIMPLE STEPS TO CONSISTENT SPEED
Sailing World

SIMPLE STEPS TO CONSISTENT SPEED

Boatspeed is the magic ingredient for winning races because we can get away with bad decisions if we are fast, but we can't make good choices if we're slow.

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2023
THREE-DIMENSIONAL JIB-LEAD ADJUSTMENTS
Sailing World

THREE-DIMENSIONAL JIB-LEAD ADJUSTMENTS

Floating jib leads give trimmers more dynamic control of the headsail profile.

time-read
5 mins  |
Fall 2023
BETTER TOGETHER
Sailing World

BETTER TOGETHER

Success over three decades comes down to making it meaningful.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2023
JUSTINE THE MACHINE
Sailing World

JUSTINE THE MACHINE

This self-effacing Swiss sailor has-in her quiet and understated way become one of the stars of offshore ocean racing in recent years, whether as part of a winning crew in The Ocean Race or building her credentials as a top-class solo racer.

time-read
6 mins  |
Fall 2023
THE MULTITASKING MULTIHULL MOM
Sailing World

THE MULTITASKING MULTIHULL MOM

Competing in Olympic sailing's most challenging discipline is one thing, but doing so with a tyke in tow takes the campaign hustle to a higher level.

time-read
5 mins  |
Fall 2023
CONNECTED COAST TO COAST
Sailing World

CONNECTED COAST TO COAST

From sunny St. Pete to historic Marblehead, the 34th edition of the Regatta Series linked sailors and friends across the country, with a few new twists.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2023