Coop's Corner

Australian born, Joe ‘Coop’ Cooper stayed in the US after the 1980 America’s Cup where he was the boat captain and sailed as Grinder/Sewer-man on Australia. His whole career has focused on sailing, especially the short-handed aspects of it. He lives in Middletown, RI where he coaches, consults and writes on his blog, joecoopersailing.com

Consumer warning: This month’s column is all over the lot. There’s a lot of sailing going on here in the Ocean State, and it’s hard to keep it all in order.

Yup, Annapolis is a lovely city with lots of sailing. But Sailing Capital of the World, at least as measured by the diversity of sailing boats passing through or calling Newport their hailing port? I don’t think so.

By Joe Cooper Early June: Summer is here, pretty much, for sure, I’m certain, I think. If it is here, it is a great time to stretch out on the cockpit seats and catch up on all the bestsellers you’ve been missing out on. Or if you’re like me (and yes, that phrase did give me pause), you might dig back into some of your favorite books…on sailing of course. Some of mine are discussed this month….

Win, lose or…well, there are no draws, sailing in, and the larger America’s Cup experience is one of the most profound experiences in sailing, or at least it was for me.

Last month, I attended a yacht design contest at the Paul Cuffee School in Providence, Rhode Island. The Cuffee School is named for one of the early successful black businessmen in the New Bedford whaling industry.

Every sailor contemplating an offshore passage should attend a safety at sea seminar…and make sure your electronic rescue beacons are properly registered.

Unlike some sports there are very few sailing events, even at the elite professional level, offering prize money. The World Match Racing Tour and The Atlantic Cup are two that come to mind, but the VOR and even the America’s Cup are sailed for God, King and Country, but mainly mates. So, what is it about the Volvo Ocean Race that brings people back time and again?

When, or if, people think about ‘round the world sailing, most likely Joshua Slocum comes to mind.

A native of Boston, MA, Rich Wilson is unique in this edition due to his age, his physical condition, and his goal. This is his second Vendée Globe to be sure, but there are three other entrants embarking on their second and five skippers doing their fourth.